Health Update - Owen

Owen had an interesting visit with the ENT (Ears, Nose and Throat) doctor today! The doctor decided to do an in-office procedure called a Transnasal Flexible Laryngoscopy, which basically meant I had to hold my screaming, kicking, crying son as still as possible while the doctor inserted a thin flexible tubing down his nose, throat and all the way down to his stomach (in order to view these.) Fortunately, the doctor was able to make a pretty accurate diagnosis on the basis of this - so Owen’s discomfort was not in vain! It turns out that Owen has very enlarged adenoids (grade 4) which almost touch one another. He also has a “floppy voice box” and an extra fold of skin around his voice box. Below is the definition I found for this:

"Floppy voice box" is a fairly common condition called laryngomalacia. It is caused by the cartilage in the larynx (voice box) being soft. Consequently, when a baby breathes in, especially if he/she breathes in hard, it causes the inlet to narrow, and often a sound is made. This condition improves with age as the cartilage hardens, although it usually takes a few years to resolve completely. Nearly all cases of laryngomalacia are harmless. For those that do cause problems, there are always symptoms, such as loud noisy breathing, or distress during breathing.

The next step the doctor has ordered is a sleep study for Owen. Based on the results of the study, he will decide whether to do surgery to remove Owen’s adenoids. I will provide another update at that time – thanks so much for praying!