I had intended to write some kind of uplifting Christmas post today but Esteban is in pain and it is hard as a parent to focus on anything except resolving the problem at hand. This particular problem is an old one but has escalated in recent weeks to the point where I realise I must take action immediately.
We cannot say with certainty if he has always been this way, but his nose seems blocked even after giving it a good blow and he speaks in a very nasal way. At night he sleeps with his mouth open (unless he is on his back) and is quite often disturbed by his own breathing, which is more like snoring if I'm going to be honest. He is prone to ear infections and in recent weeks it has become evident that one of his ears has limited hearing. In the last few days he has been experiencing pain in this same ear, which we have reluctantly been giving him paracetamol suppositories for. Last night he was up vomiting at 2am and while I am unsure if this is related, the overall situation is clearly not getting any better.
Traditional doctors were able to confirm recently that his adenoids are swollen.
Adenoids are a patch of tissue that is high up in the throat, just behind the nose. They, along with the tonsils, are part of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system clears away infection and keeps body fluids in balance. The adenoids and tonsils work by trapping germs coming in through the mouth and nose.
One week ago our (ex)doctor recommended the removal of his tonsils & adenoids while inserting some kind of mini tubes into his ears which permit the excess liquid to drain. Needless to say, such dramatic procedures do not in any way address the cause of the problem and come with a plethora of potential consequences & ultimately a higher likelihood of further infections. It would also mean he must prevent water from getting in his ears for the next three years by wearing ear plugs during bath or swimming time. Call me crazy but this just seems like a recipe for disaster and yes, we will not be needing that doctor again.
Doing some research yesterday (being sure to ignore the first 100 suggestions from google which all point to surgery as the only option) I see this condition is not entirely uncommon in children and very often it simply goes away when the get older. The suggested cause appears to be a food allergy. Or the lack of something in his diet. Both of which seem possible to me.
Reading further I see the tube responsible for the removal of liquid from the middle ear is called the Eustachian tube.
It seems clear to me now where the infection is and why liquid is getting stuck in there.
Turns out Eustachian Tube Dysfunction is not an uncommon thing at all and it is of course immediately resolvable with a simple solution.
This guy has a good vibe about him and I like the technique he suggests.
I can see a ton of happy customers under this video, some of whom are parents with children experiencing exactly the same issues as Esteban.
Last night Esteban & I did the massage together and the road to recovery is before us.
But with that said, I do still seek the wisdom of this community in confirming (or not!) I am on the right track here. Still have no idea what food he might be allergic to or what food I need to add to his diet to resolve this once and for all.
So, if you happen to know of anyone on this platform who may be able to offer advice, please tag them here and let's see what we can come up with together. Many thanks in advance for your time!
Esteban & I are sending our Love & Light π±
