Inserting Tubes in Ears (Ear Infection)

Honestly it was the best thing we ever did for our daughter, she had an ear infection when she was around 8mths old that we could not get rid of, we went thru months of medications with no luck, and finally just had the tubes inserted, which took no time at all, really and she was ready to go as soon as she woke up. And yes the body will naturally eject them over time, but hopefully she will be to a point where she will no longer need them when it happens. My daughter had them put in several times over her childhood, and they work like a charm with no repercussions to her whatsoever. i think the drugs we kept trying were worse over time than when we finally took the step to the surgery.

Hey its not a big thing ..mostly just scarey ,because she will be given something to make her sleep ,she'll be a little sick at first when she comes out of it ,but that too will go away..i think if she is having alot of ear problems,the tubes are the best way to cure them..all five of mine had them when they were small (my baby is 32)but some of the grandchildren has had them and are doing great!!!the word " tube" sounds bad and big, but they are so small that you will probaly not even know when it falls out.. Don't worry if the ear specialist says she should have them i would do it..god bless you both and good luck

This advice comes from personal experience. I am not completely against inserting tubes, but it needs to be your absolute last resort. I agree with the other posts, that most of the time it is quick, easy, painless, and it works. But you need to know there are risks. I would suggest try other alernatives such as ear candling or what my family calls "smoking out" your ears(very similar to ear candling except using smoke instead of wax.)I had tubes put in my ears when I was young to cure reoccuring ear infections and fluid retention. The dr said it worked & everything was fine. I continued to have ear problems even after the dr told me the tubes fell out. Only to find out when I was 15! that the tube in my right ear never fell out! Needless to say, they had to go in and manually remove it which resulted in a hole in my right ear drum. All the routine dr checkups I went to over the yrs for sinus infections and ear infection never caught it. I have hearing loss in my right ear and still have ear infections and ear problems. On the other hand, my god-son had them put in and everything was fine. I made my cousin get multiple opinions before she did them and have multiple opinions after they fell out. Make the best decision possible for your daughter. Just be informed and be careful.

Tues. are the best thing ever! It's an outpatient proceedure and the day will totally suck for your kid because when they wake up from being knocked out for the procedure, it's pretty scary for them to not know where they are and they are nauseous and throw up. But once you get them in the car to go home, (bring a pillow and blanket and lay them in the back seat) it's smooth sailing. Both sons had SOOOOOO many many ear infections and problems. Once they got the tubes - NOTHING! No medicine no pain - just ear plugs for the first couple of years when they wanted to swim or take a shower or bath. (I'm overprotective - I think they actually only require a few months). Good Luck!

Hi, I don't have any remedy but I can tell you that the surgery to have the tubes put in is so routine that it's over in a matter of about 30 minutes. Our ENT did several at one time the day my son had his put in and the nurses raved about how good my son was during and after the procedure. It was painless for him and our ENT was so reassuring, I had little worry or anxiety about having it done. My son was 1 when we had them put in and I can't recommend them highly enough. He continued to get ear infections (pediatrician said some kids are just prone to it), but having the tubes in made all the difference and he didn't have to suffer anymore. That was my main reason for wanting to get them. If you need an ENT recommendation, I've got one! Best wishes!

Hi R., Two of my grandsons have had this done and it has helped both of them. It is rather a quick and easy proceedure. But to give you an idea of how she is hearing(was told this by dr) Put your fingers in your ears and have someone stand behind you and talk to you. That will help you decide what is best for her. (also the fluid that builds up behind the ears can be painful, and ear infections keep accureing) it's wonderful what the drs are able to do to make our little ones feel better. Good luck Valerie

R.,
I have a 2 year old daughter who got tubes put in a 1 year and a 3 year old son who got his when he was 2. I did it because they both kept having recurring ear infections. My son would go on the antibiotics and they would help alleviate some of the problem but a week later we would be back at the doctor to try another one. He has a high pain tolerance so he never complained verbally to me he was in pain he would just stop sleeping through the night and he was a little more grumpy. I think he had continuing ear infections before I even realized the first one we got treated. Anyway, because of this he has speech problems and a little bit of hearing loss. Once we got the tubes in place his speech took off. He is still in speech therapy but he is talking and he is no longer miserable.
anyway, the procedure is simple and the recovery is easy. The hardest part is seeing them wake up from the anesthesia. After that, Tylenol or motrin help with the pain and after the first day they are back to normal. Actually, by the evening they are just fine.
I have heard Chiropractic adjustments can help though if you want to try that route first.

