So our 17-month-old has been having major problems with ear fluid/infections and we are schedule to see an ENT doctor tomorrow to talk about ear tubes. She is miserable and we want to do whatever is necessary to help her heal. Antibiotics aren't touching it and the fluid won't dry up. I know this is a pretty common procedure, but I'm a little worried about the procedure. Can anyone provide me with some insight?
Whose Kiddos needed ear tubes?
- Thread starter ShaveYourSoul
- Start date
Relatively common, at least at our house. Both daughters had tubes. Procedure should not be too difficult on her. I fear it will be worse for you and your spouse. Make sure you get some good ear plugs to help keep water out of the ears. The tubes should fall out on their own and the holes will grow shut. She, and you guys, should find some relief. Good luck to all.
Relax...
My brothers son had them and they helped a TON. One of them did fall out and had to be replaced but it really cut down on the ear infections and general crud. Come to think of it my brother had them when we were kids too.
My brothers son had them and they helped a TON. One of them did fall out and had to be replaced but it really cut down on the ear infections and general crud. Come to think of it my brother had them when we were kids too.
I had some growing up. No big deal, but you have to be careful not to get water in the ear. By the time I was in high school, I didn't like the slightly tinny sound quality when I had a tube.
Both of my daughters had them before their first birthday. Sara was 10 months, she had multiple ear infections and ruptured her ear drums several times. Antibiotics did not seem to do anything after the first few infections. The tubes lasted about a year before they fell out. I did not know they fell out until I suspected she had another infection. When the doctor confirmed the infection I also scheduled next tubes to be placed. The doctors generally want you to have more than 3 infections within 6 months before they do them again. I was not going to have her go through those painful infections again. While both sets of tubes were in place she never had an infection. Her second set has been out about over two years, we have only had one infection since.
Sadie had tubes at 5 months. She had constant ear infections. She did have one with the first set as well. The first set lasted about 10 months. At that time we placed another set and removed her adenoids. Her second set fell out as well and we have only had one infection since. My girls are 4&6 now. I was advised that generally as kids grow they outgrow the need for the tubes. For us the decision was a blessing. Good Luck.
Sadie had tubes at 5 months. She had constant ear infections. She did have one with the first set as well. The first set lasted about 10 months. At that time we placed another set and removed her adenoids. Her second set fell out as well and we have only had one infection since. My girls are 4&6 now. I was advised that generally as kids grow they outgrow the need for the tubes. For us the decision was a blessing. Good Luck.
Also the water issue. Both of our doctors say to be cautious of the water, at the same time they did say you really have to force the water toward the ear for them to get water in them. I never once used a plug in shower or tub for my girls but I was cautious.
Both my daughters had several sets. My oldest was born in 1970, so this procedure has been around a long time.
I had them multiple (3?) times growing up, no big deal. Wore plugs whenever I went swimming/showered and they fall out. No muss, no fuss and I don't recall ever feeling them. After my third time, I ended up having my adenoids taken out. Just something to know ahead of time might be a solution if the tubes don't help her.
My oldest son had them but the other two haven't needed them. He had ear infections constantly, too. Antibiotics didn't help. After the tubes were put in they went away, almost like a miracle. One of the tubes has since fallen out but the other one is still in. We don't worry about water getting in there anymore. He swims in the pool and the ocean without harm now.
I'd like to know more about this "tinny" sound, though, as I wonder if it's why he often thought things were "too loud" - whether it was the TV, an angry father, or sirens, etc.
Seemed like every female in my family had them when I was growing up. Both sisters, multiple cousins, etc. Oddly all female.
Things like this always make me wonder what happened in the 40s, 50s, 60s, etc. before these types of procedures were popular. Were there piles of kids walking around with ear infections?
Things like this always make me wonder what happened in the 40s, 50s, 60s, etc. before these types of procedures were popular. Were there piles of kids walking around with ear infections?
Six sets growing up and I have excellent hearing still. Now 32 years old. You have NOTHING to worry about.
As a pediatrician, I'm happy to give some insight. Tubes are not a panacea, rather a last resort when medical therapy (antibiotics) is exhausted. 80% of children will have had an ear infection by the time they are 3. The reasons are two-fold. Ear infections are typically a secondary infection on the heels of a cold. Infants and toddlers get lots of colds. Secondly, as ear infections are essentially a dysfunction of the eustachian tube, the small caliber and relatively horizontal nature of young children's eustachian tubes pre-dispose them to become blocked. The blockage causes fluid to build up (upstream) and if bacteria are present - voila, an ear infection develops. Antibiotics, ideally, will kill the offending bacteria and relieve the acute symptoms, but do not cause the blockage to resolve. Up to 30% of kids with "successfully" treated ear infections will still have fluid in the middle ear a month after completing the treatment. This, unfortunately predisposes them to a recurrence of infection. The fluid also affects their ability to hear. Since they're at a prime age for the acquisition of language, this hearing impairment can have real implications in their verbal development.
Placing tubes in the ear drum gives this fluid a place to drain, until they outgrow their special predilection for getting them (one can develop an ear infection at any age, but the vast, vast majority are in pre-schoolers).
As I stated initially, tubes are not a panacea. They can get plugged, fall out prematurely or stay put too long and need to be removed - but they can be a tremendous benefit for the majority of kids who need them. It's never a bad idea to ask for a second opinion any time surgery is recommended. There are some ENT docs who will operate on any child with a history of recurrent ear infections (they're surgeons, obviously that's their bias). There is no set algorithm that you can plug the data in a get a set answer as to the absolute need for tubes, you should ask your pediatrician and ENT doctor to explain fully their rationale for what is being proposed. If you have any doubts, by all means get a second opinion.
