Ear infections and getting tubes?

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My son has his second double ear infection in a month. Other than that no history. My sister brought up the question about tubes--and I'm clueless.

When should it be a concern? Our pediatrician is extremely proactive aka pushy on interventions. I don't want to subject him to anything if it is unnecessary .

 

[MM27]

Maybe you should visit an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist. I got frequent ear infections when I was little. My ears were so bad that they would actually bleed. I had tubes put in when I was five.

 

[Pooh's Pixie]

My DD has many ear infections as a baby. My sons never had any, but she would get them so frequently I think it was just a way of life for her. She was allergic to amoxicillin, and we started running out of antibiotics to give her that were effective. Ended up seeing an ENT specialist, got tubes, it's a quick easy procedure, and she never had another ear infection in her life (she's now 7).
For me, it was a great decision. And I am not one to go for interventions just because they exist. It's not that big of a deal, and it made a huge difference in her (and our) quality of life. See a specialist. Good luck!

 

[Binnie]

Tubes provide a vent between the inside of the ear and the outside world, which allows any yuck that accumulates to drain out, decreasing the possibility for infection.

It's an easy, outpatient procedure that usually lasts less than 30 minutes from beginning to end.

If there's a chronic build-up (or retention) of fluid in the ears, it can be a life-changer, but if there's another underlying issue (i.e. adenoiditis or tonsillitis) that's driving the ear infections, the results won't be as good. And frankly ear infections can (and do) still happen with tubes.

From what I understand, tubes aren't normally indicated unless there are a specific number of diagnosed ear infections during a finite period.

In DD's case, she had a continuous infection that antibiotics couldn't clear up for 3 months when they decided to put tubes in her ears the first time. The second, there was fluid again after the first set fell out, so they put in a new set (which only lasted 6 months... grrrr... fortunately, it seems that they also solved her underlying problem with a tonseillectormy & adenoidectomy, so I can't complain too much!)

Seriously, tubes can be life changingly awesome, or they can be really frustrating, depending on the cause of the ear infection.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Thanks for the feedback.

He's only on his second--so if the ped is concerned, I'll definitely get a referral so that I can get more information.

He got a cold that we all got, and I wonder if b/c he had an infection so recently, that it was easier for them to get infected again while the rest of us just got colds.

Thanks again!

 

[HelenePA]

I would think you'd need to see an ENT before he gets tubes anyway because that's who does them.. At least that's the only person I thought did them.

 

[damren]

My DD was referred to an ENT Doc and he had tubes put in her ears...twice. She had chronic ear infections for a year and hasn't had one in 5 years!

 

[simba20]

My neighbors daughter who is 5 months younger than mine had 5 ear infections. After ear infection #5, he told them he was having her refferred to put in tubes. She got them.

My daughter has had several ear infections (she is always congested and when combined with a cold she is bound to get one), but my pediatrician has NEVER even mentioned tubes. She's had about 8 in her life (she's 2.5).

I also had ear indections frequently as a child. I knew when they were coming and the pain always hit in the middle of the night where my parents would take me into the ER. Never got tubes.

I think it's just the pedi's discretion.

 

[joviroxx]

Tubes are usually recommended and handed by an ENT. My DS had numerous ear infections and had his first set put in at 3. They fall out as the ear heals and the hole they create closes up. After they fell out, he continued with issues and had a second set put in. Once those fell out he's been fine.

It was explained to me that the angle of the ear canal when young can lend itself to infections as the ears don't drain well.

While they were a godsend there are issues with them as well. Being from Florida, and big swimmers, we had to have custom made ear plugs which cost me about $80 each. Had to redo them 3 times as he grew out of them. Without them, water can get in through the tubes and cause infection. Just ask my son about the Medical clinic on the Disney Cruise LOL!

I would hold off and see if he gets another one and then consult with your Pediatrician about seeing an ENT if he deems it necessary. Like others said, it is a very quick and easy procedure.

 

[abdmom]

DD had ear tubes put in when she was 17 months old. She'd had probably 6 ear infections over the previous year. She had hearing loss due to the almost constant infections. She wasn't walking either - probably due to the infections affecting her inner ears. Within a day of the outpatient operation, she started to speak more and more. She started to walk a short time later. The hearing loss eventually disappeared.

 

[tinker-belle]

My 18 month old just got them put in a month ago. We were told generally if you have 3 ear infections within 6 months or 4 within a year, it is recommended.
We made an appt with an ENT when we had his 4th in 3 months.... and he had number 5 by the time we were there the following week.

So far it's been a month and he has his typical cold, but no high fever as he usually got with his ear infection, he has his post op appt in 3 weeks.

It is a bit difficult keeping his ears dry when he has a bath, I'm hoping at the appt, the dr will say I dont have to be soooo careful.

Before the tubes, he'd have his next infection within 4 days of stopping the antibiotics (which wreaked havoc on his system), so far it's been a month, and knock on wood, doing great!

 

[FoundMyPrince]

DS had tubes at 11 months old. He had ear infections (both ears) for two months. After the first two weeks his pediatrician referred us to an ENT. The ENT didn't want to do the tubes, but agreed (6 weeks later) due to our insurance deductible having already been met for the year. The procedure lasted less than 10 minutes and was really life changing for my son. He slept thru the night for the first time the night of the surgery and every night afterward. The ENT said his ears were "rotten" and there was no way he could hear anything (though tests showed he could hear, but had hearing loss). He said we'd see a drastic difference in our son's speech - and we did.

