Ear Tubes - does anyone regret getting them for DC?

[BlueBayou]

I am so glad we got tubes for our now 2 1/2 year old DD.

She had 4 ear infections before she was 6 months old and it wasn't even 'ear infection season.' She was about 9-months old when we finally got the surgery scheduled. I barely had time to pace around the waiting room and go to the restroom before they were calling us back to recovery. It was a very quick surgery.

Following the surgery my daughter did get an ear infection. The tube was blocked to begin with. We had her on omnicef (for her second time) and she had an allergic reaction so they had to switch her antibiotic (and they told us she should not have that family of drugs including cefzil). She was on full dose antibiotics for 17 days before the tube became unblocked and the goop starting running out. I knew then that the tubes were the right decision. If that crud was still in her ears after more than two weeks on antibiotics, she was a perfect candidate for hearing loss.

She had a couple more ear infections that winter and spring (all treated with just antibiotic ear drops) and I think one infection the next year. This is the same child that was going about 4 to 10 days off antibiotics before getting a new ear infection. By the age of 6 months she had been on 5 antibiotics. It just broke my heart when we had to give her an antibiotic that her big sister had never even tried yet.

My older daughter (5years old) had her ear drum burst this past year. It must have looked really infected at the DRs office because they told us to make sure she got 3 doses of the antibiotic the first day (even though the appointment was around 1pm). It ruptured right before dinner and she was so much happier. So far her hearing has tested fine.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[cwnhokie]

Staci,
My DS cried hysterically, I could hear him calling for me from the OR when he first woke up. I was still holding my younger DS1 who had gone in first and Grandma was pacing back and forth and trying to get to him. Once I got him he was still inconsolible. He was supposed to be in recovery for an hour and a half, but after about 20 mins the nurse said his vitals where fine and to go ahead and take him home. She said he would probably be much better once he got out of there, and he was. By the time we got home they were playing and bouncing off the walls. Grandma joked that she didn't believe they really did anything to them.

 

[Tiffann4k]

My 3rd DD had severe ear infections from the time she was about 4 months old ( the first 3-4 months she had colic , so she screamed all the time from when she was born till she was 10 months old.....EEK! ) Anyhow finally at about 9 months the ENT specialist decided she needed tubes. She got them put in at 10 months and it made a HUGE difference! About a year and a half later they fell out so I thought well maybe she had outgrown them...wrong....she started getting ear infections again so back to the ENT and they put in another set at almost 3 years old. She is now 6 and they are still in....they are starting to fall out but I do not regret the decision to have them put in.

 

[lecach]

After all these posts - and posts from Moms at other websites that I visit - I decided that tubes are definately the way to go. We have an appt. with our pediatrician on Monday to see if the current ear infection is gone. He said at that appt. we'd decide whether to do tubes or antibiotics. Since I know he'll probably refer us to one of the ENT's at Duke (he's a Duke pediatrician) I went ahead and called them. Their first appt. is in January!!!! So then I started checking the ENT's near our home. There is one right around the corner from our house - and they can see us next Friday. Plus it turns out that he is the same Dr. who just put tubes in the ears of my DS's daycare teachers child. And she is very pleased. I really am afraid of hearing loss and the way he shakes his head like someone who has been swimming and has water in their ears - I feel like he's having a lot of fluid buildup. Thanks everyone! The dis boards are great - you can get answers to anything here!!

 

[FourFlans]

I think you're making a wise move. By the way, not that you want to drive all the way to Raleigh, and I know the docs affiliated with Duke are fantastic, but we were very pleased with Raleigh ENT just off Six Forks Rd (just in case you need a backup recommendation).

 

[bugbugmom]

MY DS5 had tubes placed in his ear @ 3 y/o and again @ 4. Before his tubes were placed he was having speech problems. He would drop letters in his sentences such as: put on my who's so I can go outid. (put on my shoes so I can go outside). About 24 hours later after his 1st set of tubes were placed we were shopping...and all of a sudden he covered his ears with his hands. He said it is so loud in here! He was referring to the background music in the store. He is now 5 y/o and has been in speech therapy for almost 2 years. You can now understand about 95% of what he says. My husband says that he is constantly talking. I'm never tire of him talking. It really was an amazing experience. Good luck to the OP and your child.