The operation itself is very routine, almost trivial - takes only minutes. That being said, when it is your child there is no such thing as a routine, trivial surgery.
I practice in a city large enough to support pediatric anesthesiologists with experienced pediatric nurses to manage pre and post op. I would most definitely inquire about the facility where it will be done that they have pediatric sub-specialists, if not, and you have a choice - choose a facility that does.
Sorry for the long winded answer, I tried to be on point but there's a lot to cover.
Feel free to PM me with any further specifics.
Best,
Scott
Placing tubes in the ear drum gives this fluid a place to drain, until they outgrow their special predilection for getting them (one can develop an ear infection at any age, but the vast, vast majority are in pre-schoolers).
As I stated initially, tubes are not a panacea. They can get plugged, fall out prematurely or stay put too long and need to be removed - but they can be a tremendous benefit for the majority of kids who need them. It's never a bad idea to ask for a second opinion any time surgery is recommended. There are some ENT docs who will operate on any child with a history of recurrent ear infections (they're surgeons, obviously that's their bias). There is no set algorithm that you can plug the data in a get a set answer as to the absolute need for tubes, you should ask your pediatrician and ENT doctor to explain fully their rationale for what is being proposed. If you have any doubts, by all means get a second opinion.
The operation itself is very routine, almost trivial - takes only minutes. That being said, when it is your child there is no such thing as a routine, trivial surgery.
I practice in a city large enough to support pediatric anesthesiologists with experienced pediatric nurses to manage pre and post op. I would most definitely inquire about the facility where it will be done that they have pediatric sub-specialists, if not, and you have a choice - choose a facility that does.
Sorry for the long winded answer, I tried to be on point but there's a lot to cover.
Feel free to PM me with any further specifics.
Best,
Scott
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #13
Thanks for all he advice folks! And thank you Scott for the thorough explanation and the information regarding the facility and staff. That is something we will definitely inquire about. Luckily we live in a huge metro area (Dallas-Fort Worth) so we will have a lot of options for doctors and facilities.
She's had the fluid problem for a while now. And like you were saying she has been getting colds quite often lately. On top of that, she appears to have allergy issues with drainage so it's like she's constantly having fluid. This is probably the 4th ear infections she's had, but she's had fluid for as long as I can remember. Also, she appears to be having some speech development issues as well as poor balance while walking. She's only been walking for about a month and a half, but this doesn't seem like wobble from being a new walker, to us it seems like her balance is off. Nothing regarding tubes has been discussed as of yet with an ENT, but we'll have to see what they say tomorrow.
She's had the fluid problem for a while now. And like you were saying she has been getting colds quite often lately. On top of that, she appears to have allergy issues with drainage so it's like she's constantly having fluid. This is probably the 4th ear infections she's had, but she's had fluid for as long as I can remember. Also, she appears to be having some speech development issues as well as poor balance while walking. She's only been walking for about a month and a half, but this doesn't seem like wobble from being a new walker, to us it seems like her balance is off. Nothing regarding tubes has been discussed as of yet with an ENT, but we'll have to see what they say tomorrow.
Last edited by a moderator:
My wife had them. Not for very long, they fell out. They also ruptured her ear drum and she just had that repaired last week.
My son just saw the ENT yesterday and has to get them again
He had them before and outgrew them
Stressful as a parent but not that serious in the grand scheme of things
Although when it comes to our kids there's no such thing as a "minor procedure"
He had them before and outgrew them
Stressful as a parent but not that serious in the grand scheme of things
Although when it comes to our kids there's no such thing as a "minor procedure"
My son was a little younger then your daughter, damn it used to kill me seeing him in all that pain. It was ear infection after ear infection and always antibiotics had to be used. We have doctors and nurses in my family so didn't have far to turn for advice. No way I was Guna let my little guy keep suffering like that, his screams from pain ate at me. We saw a really good ENT, who had just had to have em done for his son the week before so he completely related with all of our concerns as a doctor and a concerned parent. my son had one set placed and they fell out at the appropriate time. He never had an ear infection again. He's 5 1/2 now just caught the nasty cold that's going around and even doctor commented she was shocked this has been his first ear infection since a baby. I don't regret it and everyone I know who waited way beyond doing sooner then later for all the fears when it should have been done sooner came back and told me they regretted not doing it sooner. Again I'm talking about reacted ear infections working you way up the the various antibiotics just a couple ear infections well space out. If the ENT recommends it is probably a good idea. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again for either of my children if the circumstances were right.
My fiance had tubes in here ears when she was young. The topic has come up many times, and I have never heard anything from her or her parents saying that the experience with the tubes was particularly difficult. They fell out when she was around 6 (I think). She continues to have difficulties with her ears, but it just seems to something she was always prone to, and not a consequence of the tubes. Your child will need to wear earplugs whenever in water while the plugs are in, and my advise would to just stick with them for life. My fiance's problems have completely cleared up as a result of getting earplugs (the same custom fitted kind you will probably get with the tubes) and ALWAYS wearing them in water, including the shower. If she forgets to put them in a single time, her ears start to hurt.
I had it when I was a kid. To the best of my knowledge it went fine. I have a high frequency hearing loss, but I don't think it's related. In fact, it was discovered because I was at the audiologist so often for ear aches.
My oldest son, who is now 11, had 4 sets when he was young. The hardest part by far was when he woke up from the anesthesia. That was far more tough on us than on him, and while he eventually needed to have his tonsils and adenoids out because of it, he's been great since then.
It's a very common procedure, no worries. FWIW, I learned from a buddy who is a pediatric surgeon at Mayo that there is a high correllation between milk allergies and ear infections. A lot of doctors don't diagnose this. You may want to try her on soy or rice milk. Google "ear infections and dairy."
Similar threads
