DS not sleeping well since ear tubes - coincidence?

[lecach]

DS got ear tubes last Monday, Nov. 21. Before the surgery he would sleep most nights til 4 a.m., have a bottle, and go back to sleep until 5:45/6 a.m. For a total of 10 1/2 or 11 hours of sleep. Last week he seemed to be waking 2 times a night but still sleeping til the usual time. This week he is getting up 3 or more times and is up for the day an hour early - getting a total of 9 or so hours of sleep. I read somewhere that after anesthesia childrens sleep can be disturbed for 2-3 weeks. Did anyone else experience this? I suppose it could be another growth spurt. DS will be 1 next week. Poor thing is so tired during the day that he's cranky at daycare. And of course we're not getting enough sleep either. Any advice?

 

[kpk89]

Could it be possible that he wasn't hearing well before the tubes because of excess fluid, and now that his ears are drained he's being wakened more easily by little noises? My ds was 5 when he got tubes (the 2nd time) and he wanted to know why everyone was talking so loudly!

 

[lecach]

I guess thats possible. But when he is asleep we can make all kinds of noise and he doesnt wake up. The other night I went up in the attic (pull down stairs - lots of noise) right outside of his room and he didnt stir.

 

[minkydog]

Could it be possible that he wasn't hearing well before the tubes because of excess fluid, and now that his ears are drained he's being wakened more easily by little noises? My ds was 5 when he got tubes (the 2nd time) and he wanted to know why everyone was talking so loudly!

That was my first thought, too. It usually doesn't take more than a week to get over ear tubes, but then you have had a major holiday in there too. That's gotta count for some of this.

At 1yo he ought to be able to put himself back to sleep without help. How are your responding to this? I tried to be very boring in the middle of the night, to discourage the pattern. No talking, no playing, no cuddling. All business(don't flame me--it works. Moms can tell the difference between a child in fear or pain and a child who just wants company) He may just be going through a stage, his teeth may be bothering him, or he may still feel some residual pressure from the ear infections. Give him something for pain before bedtime, like motrin or tylenol, and see if that helps. Put in room-darkening shades and limit noise. Sooner or later, he'll stop this and move on to some other equally annoying behavior.

Cathy--mom to Christian(10), who is also disrupted by the holidays. Found him playing in his bed three nights in a row, getting nasty notes from school. Sorry, teach

 

[lecach]

We're all business when he wakes up at night too. No talking, cooing, cuddling, eye contact, etc (I even close my eyes for the most part). And he does go right back to sleep following a bottle. Since we started CIO he's been pretty good about self soothing. We put him to bed slightly awake. And if he cries at all its maybe 1-3 minutes at the most.

He hasnt had a tooth come thru in awhile (he has 8 teeth right now). So I guess that could be it. And whenever he has a growth spurt he doesnt sleep as well. He's been eating a LOT more lately too.

The good news is that my Mom is coming in tonight to help with his birthday party tomorrow. I asked her if she was well rested

 

[minkydog]

Yay for good ole mom!

 

[razzberryblitz]

I'm only sixteen but I had tubes when I was younger and i still get horrible earaches.I actually ahd tubes three times because they never fell out like they were supposed to so I think your son might still be feeling the effects of the anesthesia and maybe some pain as well.

 

[TiggerStac]

I have to say, I, also, thought it may be that he is hearing a lot more since getting the tubes in. My DS didn't have them until he was almost 3, and since he got them he complains of things being too loud. We had his hearing tested before and after and he was having trouble before...which makes sense because of the frequent infections. Now his hearing is perfect. We have had it checked 2x since then, just to make sure. So it is definatley an adjustment, I guess my kid will never like to hear everything

 

[cinjam]

Hi - it's ironic you posted this. DS had his tubes put in on 11/11/05 and he also has had trouble sleeping the whole night through (he usually gets up around 2am or 3am and won't fall back asleep for about an hour). Now, prior to the surgery his night sleeping was poor due to the chronic ear infections. I thought things would be "better" by now.

He also is cutting his 2 year old molars. We are just getting bombarded from all sides. Some nights are ok, but some (like last night) are not. We've been giving him tylenol before he goes to bed (for molar pain). We keep it low-key when we go in his room, but some nights it just doesn't matter. I think he's just gotten into a bad habit and we need to wait it out.

 

[jennifer293]

may I ask what made the Dr's decide to put tubes in your childs ears? My DD keeps on having recurrent ear infections in both ears. (4 in the past month) and the dr. said if it keeps on we may need to take another route...My only guess as into what another route may be would be tubes...I would like to know if they tried anything else before they decided on the tubes.

Thanks

 

[LMC]

may I ask what made the Dr's decide to put tubes in your childs ears? My DD keeps on having recurrent ear infections in both ears. (4 in the past month) and the dr. said if it keeps on we may need to take another route...My only guess as into what another route may be would be tubes...I would like to know if they tried anything else before they decided on the tubes.

Thanks

If this statement from an ENT or a pediatrician? If it was a pediatrician, get a referral to an ENT asap. IMO, if your DD has had numerous infections in four months (say 5+ infections) then she should see an ENT. Our pediatrician treated my first child for SIX MONTHS straight on antibiotics for ear infections before I had to ask for a referral (I know, but 1st child, I didn't know any better). The ENT said after the 3rd round of antibiotics, he should have had tubes.

 

[gonemousin']

I second that! Your DD seems to be having enough ear infections to warrant a consultation with an Ears, Nose, Throat specialist (ENT). Definitely consider making an appointment with an ENT...and good luck!!

 

[lecach]

I had to mention the ENT referral to our ped. He didnt bring it up. We see a different dr. each time and I think thats part of the problem. At the visit following his 8th or 9th EI I asked the dr. to look thru his file to see how many EI's. He said "wow - he's had 8 EI's, a visit to the ENT is certainly warranted". If I hadnt pushed for it I dont know how long it would have taken them to refer me.

 

[Schmeck]

Could the bottle be the problem? If that's the only way he knows how to go back to sleep, then he stuck when he wakes up. Kids (and adults) wake up a lot at night, but fall right back to sleep, unless something is off, like having a stuffy nose, etc. I wake up many times at night because my nose is blocked up into my sinuses. A child that is used to getting a bottle to suck on may have a hard time falling back to sleep without one.

 

[jennifer293]

thank you sooooo much. She had to go back to the Dr. yesterday for the checkup to make sure they were OK after the antibiotics. He said her ears were perfect . NOW how long that will last ..well let's hold our breath. Oh and it was a pediatrician that we don't normally see, who I am thinking I may actually switch over to because he seems a bit more knowledgable about things. I will give a ENT a call though just to see what they have to say. I like to cover all my bases when it comes to my children!!!!