Adenoid Problem

Our youngest (3.5 years old)

Our youngest son has a language problem. He was a quiet baby and was just late with everything from babbling to forming sentences. He hits all the same milestones as other kids, just 6-12 months later than them. To be honest, we weren’t too concerned. For as many people that expressed concern about his language, we had even more people telling us about their kids for whom they had similar concerns that ended up being fine (especially among families raising their kids in Africa). So we were working with him and kept a careful eye to make sure he was still progressing, and he was.

Then someone suggested the idea that he might have a hearing problem. We had never thought of it. But we did some tests— like coming up behind him unaware and whispering his name. I remember helping him get dressed and while he was looking down, I asked in a whisper only a foot from his head, “Do you like ice cream?” Now usually the utterance of “ice cream” would begin a wave of excitement, but he continued to just look down. I said it again and again. Then I raised my voice to a normal speaking volume and his head popped up like a shot, “Ice cream?! I like ice cream. I want ice cream. We gonna have ice cream? Please, oh please.”

We did more tests. His older siblings caught on and started whispering his name at any given moment as their own test. There were some inconsistencies, but it seemed like he didn’t have just a language problem but a language/hearing problem. That one piece of information immediately changed how we viewed the problem. Suddenly there might be something more we could do to help him. His language may not need to be delayed if we could help his hearing. It also changed how we viewed other things— now his refusal to come or his slowness to obey or his not following instructions until we raised our voices could be a hearing issue and not an obedience one (at least not entirely). In a moment, it gave us more patience and made all our interactions with him a little louder!

Just look at those adenoids!

So we knew we needed to check this out, but the problem is that the islands have no specialists, no place to get hearing tested. But God was good and as we passed through the African mainland for our team’s debrief we were able to go to a clinic specializing in hearing. There were 4 different tests they were going to do, but after the second one they stopped. “His tympograms are abnormal, that means he has fluid behind his ear drums. There is no need to do any more tests until the fluid is gone.” They asked us questions about his breathing and congestion. “Is he sick right now? He seems congested. He’s breathing through his mouth.” I looked at my son for a moment and reflected… I knew he wasn’t sick, in fact my reaction was— “Well that’s how he always is.” Suddenly he had a language/hearing/breathing problem. We hadn’t really thought about it. I would have said he gets head colds easy. He snores sometimes. But the mouth breathing is something we’ve taken for granted. He never complains about it and so we didn’t notice it much. Now that we are keyed into it, we notice it all the time.

So after an x-ray and different consultations with various ENT’s, the conclusion is that he needs his adenoids out.  Those crazy adenoids are too big and are wreaking havoc with his breathing, his hearing and subsequently his language development. Once they are gone, the doctors say it is very likely that all three issues will normalize.

Tom and older kids experiment

And we just thought he was a little behind in language…

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We were able to schedule our youngest’s surgery to have his adenoids removed and tubes placed for June 1st! Our island sister was able to have an encouraging sit down talk with just her father, who expressed remorse for bringing a whole delegation to talk to her. Our other son is feeling all better after his fever last week.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Pray for us as we arrange the logistics of traveling to Kenya for his surgery (insurance, travel, accommodations). Tom will stay back with our older kids on the islands. The partial revote on the islands happened but still no official results. People are suspicious of corruption and so we wait. Pray for a quick resolution and a peaceful transfer of power.