Trust Your Mommy Gut

I write soooo many posts having to do with Lizzy. She gives me soooo many things to write about. That's not to say that Ben, my second child isn't as entertaining. Quite the contrary - he is quite the little entertainer. Most of the experiences I write about Lizzy have to do with something she has said. Ben, well, Ben hasn't said much yet to write about.

He just turned 3-years-old. His speech has been slower than Lizzy's was. She honestly knew her alphabet when she was about 18-months-old and was telling me stories at age 2! The girl doesn't stop talking!! Believe me, if I wrote down everything interesting or profound that came out of her mouth, well, it's just impossible.

Ben, on the other hand, has some words he says clearly but for the most part, his speech is very garbled. I have been concerned but everyone tells me to not compare the two children, boys are slower etc. etc. etc. I even had him evaluated by an organization here in town that does preschool speech therapy about a year ago who proclaimed he is super smart just taking his own sweet time talking. I asked our doctor to check out his ears but he didn't find anything. Essentially, I gathered from everyone that I needed to turn down my "mommy worry" meter and let the kid develop on his own.

Our doctor is smart but he spent MAYBE 5 minutes with Ben and I never felt he examined Ben thoroughly enough. Now that we are paying cash for dr.'s appointments, I decided to make a switch to someone I liked going to see. I asked our new doctor to please check Ben's ears very thoroughly. What he saw was a bunch of gunk that he figures has been there for a long time, maybe even years. He figures Ben has had allergies and clogged up ear canals for a couple of years now. After checking Ben out he decided that Ben probably hears things as if he is under water! He also let me know that Ben's throat has probably been hurting for years and he has probably had a headache just as long. Ben just hasn't known any different. Maybe he's been trying to let me know but I can't understand him to know what was wrong. For the most part he is a cheerful guy. I just never knew he was feeling so yucky.

Oh my poor baby boy!! We have started a bunch of medications to clear up the gunk and hopefully prevent it from returning. I have already noticed a difference. His nose isn't constantly running which the previous doctor just told me was normal. He is sleeping better and he doesn't seem to have his grouchy moments as often. And yes, I have already noticed a difference in the number of words he says more clearly. I am going to have him evaluated by a speech therapist again so we can get his speech taken care of! He really does try so hard to explain things to me but often he just gets frustrated that I don't understand.

Oh my poor baby boy!! I'm so sorry son. If your mommy isn't trusting her gut and sticking up for you, no one will. We'll get this taken care of Ben Boy. Then you can talk my ears off like your sister does and keep me from developing Alzheimer's before my time because my brain will have to keep up with yours. I love you son!!