 

[Horizons16]

DD now 13 had tubes when she was a baby and I was so glad we did it, she never had too much trouble after that. Now though, she does have ear trouble when she swims and flys. She wants to scuba dive but the pressure seems to be extremely bothersome to her, can't say it was the tubes that caused this or just bad luck. But all in all we have no regrets!

I never had tubes and I should have gotten them. I have these problems now. Sometimes flights are extremelly painful. I have scuba dived... dove... diven...doven... hmm thats weird, and really didnt have that much of a problem at all. Granted we only went like 40-50 feet down but thats really all you go when you are a beginner.
My girlfriend is a speech pathologist and she says that tubes are as much for speech problems as they are ear infection problems.

 

[Jack's Mom]

Not like you need any more encouragement, but we did it for our DS 2 x before he was 2 years old and it was the best thing we ever did. We tried everything even chiropractic treatments. By the time we saw the second ENT he did emercency surgery that day to keep our son's eardrums from rupture. Talk about feeling a tremendous amount of guilt for a first time mom. After we did, the ENT did a culture on the infection and called to let us know that the infection had was strep w/ over 5 strains of resistance & he was only 8 months old. So that explained why even the strongest antibiotics hadn't worked. Who know what would of happened if we had waited any longer.

Once you do this you will be amazed at the results.

 

[c&m]

DD, now 10, had ear tubes inserted into her ears when she was 18 mos old. She needed it, after getting ear infections one after another. She had all the antibiotics and after a while, many didn't work for her. When we were in the ER at our local children's hospital, the doctor who tended to her suggested the ear tubes and sent us a referral to the hospital's Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist.

It was like she had a whole new life after the ear tubes. She has had only two ear infections since (and she's now 10!). The tubes fell out when she was around 4 so she was able to take swimming lessons after that.

I firmly believe that if we hadn't gotten ear tubes for her at that stage, she would've ended up with severe scarring in her ears, which would've caused hearing damage. And goodness knows what would've resulted from that (learning issues when she started school???).

So...NO regrets. I understand your hesitance though. It wasn't easy for us to make this decision. But highly necessary.

 

[tae1218]

DD has had tubes twice. We do not regret it at all. She had frequent ear infections and we tried treating them with antibotics. It seemed everytime we turned around we were at the Dr's again. The first time she had the tubes put in she just turned 2. The only thing I regret was that the surgery was performed 2 days before Christmas. I wish we would have waited until after Christmas. She had so much drainage.
The second time she was 4. She also had her tonsils and adnoids removed at the same time. DD is now 7 and she rarely has ear infections now.

 

[KristiKelly]

DS (our 1st child) had 13 ear infections in 9 months. Once he had tubes put in they made a huge difference - for all of us. He was finally sleeping better and so were we, no more crying all night. Also, he got sick less. He would get colds and they wouldn't go away, once he got tubes the colds would come and go much quicker. He would still get ear infections, the ears would drain a mucousy looking gunk but would not hurt. The Dr. would then just call in an antibiotic.

When DD was born, DH jokingly asked the ped. if we could go ahead and put tubes in before we brought her home from the hospital. He said that she might not get them the way DS did. Sure enough, she is almost 6 and has only had 1 ear inf. her entire life, but she did have an allergic reaction to the antibiotic and broke out in hives all over.

I would strongly reccomend them. It's a quick process and you are home in 2-3 hours and there is no pain from it. Good luck!!!

 

[Ali]

My DS4 is going in to surgery nexy week to have his one remaining tube removed because it has been in for 3 years and it isn't supposed to be in that long according to the ENT. We have been going in for 6 month rechecks and every time she says it looks good - so I was shocked when she told me he was having surgery next week. He neds to have his note scoped and a vein cauterized because he is having serious nose bleeds, but still... I wasn't expecting to hear what I heard!

But, DS has had zero 0 infections since he got tubes put in when he was 18 months old, so I would make the same decison!

Alicia

 

[stacy347]

My DD11 had them put in both ears when she was 1. She was another one who would go through one ear infection after another. It was a regular cycle...ear infection, 10 days of antibiotics, ok for about a week, then repeat the cycle. This went on for months and then the doc finally sent her to an ENT who opted for the tubes. I have never regretted it! It made such a difference for her...she never had another infection during her "babyhood" Good luck!!

