Aah, that makes sense

I took Rohan to the Audiologist and Pediatric Otolaryngologist (say that 10 times fast!) on Friday, and came out with some good news, and some bad news.

But first, a story that Grandpa Doug recounted to me, when I told him the situation:

A woman went to the doctor & said "Doc, I'm having terrible gas. It doesn't smell bad, but people can hear me passing gas and I'd like to fix it."
The doctor looked at her & said "ok, take these pills and come back next week."
The woman did as he said. When she came back, she said with dismay "Doc, I'm still having terrible gas, only now it smells bad, too."
The doctor replied "well, the good news is, now we've fixed your sense of smell. The bad news is, now let's get to work on that gas."
(Hahahahaha!)

THE GOOD NEWS
We now have (at least) 1 logical, likely-fixable, reason that Rohan hasn't started speaking yet.

THE BAD NEWS
It's likely in large part because Rohan can't hear properly, because his ears are filled with fluid!

Rohan basically failed his first hearing test. He can only hear @ ~50-70 decibel level; where the normal human can hear ~ 20 decibels. The fluid in his ears is likely from ear infections or maybe bottles left in his mouth as he fell asleep - no one knows for sure but whatever the cause, we must get it out.
How?
First, we go back to his pediatrician, Dr. Schwanke, and get him to prescribe antibiotics (takes ~ 3 weeks to go the full course). This might work - then we have him re-tested to see whether there's any damage to the audio nerve.
Then, if antibiotics don't work, the next step is minor ear surgery, where he goes under anesthesia (this is the biggest worry-inducer) to have the gunk sucked out and tiny ear tubes placed in his eardrum.
From a god website I learned
"Ear tubes are tiny cylinders placed through the ear drum (tympanic membrane) to allow air into the middle ear. They also may be called tympanostomy tubes."

It's a fairly common surgery, and I hear has very good outcomes. I'm already mentally ready for this if needed, as his Otolaryngologist (again, say 10 times fast!) suggested that the gunk in his ears has already turned the consistency of glue, and thus may not come out easily, even with proper antibiotics.
I want him to hear properly 'asap' - and even though the tubes mean he has to wear earplugs in pools and the bathtub, that's an inconvenience I'm willing to deal with.
So, though there may be more wrong that we can't yet even diagnose, at least we have 1 logical explanation.

Photos are of my boys @ the park, and then snoozing in the car on the way home, this afternoon.

Kate Sherwood
Mobile (650) 387-6767