Carrots, surgery, and naps

Yesterday we met with a speech therapist at medical home clinic.  She had some interesting suggestions for how to get Cooper to eat.  One was to give him hard veggies (carrots, celery, jicama) and just let him chew them.  Today, I gave Cooper a carrot stick and it was a HUGE hit!

This was when he first got it and wasn't too sure.  A few minutes later, he was using both hands to stuff it in to his mouth.  Like I said, huge fan of carrots.

Today, we had an ENT and Audiology appointment.  It was mainly to test his hearing.  I was really surprised by the results.  Cooper's right ear, which is always nasty and has stuff draining from it, was almost fine.  He could hear 30 decibels (normal is 20).  The left ear, which we never really have issues with was at 60 decibels.  Both ears have some fluid behind them, so some hearing loss would be expected because of that. The ENT doc thinks the next step should be to put new PE tubes in, drain the fluid behind his eardrum, and repeat the hearing test.  He thinks the right ear should be normal at that point.  If the left ear is still bad, they will fit him for a hearing aid for that ear.

And just for the record, Cooper is the best sleeper, except when you want him to sleep.  He has to be asleep for the hearing test.  The ENT "tortured" him by cleaning out his ears, so I thought he would go right to sleep.  Nope.  Then we walked around in the stroller for about half and hour.  Still not asleep.  Finally, I took him out to the car and drove around the parking lot a few times.  That worked wonders.  Now I know!