Closer to some answers

Finally Natalie is closer to having a solution to her health problems. Since birth Natalie has had chronic runny noses, congestion, coughing, and ear infections (all as a result of the persistent mucus). She had been tested for acid reflux and it came back negative. She had been sent to an ENT at six months old for possible enlarged adenoids with once again a negative diagnosis. That ENT was absolutely no help at all. He basically thought I was hyper paranoid and told me she was fine. Tell that to the poor child who is always sick! I put it on the back burner for a while until just recently she was hit with another round of ear infections.

She had been sick with a "cold" for about a month and a half which ended in an ear infection. The antibiotics cleared up the infection and the "cold" went away. We went a whole two weeks with a happy, healthy Natalie. Then she got "sick" again. This time for two and a half months straight. She had runny noses, cough, etc. I finally took her into the doctor again - ear infection. Another round of antibiotics. Two weeks later - still has the ear infection. This time the doctor gave us antibiotics and a referral to an ENT.

Natalie visited with the ENT today (just six days after her visit with the doctor). They told us that the infection was gone but she still had quite a bit of fluid in her ears. They began to ask me her history and I gave them all of the long, gory details. They asked me about her development. This is something I have been concerned about for a while. Natalie is 14 months old and can only say three words: mom, dad, and bye. Even at that, she really doesn't say them. I have heard them so I know she can say them, but she really doesn't use them. She babbles all day long so I know she conceptualizes speech, but she can't say anything recognizable. I have worried about this for a little while now. They told me that she could have trouble hearing.

The next thing is her walking. A few days ago I thought to myself that perhaps she hasn't walked because her equilibrium is off. After all, if she has all of those ear infections and chronic sinus problems, I am sure it is very difficult for her to keep her balance. After all, she is the wobbliest girl I have ever seen. When they heard that she could only take 2-3 steps, they confirmed my theory.

So, they tested her hearing. I sat in the booth with her as they played little beeps and buzzing noises. This poor little girl couldn't hear much of anything. She would look in the opposite direction that the noise was coming from the majority of the time. She really only noticed the sounds if they were quite loud or if it was accompanied with the flashing and rotating animatronics. The doctor confirmed her suspicion with the results.

Natalie could hear hardly anything due to the fluid in one of her ears and in the other ear could only hear above 35-40 DB in the other. They told us that below 20 DB is good. So, we have to keep our eyes on her. Unfortunately with us moving in two weeks we can't do a whole lot right now. They gave us a copy of her diagnosis and hearing results and told us to find an ENT in Dallas and compare these results with what they find. If there is no improvement, she will probably need tubes to drain the fluid out. I am glad that we at least have a direction now.

I also put two and two together and figured out that this is all probably a result of her milk allergy. Dumb me thought that it had remarkably went away because she wasn't having all of her digestion issues, but it sounds like the chronic sickness points right to that. So, starting today, milk proteins have been cut completely from her diet again. We will see how this goes. I am crossing my fingers for some good improvements and a walking, talking Natalie!