Update on Evan's Hearing Test

OK, I was so nervous about this! The night before, Evan couldn't eat anything but he could have clear liquid up until 2 hours before going in for sedation. Since he slept in on the morning of, he was not able to have anything to drink and was screaming for "MILK!"

I thought we were going to the new Children's hospital in Syracuse but since they didn't move this unit yet, we went to the old Children's unit which wasn't bad at all. It was all geared for little ones with plenty of toys and cars to drive in the hallways- we were set!

Evan did get tired of riding the car and was started to get over tired and VERY cranky! The finally gave him a Tylenol mixture with some other drug to make him relax and sleep to start to prepare him to go into the OR where they would sedate him and connect the ABR machine thingy (I don't know the technical name LOL) to his head.

When we first leaned of this sedated test, I was thinking IV and him being scare out of his mind, but moms going through this too, let me tell you know- it's much worse in our crazy mama minds than it will be in reality!!

After they gave him the Tylenol mixture and he was feeling alittle loopy, we were told to keep him from walking so I played cars with him on the floor. When it was time to bring him in, I put on a gown and carried him in. He was scareimng for one of the trucks the the Dr. grabbed a truck and a bin of toys and I set him on the bed with the truck (while holding him up because he was tipsy)and I played with the truck with him and he was content. We then moved him up by the pillow while he was still playing and the Dr. help up some gentle gas (in infant mask) which looked just like the nebulizer so he continued playing until he got really sleepy so we laid him back on the pillow and I rubbed his hair until he feel asleep. He really thought he was just taking a nap!

It took more than an hour to complete the test and once they were done, they took him to recovery (still sleeping at this point) and the audiologist pulled us aside to tell us the connections between his brain and ears were fine but she did see some fluid in his right ear and it looked like those ear infections were making their way back! She suggested we go back to the pediatrician and see if they were on board with getting into see a ENT (ear-nose-throat) specialist.

So, I brought Evan back to the pediatrician and both doctors agreed to treat him for the ear infection he has again and to get him into the ENT ASAP! I am feeling good about this decision because if the fluid is not draining properly it could be causing his hearing to be muffled so at least we have a direction to travel now and see where it leaves us- hopefully we will have more good news soon! =)

Evan's Sedated Hearing Test

Tomorrow Is Evan's ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response Hearing Test).... and I could not sleep last night! It's not a major test and Adam thinks he will just be a little groggy to relax him and not be completely out. I am not sure why I am so nervous! Maybe it's the thought of possibly they won't let me be with him during testing (I'm little controlling) or maybe it's the actual results of the tests that will scare me.

If his hearing is OK, that means the delay is a DELAY... and if his hearing is not OK, then we may be looking at hearing devices, and depending on results could mean adjusting to a new therapy...

I just want to know NOW what I should be doing or could e doing to help him. It's extremely frustrating!

Here is the explanation of the exam from the Boston Children's Hospital:

What is an Auditory Brainstem Response Evaluation (ABR)?

An Auditory Brainstem Response Evaluation (ABR) is a type of test, usually performed for infants and young children, that evaluates how well sounds travel along the hearing nerve pathways from the ear to the brainstem. There are two main types of hearing loss:
Conductive hearing loss -- problems transmitting sound from the outer ear (where sound is collected) to the inner ear. This type of hearing loss can often reverse itself as children grow older.
Sensorineural hearing loss -- problems with the nerves connecting the inner ear to the brain. In the inner ear, tiny hairs on the cochlea act as a neural pathway, transmitting through the inner ear. Usually, problems with these hairs on the cochlea are responsible for sensorineural hearing loss. It is usually permanent and present at birth.
An ABR test, by evaluating the hearing nerve pathways, can identify cases of sensorineural hearing loss. It is a sleep EEG hearing test which shows the softest sounds your child's ears can detect at various pitches. The ABR compares changes in brain activity to the timing of repetitive sounds to determine whether the particular intensity of sound can be heard.

How is it performed?

There will be three or four small stickers on your child's head, connected to leads going into a computer. Sounds will be presented through an earphone to each ear separately while a computer analyzes the changes in the brain wave pattern in response to sounds.
Your child should be sleeping for the duration of the test. Young children under the age of six months are not usually sedated, and the test is performed while the infant is naturally sleeping, following a feeding. Children over the age of six months are usually sedated with chloral hydrate.

The test is not painful or uncomfortable in any way, but it is necessary for your child to be asleep in order to obtain clear recordings during the test.

You will be in the room with your child during the test, and the results will be explained immediately afterward.

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Bad, bad blogger (family update)

OK, I realize it's been over a month since I last posted but I have good reasons =) I have been busy with the 2 businesses, Evan's therapies, and all these holidays! Unfortunately, I pulled something in my back which I thought was better until the other day, and snap! It's back and worse! I called my insurance company to see if I could get approval to see a chiropractor and they said we haven't had insurance since November! So, I am treating myself through my heating pad and old muscle relaxers left over from my TMJ pain. I can stand up for about 5 minutes before it starts to pull again. Hopefully Adam will get the insurance thing worked out soon.

Luckily, the kids are still insured which is needed for Evan's hearing test coming up soon that he has to be sedated for- I would hate to see that bill!

Evan has been showing improvements in all of his therapies, so his 33% delay is now at a 25% delay which dosen't seem like a lot but we're heading in the right direction. We're hoping the hearing test will give us some answers.



Dylan is doing really well in Kindergarden and I recently had our first parent/teacher confrence and the teacher says he is a great listener, helpful, and patient! He is on holiday break now and is "sooooo bored" but I haven't been able to do much with my back so Adam took him to the movies the other night and last night he went to Grandma's house... THANKS MOM! You have single handily saved my sanity today.


