Patient Success Stories

Simple procedure in comfortable environment gets young patient back to school & sports

Caleb enjoys playing sports like many boys and girls his age. His favorite sports include soccer and basketball. Caleb also has fun riding his bike, playing with his dog and horseback riding.

Caleb’s parents began noticing that he was having some difficulty reading. They also noticed that he was having some mild to moderate hearing loss. He had a history of ear infections and his mother, Jennifer, made an appointment with Caleb’s pediatrician. The doctor performed the exam and determined that he was suffering from an asymptomatic ear infection, meaning he had an ear infection but without many of the symptoms that are usually associated with an ear infection such as runny nose, fever, ear pain or ear drainage. Caleb’s pediatrician referred him to Dr. Timothy Frost, a board-certified Otolaryngologist that specializes in ear, nose and throat conditions at Christus Southern New Mexico. He has additional knowledge and experience in Sinus Infection and Respiratory Tract Diseases. In order to prevent the recurrent ear infections that Caleb was experiencing, Dr. Frost recommended ear tubes as a treatment. The ear tubes are plastic and look like a hollow spool.

This treatment is often prescribed for children with a history of recurring ear infections or in cases where fluid is found behind the eardrum. This simple procedure is performed under general anesthesia and usually as an outpatient procedure by an otolaryngologist. The surgeon places the tubes through a small incision made in the eardrum.

Caleb’s parents decided to move forward with the ear tubes for him. Dr. Frost performed the procedure in February of 2010 at SNMSC in Alamogordo. Jennifer and Caleb traveled the 30 minutes to the surgery center. “SNMSC doesn’t feel like a hospital or surgery center at all, it looks brand new and the atmosphere is very welcoming,” Jennifer says. Caleb’s procedure at Christus Southern New Mexico was seamless and his recovery quick. He was back to school in no time and even referred to his hearing after the procedure as “bionic”. “The staff was very professional and took the time to answer all of our questions,” Jennifer recalls.

Click here or select the image above to download a pdf of Caleb's story.

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