Experience with Tubes in Ears

My son had tubes done in November. The tubes are easy and they don't use general anesthesia, the gas them. Once they take the mask off they wake up. My son was back to normal by the time we got home. It was only a 30 minute car ride!

Tubes are a breeze.. My oldest had them twice. She will be a little tired the first day and then everything is back to normal.

My grand daughter is 3 years old. She just had tubes put in her ears a few months ago in Feb. She had about 4 ear infections a year, but also had the hearing loss. We just explained to her that her ears wouldn't hurt anymore, and she would be able to hear her movies better. She was asking for them to be turned up because she couldn't hear. She did fine during the procedure. She was cranky but they said that some kids are and it would wear off. After a few hours and her afternoon nap she was fine. She does hear better now. Your daughter will be fine.

Susan

I highly recommend going to see Doc McCullen - Keene Road & SR 580 in Dunedin. She has helped children in the past with this issue through nutrition / chiropractic. You can go to her website here: docmccullen.com and read the success stories. The best way is to not to have to put your child out at all.
Best,
W.

Hi. I just wanted to respond to your worriness. My now 4 1/2 year old has had two set of tubes put in (first set when he was two and second set with adenoids removed last november). Going thru this twice the doctor first gave my son a sedative (ex. valium) to settle things down. After waiting about 15 min he was being put under anesthesia. To be honest the only scary part was when he was coming out of his "deep sleep". there was a lot of extreme screaming, kicking, and crying which only lasted 30 min to 1 hour. After both experiences it was worth the anxiety and every penny we spent. For me, it was preparing myself more than my son.

Hi M.,
I have no experience with tubes in my kids' ears.

I want only to write about worry.

I believe (and you may, or may not)
that we all create our own experiences
and that it is HEAVILY influenced
by the energy we invest.

Strickly spoken:
if one invests energy in an outcome,
they are more likely to have it occur.

I do not know if you are a prayerful person,
but if it is something you are comfortable with,
a prayer such as the following
(use mine, or use your own words)
would serve you AND your daughter better than worrying.
While you pray (and whenever you would othewise have worried) MIND YOUR MIND
and see her healthy ears, healthy body and healthy smile
in your mind and your heart.
BELIEVE in those things!

"Makayla is well.
I have faith in the process
and I have faith in her!"

If you teach her to have faith,
by showing her your own,
she too will be more at ease.

Just my .02

I teach the Minding of the Mind.
(not easy work, but absolutely empowering!)
You may want to check out my mom owned business
links here on the Mamasource at some point.

Be well M.,
and may your whole family be HEALTHY in every way!

M.,

relax. i have been through this three times, then adnoids, and tonsils, and then recently his ear was hurt and there was a blood blister. each time he had to be put under. this started when he was about 1 year old.

the question regarding allergic can be judged by your families. is anyone in the family - both sides - allergic to anastesia (husband, grandparents, blood aunts and uncles, etc)?

as for what you tell them, don't fret that either. be honest. tell her she is going to have a surgery to help her hear better - that the doctor is going to put special tiny tubes in her ears so she can hear better and when it is all over, she will feel a little tired, and her ears may hurt for a day or two, but she will hear better and that everything will be fine.

the honest truth of the matter is, mommy if you are fine, then baby will be fine. i know this is true. this is how i get my son through everything he has gone through.

I don't have any personal experience with this. But I do work at All Childrens and wanted to let you know that if that is where you are going, they are great. They also have Child Life Therapists that can talk to your daughter about the procedure. Just wanted to let you know that so atleast that can help alleviate your fears of what to tell her. Good Luck!

Hi I had tubes in my ears when I was young.... prior to having them I couldn't speak- at least not that others could understand... definetly relax and trust the docs and get the tubes as soon as poss. and also speech therapy... I took speech all thru elementary. Right now it is like she is learning a completly different language, once the tubes are in her development will no doubtedly progress quickly. As far as explaining the surgery, hopefully your nurses will help calm her (and you) and your own instincts will guide you.... maybe give her a teddy bear in the hospital after surgery and give her a musical instrument when you get home so she can appreciate her new hearing! Good Luck!

M.,

Don't worry .. I can understand because my son had the ear tubes when he was 2+ years and I was terrified. It is really quick and kids do fine (we had dr. Andrews and it was in Children's hospital at St. pete .. the place was beautiful and my son got real comfy in playing there). The nurses were great and understanding. Please explain your daughter that she will lie down on a bed and they will let her smell something funny (my son had a hard time .. I was pg like you so I was not allowed to come inside with him when they gave him anesthesia .. and my husband was at work ..) -- so my son got really terrified and started crying -- make sure your daughter has a family member to hold her hand when the Dr. ask her to smell the stuff. The operation is quick and they can start sucking on the popsicle, I believe pretty quickly afterwards.