As for the holidays, this year we celebrated Chanukua early with my in-laws at Thanksgiving time, so we did X-mas with my family. We decorate our "Chanukua tree" with blue and silver as usual and added our new star of david ornament we found at Disney but I didn't take pics this year because Evan pretty much would take the decorations off, even sliding his chair over to reach further! He then decided to decorate it with his Hess trucks! Really, I found a truck smack dab in the middle of the tree. Looks like it may have been flying when it crashed =)

We went to my mom's for x-mas and exchanged gifts. Every year my sister gets something noisy for my kids, so this year I thought it would be funny to get a child size drum set for her 1 1/2 year old daughter, Trista! She actually plays it! I think this one may back fire on me next year......


This year was incredibly tight financially, so we didn't spend a lot of money but still had a good time with family which is the best part anyway. Evan got a red Radio Flyer tricycle (with a very cool compartment on the back that he likes to hide thigs in) and Dylan got a really cool scooter that he was actually able to ride the other day at the park due to some strange warm weather we had.

Tonight we are looking forward to going to a family friendly New Year's party that one of Dylan's friend's parents are having so that should be fun- wonder if I can bring my heating pad??

See you all in 2010!

Vote for the Bubele Loop & Snappy on Yak About It!

Stop by at Yak About it to vote for my invention, the Bubele loop sewn into baby clothing and accessories and Snappy to attach a pacifier! Today, I am up against People Food for Dogs, and they're winning, so C'mon, help a fellow mama out and vote for me!! =)

Business coaching for momprenuers

Ever hear of business coaching? It's a person you hire to give you information/advice to improve your business. It could be improvements to your business plan, marketing, website, etc...

Over the past couple years while developing Bubele and joining tons of social networking sites to help spread the word about my new brand, as well as connect with other small business owners to share tips, I have come across tons of offers for "coaching." I always laughed at the idea of having someone coach me, thinking "what are they possibly going to tell me?" That doesn't mean I didn't think I knew all the answers or I had the perfect marketing plan but I did know that I had certain problem areas that needed improvement and that I just needed to focus more to change those things. I thought having a coach would just point out what I already knew what was wrong. I didn't want to pay for that!

Even though being very skeptical, I have been following "The Mogul Mom", Heather Allard, a business coach, on Twitter, facebook, and I have been receiving her newsletter for a year I think. I have to admit, I am one of those newsletter subscribers that just skims through a newsletter, half-reading it and then deleting it! But after a few of Heather's newsletters that are jam packed with solid advice, those emails same became my partner. I began labeling several of these emails, such as "marketing" because it just wasn't one of those emails that gives you a tid bit of info, no, her newsletters were actually useful. There are plenty of times when Heather outlines a very important tip and how to implement it.

Like all good blogs, Heather offers contests. It just so happened she was offering a free coaching package that I had won! After seeing how skeptical I am about coaches (if you've half-red this post, see above =) you may wonder why the heck would I try to win this coaching package? Well, Heather is just not any business coach, she developed her own baby product, marketed it, and sold the company. This is how she became a coach for mom entrepreneurs. She knows the business and I wanted a glimpse!

So, what did I get out of it? A kick in the ass!! Yeah, she mentioned some problem areas that I already knew about but she had instructions of what to do and how to change it! It was basically like having a partner for 2 weeks. I let her know my problems and concerns and she always had an answer! I wanted a way to get more sales, she said go here and place an ad. OK, done. She noticed I was not describing my patent pending feature, the Bubele Loop (to attach a paci) well enough on my website. I began changing pictures and descriptions on my site to better explain my features and why you can't live without my products! OK, this one is going to take awhile to finish, but at least it's a start!

Anyways, I had problems, Heather had answers! So, now what do I think of business coaching? Well, I definitely know what they are all about now that I have worked with a great coach so I can share what I have learned. A great coach, like Heather Allard, will get to know your product, website, and your market in order to give you valuable ways to improve your business. Obviously Heather is so good because she was a mom entrepreneur who knows my market, who's been there herself! Maybe this is the key to a great coach.

If you're running around in circles trying to figure out what your next step is, or if you need someone to help you acknowledge goals, or even help carry out your own goals you set for yourself, I will tell you Heather is worth every penny she charges! Forget about wondering if it would actually work or not, it will! How much money did you waste this year on trying to figure out what works? Let Heather get you focused for the new year and I guarantee you will be thanking me!

Now, if you are just starting out as a new mom entrepreneur, hire Heather now! If I would of hired her 2 years ago, it wouldn't have taken me the past 2 years to learn what I have learned.

I've contacted Heather to let her know I am going to ramble on about her services and she let me know she has this special going on right now:

I've extended the 20% off coaching special until Sunday, November 15, 2009. Just use THANKS at checkout for 20% any coaching package.

Don't overthink this one, just do this! It's not expensive and after she's done with you, you'll wonder why she dosen't charge more =)

Update on Evan's early intervention

It's been a few months since Evan started in the early intervention program and he defintely is making great improvements! We started out with one day a week of speech therapy and one more day another teacher would come and just work on general stuff. After seeing some imporvement, we wanted to push! We then requested to increase his speech services to 2 times a week where one of the days the therapist would go to pre school with him. So far so good! He has been learning some basic signs like "help" "more" "eat" etc. He now uses words with the signs and is a little easier to communicate with him- before he was so frustrated!!

A few weeks ago, it was time for EI services to review his progress and they determained that he was really delayed in gross and fine motor skills =( When I found out, it was like a kick in the gut and I just wanted to cry, but we are moving forward! Evan now receives 4 days a week in therapies. A new OT, Beth has started with him once a week on top of his other 3 days of therapy- PHEW! It's a lot, but we are hanging in there and juggling it all!