My adult daughter has a number of disabilites. Referred to Alison in ENT last year we were delighted with the care and expertise shown to my daughter who had been suffering with wax blocking both ear drums. Alison arranged two monthly visits and gradually was clearing my daughter's ears, taking account of the sensitivity felt by her.
At the last visit in January, before lockdown one ear had been cleared and was again showing a little wax; the other ear showed 10% of the ear drum.
Alison made our visits so calm, and was sensitive to my daughter's needs.
Since January there have been no visits. One GP at my daughter's medical practice refuses to attend the residential home to check for wax as he says this is not an emergency. Another GP at the same practice, the one who arranged the ENT sessions, is willing for my daughter to be taken to the medical practice, making a special arrangement appointment, to check the ears but the residential home feel it is preferred that my daughter does not attend the surgery due to lockdown.
My daughter does not show signs of distress so no infection is indicated but as she has no speech she cannot tell people, or sign, to say how much she can hear. She puts up with a lot of things without complaint. She showed no distress when both her ears were blocked with hard dark wax. She just didn't hear properly. Hearing is so important, and vitally so when she cannot verbalise.
What is the answer here as lockdown looks to continue for some time?
Normally I take her to any medical or dental appointment but I am not in a position presently to override the precautions in place to safeguard residents. At the same time I consider seven months without a look at her ears is unacceptable.
Seeing the whole me
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