Brecken: Ear Tube Surgery was an Easy Choice for this Audiologist

When considering ear tubes, this audiologist knew exactly where to take his son

Bill Matthew is a doctor of audiology who specializes in diagnosing and treating hearing disorders. So when his 4-year-old son, Brecken, came down with multiple ear infections, he was already aware of the effects they could have on his hearing.

“A mild hearing loss in children often goes undetected, which can lead to speech and language delays and in some instances, learning delays,” Bill said. After trying several rounds of different antibiotics, he knew it was time to consider ear tubes.

A hospital that lives up to its reputation

Bill took his son to see the team of ENT doctors at Children’s Hospital Colorado’s North Campus location in Broomfield. After meeting with Brian Hermann, MD, he decided that ear tubes would be the best option. The procedure was done in less than 15 minutes and he was able to leave with Brecken shortly after.

“I’ve told a lot of people how impressed we are with the atmosphere at Children’s – from the security guard we met walking in the door to the pre-op and post-op teams; I couldn’t find a complaint,” Bill said. “I deal with enough medical professionals, day-in and day-out, so it’s easy to see when someone is taking that extra step versus just checking the boxes.”

Free from ear infections and back on track

The family is happily back in Northern Colorado and no longer has to worry about how constant ear infections might affect Brecken’s hearing and learning development. Now Bill can turn his focus back to helping his own patients.

“Not every child is lucky enough to have a parent that works in the medical field,” said Kenny Chan, MD, Chairman of the Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology. “Sometimes children come in for a simple ear infection and one of our specialists recognizes something more serious; that’s the benefit of seeing a doctor who treats common and complex diseases of the ear, nose and throat.”

“Brecken has made a fantastic recovery,” his dad said. “His hearing is doing exactly what it should be with tubes. He’s had no ear problems since. It’s been perfect.”