update

We had a call from one of the Dr's at Starship on Monday after their meeting to say that they reviewed Oscar's case and his surgery wont be in the next 2 to 4 weeks but in 4 to 8 weeks. This is because he is doing well and isn't presenting with any side affects so that's good, but we would really like to know when it's going to happen and I am concerned about it stretching on as it means delays to his cleft surgeries.

Oscar had an appointment at Greenlane Hospital on Wednesday for a hearing test - there is a newly introduced Infant Hearing Screening Programme which he failed in hospital in the days after his birth, so this was a follow up test. He didn't do too well unfortunately as he has fluid in the middle ear - glue ear, which is pretty much always present with a cleft palate and should sort it's self out once he's had the palate repair done next year (hence my concern about the delays). So I was told that we have to talk to him with a raised voice so he can hear us and we have to go for more tests but they can give us a headband with two little devices which sit behind the ear and send the sounds straight to the bone and by-pass the middle ear so he can hear better. This will be important to help him develop language skills over the coming months.

Next Friday we see the ENT Specialist who is part of the large cleft team, so hoepfully she will be able to answer some of our questions about his hearing.

The taping went terribly - Oscar hated that as much as the bonnet/elastic combo and his mum found it all too hard and heart breaking, so we're taking a break from that for the minute. Hopefully I wont get in too much trouble with the orthodontist next week!

On the plus side, he is continuing to put on weight and is smiling more and more everyday.

Fiona