One tube came out on it's own in the first year; the second tube was removed by the ENT 15 months later.

Our son is now 8 and has not had a single ear infection since.

 

[diznygirl]

Thanks for the feedback.

He's only on his second--so if the ped is concerned, I'll definitely get a referral so that I can get more information.

He got a cold that we all got, and I wonder if b/c he had an infection so recently, that it was easier for them to get infected again while the rest of us just got colds.

Thanks again!

Yes, because his ears probably hadn't had a chance to drain completely from the first time.

My son had ear infections and they seemed to happen one on top of another. Doc wanted to do tubes but it cleared up fine on its own and was fine ever since. Not always the case, but happened for us.

 

[tommya60]

When our D was about 3 she had repeating ear infections, we would finish the antibiotic, wait a week or so and be back at the Dr. I asked for a referral. They did a complete work up and found she had a severe sinus infection--she was completely deaf in one year. We did 4 different meds for about two weeks to clear that up...then allergy testing. She's no where near as allergic as they Dr was expecting. We were told to put a pillow between her mattress and box spring to slant her bed slightly, toss the stuffed toys in the dryer weekly, and giver her a decongestant at the first sign of a problem. It worked wonders for her. I'd write down when the ear infections are occuring, and maybe slant his bed it you can...

 

[charming23]

I was 8 almost 9 when I had tubes put in my ears because of both frequent infections and my ears had so much fluid in them that I was 75% deaf in my right ear and 70% deaf in my left. Once I had the surgery (they did them at the same time as my tonsils) I could hear better right away. In fact I was so freaked out that first night home by a loud noise in my room that I could not sleep, turned out it was the furnace I had never heard.

I am 25 now and can only remember having 2 or three ear infections since then and one was about a month ago.

It is worth talking to your Ped about if you are worried or have questions.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

While I know everyone will have lots of opinions, I will simply offer mine...

My oldest daughter had ear infections somewhat often and the idea of having tubes was recommended by our pediatrician. I declined the procedure and I am glad I did. She outgrew all ear infections just like I thought she would. I don't like to rush and do what is popular or convenient when it comes to medicines or surgery. I don't even take medicine for myself (EX: no medicine for childbirths, etc.)
I am also not giving my two daughters the shot for cervical cancer....simply because I feel they don't NEED to have it. Tubes for ear infections has become very popular over the last several years.

Good luck with your decision! Every child is different (and parent too)

 

[PatsGirl]

DisneyFan ~ I agree that we should keep invasive procedures limited as much as possible as well as antibiotic use. That being said, DD spent her first 12 months with ear infections, first being diagnosed at about 12 weeks old I researched the problem extensively and decided to forego tubes, stop the constant antibiotics and try homeopathic solutions.

We visited a chiropractor 3x/week for many months. I limited her dairy intake except for a special yogurt she had each day. We really tried everything but nothing worked so at 18 months she had her first set of tubes put in. She eventually had five sets of tubes put in, and surgery to have her adnoids taken out

Really, nothing helped. She had continuous abcesses (sp?) and eventually lost about 20% of her hearing in one ear. She walked early but did not speak until after she was three years old and we think it was based on her lack of hearing because of infections.

She had her last set of tubes put in at age 8 or so I think. She still had one or two infections every year until about age 11. It's now been 18 months since her last infection but we now struggle with swimmers ear Any time she swims underwater she is in terrible pain that night.

I have nothing to offer in way of advice, just wanted you to hear my tube story. Good luck. There is nothing worse than a sick baby!

 

[puffkin]

My Ped said he would refer DS for tubes after 4 infections in a "season". He defined a season as basically a school year (fall-spring).

My son has chronic ear infections but the ped isn't too concerned about it. DS never complains about them and the only way we know is if he is at the doctor for another issue so we haven't hit that magic 4 number yet. I doubt tubes would help him a whole lot though, his ear issues seem to be more of an allergy issue. We are going for allergy testing this spring to try and get that under control. I had tubes twice and my brother 3 times as kids. My younger brother had 1 ear infection his entire life.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Here was my experience.

My DD had numerous ear infections when she was young. Like Simba's, my pediatrician never mentioned tubes. And frankly, I didn't push for them, either, as my neice had them and she had a lot of problems with them.

That doctor left the practice so we got a new pediatrician when my DD was almost 3yo. The new doctor explained that at around age 3, the eustachian tubes go from being horizontal to vertical, so that helps with drainage and, in effect, that would do the same thing the tubes would do. She said that we were free to see an ENT, but if we did, they would recommend the tubes.

We had her hearing tested to be sure her hearing hadn't been affected, and it wasn't. So we stuck it out and she had relatively few infections after that.

 

[CapeMayMommy]

My DD has many ear infections as a baby. My sons never had any, but she would get them so frequently I think it was just a way of life for her. She was allergic to amoxicillin, and we started running out of antibiotics to give her that were effective. Ended up seeing an ENT specialist, got tubes, it's a quick easy procedure, and she never had another ear infection in her life (she's now 7).
For me, it was a great decision. And I am not one to go for interventions just because they exist. It's not that big of a deal, and it made a huge difference in her (and our) quality of life. See a specialist. Good luck!

Tubes were like a miracle cure for my son. And I felt better about "tubes" than repeated doses of antibiotics that were clearly not working anymore.