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Conference moira::parenting

Title:	Parenting
Notice:	Previous PARENTING version at MOIRA::PARENTING_V3
Moderator:	GEMEVN::FAIMANY

Created:	Thu Apr 09 1992
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1292
Total number of notes:	34837

916.0. "Ear Scopes" by TUXEDO::COZZENS () Wed Mar 08 1995 07:43

    I recently saw in a catalog an Ear Scope for checking out your kits
    ears to see if they have an infection.  Has anyone ever used one of
    these?  What do you think?
    
    I spoke with my pediatrician who said that if the child had easy ears
    to look in then the scopes are good, with the exception that the lights 
    were not very bright.  She told me that it would be very easy to look 
    in my daughter's ears.  The scope comes with a book that tells you 
    what to look for, pictures included.
    
    Any comments?  My daughter is chronic, but difficult to diagnose, she
    never runs a fever, her eating habits do not change, and she usually
    sleeps through the night.  The only thing that changes is her mood.  
    I took her in a few months ago for a lingering cold and found that she 
    had double ear infections.  I'm wondering if the scope is worth the 
    purchase.  
    
    Thanks,
    Lisa Cozzens

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
916.1		CNTROL::JENNISON	Oh me of little faith	`Wed Mar 08 1995 08:39`	12
	My sister got one, and found it difficult to truly diagnose an infection. They provide pictures, but I think it still takes a trained eye to be sure. I had my uncle (a doctor) check my son's ears, and he said he couldn't be sure, then added that pediatrician's do it every day, so really know when they seen an infection. I understand your predicament. My son is chronic and virtually asymptomatic, too. Karen
916.2	We like it	PERFOM::WIBECAN	Acquire a choir	`Thu Mar 09 1995 11:05`	14
	We got one, and I (unfortunately) have had LOTS of practice with it. In general, we use it just for confirmation. If the ears look perfectly clear, fine; if it's not obvious, bring the child to the doctor. We've had many false alarms, and these are reduced somewhat with the otoscope thing. The major benefit has been when we're a little unsure of my son's health, check his ears, and they appear pretty badly infected, so we get him to the doctor earlier than we might have otherwise. (I just used it this morning, coincidentally.) It does take some practice to get the ear canal lined up, but it isn't too difficult once you get the hang of it. We find it extremely valuable. Brian
916.3	my two cents	BLAKFT::HEADLEY		`Thu Mar 09 1995 15:58`	11
	I too have a son who had chronic ear infections with no typical symptoms other than mood changes. (I say had because he appears to have outgrown them somewhat, as they are MUCH less frequent now) I bought the otoscope and sometimes I could tell right away but not always. Sometimes I could tell because he simply would not tolerate me looking in his ears! In the end, I trust my gut instinct, and when his mood/behavior is bad we go to the doctor's. One symptom that took longer to pick up on was his breath. Babies and toddlers rarely have bad breath unless they are sick. Anyway, trust your instincts . . . we only made one unnecessary trip. Jean
916.4	mine is for sale!	MPGS::HEALEY	Karen Healey, VIIS Group, SHR3	`Tue Mar 14 1995 09:55`	10
	I got one too but Lauren will not tolerate me putting it in her ear. What a waste of $25! I don't know how the Dr does it but then again, she has alot of practice and a split second is enough to make a diagnosis. Anybody want to buy mine? $20 takes it. I'm in SHR or Milford MA. Karen