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

Both of my son's were born with a cleft lip and palate so they both needed tubes. I am so glad they had them. It made a big difference with their ears. It is an easy surgery, compared to all of the surgery they have had over the years. My oldest, 18, just had his last surgery, he is in college and doing great. My 15 year old has 2 more surgeries to go. He is also doing well. They are great kids and have been through alot.

 

[3littleHalls]

We wish we wouldv'e done it sooner too. Our son got his first ear infection at 6 mos old and it never completely went away. The antibiotics would make the infection clear up but the fluid would stay. Within a week of stopping the meds his ears would flare up again. His pediatrician wanted him to do 6 mos of treatment before considering sending him to the ENT. So, 6 mos later the pediatrician lets us know that fluid that stays in there that long gets thick and won't drain on it own and we should see the ENT(BTW our son had a vocabulary of 2 words at 13mos) He had a hearing test at the ENT and barely passed. Had tubes in a week later. It was a 10min surgery! Very easy on him and us(since we didn't have a long wait to worry) Immediately we could tell a difference. We was saying new words two days later. He was very good about not getting water in them. Best wishes!

 

[tlbwriter]

I should point out that my daughter did continue to get ear infections after having the tubes placed, but with the tubes they actually cleared up, rather than going on and on. So even if the infections don't completely cease, you'll still probably come out ahead.

 

[dbarker]

DS had cronic ear infections for 6 months (never did clear up). We saw a ENT and he got his tubes at 18 months old. Within 2 months he was hearing normal and his speach was greatly improved. He is now 18 yr and in the USMC. He has had no other major problems with his ears. Just a little scarring on the eardrum.

 

[cinjam]

It is great to see all these replies. We are scheduled on 11/10 for DS (20 months) to have tubes put in and his adenoids removed. He's had an infection about every 6-8 weeks since he was 6 months old. Our ENT explained to us that his adenoids are so swollen that they restrict the drainage from his ears, so he continually has fluid, which continually gets infected. So, he's basically had the same infection for a year that we beat back slightly with the antibiotics, but as soon as the treatment is through...back somes the infection.

His vocabulary is very limitted, he struggle so to express himself, and nights around here can sometimes be a challange!! Not that I want to put my son through surgery, but I am looking forward to him feeling better.

 

[donnabc]

DS (now 6) had tubes put in his ears at 13 months and again at 2 years. It was the best thing we could do BOTH times.
It seemed like he was ALWAYs on antibiotics...no wait...he actually WAS always on antibiotics...which by the way is not good for the immune system. And although MY nerves were shot, DS was actually HAPPIER after the surgery . In fact we drove 6 hours to a family reunion the very night he had his first set in. The infections were much less frequent. And he could actually hear us when we talked to him...

Had his adnoids out too...at 2 years (along with sinus surgery)...he had a lot of problems with a resistant strand of strep-pneumo (sp?)...

No problems with any of the surgeries. Although get ready because it is heart -wrenching when they take him from your arms

Just remember...it will be over soon and it will be better

Good luck

 

[shaylahc]

Well I'll be the odd person out here, my kids had ear infections and we didn't do the tubes! My pediatrician said she wasn't a big fan of them, I guess some studies showed they can cause hearing loss later on in life? My 1st DD had about one ear infection a month from 18-24 mos, my 2nd DD had chronic ear infections for the first year and a half of her life (her first ear infection was caught at her 2 week well baby check up ), and my 3rd DD had about one every 3 months. The good news is by age 2.5 or so, they no longer got recurring ear infections. The only child I feel might have been a candidate for tubes was my 2nd child, but she had kidney problems and was chronically ill with other things that the ears were honestly the last thing on our minds. We dealt with the ear infections with antibiotics and she is a healthy 6 year old who never had any problems with her hearing, ever.

I myself had 3 sets of tubes as a child (I am 31 now) and I DO have problems with tinnitus. I DO believe there is a relationship between the tinnitus and my ear tubes. I have had doctors mention scarring on my ear drum...how can that NOT affect your hearing?

I agree that ear tubes are overused.