Eyes and Ears again

On Monday Tim and Joel had ophthalmology appointments. People often ask me how doctors can tell if a baby or small child needs glasses-- how do they know what prescriptions they need? All I can tell you is what I see them do.

Often they first put drops in the child's eyes and wait for them to dilate. Then they turn off the lights in the room and hold different lenses up in front of each eye, shining a little light into their eyes. Apparently they can see when the eye focuses by looking into it in that way. The trick is to get the child to cooperate. Because Joel loves this doctor and cooperates well, Timmy is actually getting better at it, especially if we let him sit in the big chair by himself.

Okay, so Timmy's been shutting his left eye for a while. His prescription in that eye has increased substantially, he needs new glasses. Joel's left eye still seems to stray at times but it's intermittent and he doesn't need glasses. Everyone defers on surgery for Joel because of his artificial heart valve and the blood thinner. I asked the doctor why is it that the kids all seem to have the most trouble with their left eyes. He answered that it's because they are right side preferential, likely right-handed.

Tuesday we got up way early and took Tim and Ella to the university hospital where they each received exams and ear tubes under anesthesia. Ella hadn't been hearing again and the doctors found that yes, she was full of very thick fluid again. They suctioned it out and put a different kind of tubes in this time. Tim's ears had only a tiny bit of fluid but they suctioned them too and put in tubes. This is Ella's fourth set of tubes, I think Tim's too. Hopefully they'll last a while and Ella will be able to hear again! Tim has always seemed to be able to hear, but Ella's hearing has always been doubtful. Her language development has suffered. The last ABR they attempted was inconclusive because she wouldn't go to sleep. We'll try for an audiogram (play based hearing test) in a couple of months.