It will be fine ..I know you are worried sick.
Take Care

Hi, M.. We just put tubes in my son's ears about four ago and I was very much like you, a worry wart. He did fantastic, though. The hardest part for me, though, as a mom was when he woke up from the anesthesia, he was very agitated and fussy and only wanted daddy. It broke my heart. However, about 45 minutes later he was home eating pancakes and was great the rest of the day.
As far as preparing him, he was only about 14 months, so he really didn't understand. I think that when she wakes up and sees your face, that will be all she really needs!
Good luck. It was the best thing we ever did!

Technology today has GOT to be better than it was 25 years ago and a 3 year old is a bit bigger than a 6 month old and my point to that is MY personal experience. I was born with so much fluid build up that I was deaf. NOt jsut partially, but fully deaf. I was not able to sleep anywhere but an inclined car seat and finally at 6mos old doctors discovered the problem and I had tubes inserted 3 different times throughout the next few years.
I'm now almost 25 years old I have only a 3% hearing loss in 1 ear.
I survived tubes lots of times.
Your daughter will be fine! I even discussed ear problem with my daughter's ped. b/c I was so paranoid abut HER ears hoping she would not inherit my bad ears (she didn't-at leas tnot so far) And from what I can tell, the procedures they do now are far quicker, simpiler, and more effective and these days a child never has do get tubes more than once. So I would not worry to terribly!
@}~>~~

All experiences with children will be different. However, there are some things you can check into ahead of time that may help with anxiety/what to expect. My son had tubes and adenoids at 1 year. We used Dr. Karen Hotchkiss (Tampa) and were at St. Joseph's Children's. She is a pediatric ENT - very good with the children. At my son's age there wasn't a whole lot to tell ahead of time. However, your daughter is older and you really should check to see if there is a Child Life Specialist at the hospital you are using. They are people who are trained in Child Development, understand the medical procedure and have the knowledge and training to explain to your daughter what is happening at the appropriate developmental level for her. Sometimes you can make an appointment to see them ahead of the surgery. It is all free and well worth it.
As for you, it is normal to worry - what mom doesn't? But maybe if you see that she is comfortable with what is happening it will help you. Also, if you see a Child ife Specialist, you can ask what you should tell your daughter if she ask questions when you are at home. Sometimes as adults we think too much (b/c we are older and have experience) but children sometimes just need a simple answer and they are ok.
For us, getting tubes was the best thing ever! My son did have a lot of ear infections and after the surgery we went 2 1/2 years without one! It was great. Recovery time was pretty simple, he was a little cranky and wanted to sleep. By the next day he was himself.
Best of Luck to you and your daughter - I'm sure you will be ok :>)

Hi M., I totally hear you. I would be a basketcase,too. I think, though, the worst of this is going to fall on you, because you will worry. I don't think your daughter will suffer at all.

At 3-4 yrs old I had this operation. My adenoids were removed and I had tubes in my ears. I can remember the operation and the most upsetting thing about it for me was that they put me in a crib in the hospital. I was horrified! Other than that I have no negative memories or feelings about the experience.

My bf's son just had this done, too, because of chronic ear infections and postnasal drip. He also came through with flying colors although he was cranky for a couple of days afterward.

I think your daughter will do great. Hang in there and it'll all be over soon.

M., my youngest son has had this procedure 3 times and they DID NOT use general anesthesia. He had his adenoids out with the second procedure, and that extended the entire surgery to almost 10 whole minutes. :-)
Talk to your doctor about what they're going to do. My son was sedated, and the very first time was the only time he even cried upon waking. He was 13 months old, so he was likely just highly confused. The effects of the sedative wore off very quickly, there was ZERO recovery time with the tubes. The first time, my son had partial hearing loss and could not walk because his balance was so off from fluid buildup. The day of the surgery, we arrived back home within hours of the surgery and he could HEAR completely and WALKED on his own for the first time that day. There was no pain and only a fever involved with the third surgery because he had a sinus infection at the time too.
Point being... of course you're going to worry. This is your child. But if you know the surgery is necessary, then the only thing you need to really worry about is YOUR fear being spread to your daughter. Be strong for her, and she will be fine. Best of luck!