Tubes were a total life saver for us! My son had 7 ear infections by the time he was 11 mos old. We chose tubes and he's been healthy ever since. Its even cut down on the runny nose and colds, I think. He had no complications and the procedure took about 20 minutes. They put him under, which was scary, but he did just fine. He cried hard for about 20 minutes when waking up after surgery. But he was home and fine an hour later!

My 10 month old had tubes put in a couple of weeks ago. He ha fluid and pressure, and now so far his years are looking great. From the time I left him to walk out to the waiting room and by the time they called me back to the room to wait to talk to the doc was literally 10 minutes. I opted to have tubes put in because I worried more about the constant antibiotics then the procedure.

I'm going to be the odd man out and tell you to do everything you can to stay away from tubes. I've only seen one other post in response to this that I agree with, and that's the one suggesting chiropractic. My son (23 months old) has had recurring ear infections. If I take him to the dr., it's "give him antibiotics and he needs tubes." I disagreed, so I sought another solution and found one that works excellently for my two boys!!! Chiropractic adjustments, combined with diet changes, and never antibiotics. After a chiropractic adjustment (by a chiro trained in pediatrics!!), you will see alot of congestion start flowing out. My son's comes out in huge man-sized amounts. It's amazing and disgusting---keep the kleenex handy! We go 3 to 5 days a week when my sons have congestion, whatever it takes to keep the ears from getting plugged up. Second, the congestion is NOT a normal state for the body. It is caused by some type of allergy. Here are the top foods that cause a histamine reaction in the body, which results in congestion (in descending order. #1=highest histamine response): shell fish, fish, cow's cheese, cow's milk, pig foods (bacon, ham, etc.), beef, chicken/turkey, eggs, lamb, soy, and oats. Completely avoid all of these foods for 7 to 14 days, until all congestion is cleared. We do lots of peanut butter (or almond butter if peanuts are a problem), lots of applesauce, potatoes (usually in the form of baked french fries!), fruit smoothies, etc. It can be hard to get used to this diet, but it is temporary and well worth the hassle!
Last, but not least, go with less harmful medications. What has worked for my 2 boys (23 mos. old w/ ear issues & 5 year old who was on asthma medication for 2 years and is now medication-free for 2 years) has been Naturade brand children's herbal expectorant. It contains guaifenesan, which is what's in Mucinex, plus an herbal mixture that works wonders. I find it at both my local health food store and at Whole Foods. I also like a homeopathic remedy, by NaturaBio called children's allergy, and same brand called children's cold and flu. I use one of the homeopathic remedies along with the expectorant w/ great results. Also, when the congestion has stuck around for 10 to 14 days and is not improving (which has happened only once with each child), I give colloidal silver. It is a natural medication that was used alot before antibiotics became the thing. I use 1/2 tsp. up to 3x per day, using a 50 to 250ppm strength. This I use only as a last result when infection is obvious and hard to kick.
At this point, your child has probably had antibiotics a few times, so you also need to put lots of probiotics in her body, such as acidopholus and bifidopholus. They are available in liquid, powder, and capsule form at your local health food store. Be sure you get refrigerated, as this helps the good bacteria live in higher numbers and longer. Probiotics are good bacteria, which we all need for a healthy digestive system. They are killed off by antibiotics. Not enough good bacteria, and you start seeing fungal, aka yeast infections in the diaper areas, ears, and mouth. Itchy ears are a sign of yeast overgrowth.
If you continue to have issues, get her tested for allergies to find out exactly what is causing the congestion in the first place. Good luck and I'm here to help further if you need it.

Go online to the Block Center, Dr. Mary Ann Block has a massage method that works quite well. I started with my daughter when she was about 12 mos. old and never, ever had another ear infection again. I had my doubts at first but it really works.
Thanks,
D.

Dear R.,

My oldest daughter started having ear infections at 2 weeks old. They would put her on an antibiotic but within a couple
of weeks she would have another infection. The fluid would
keep building up and her left eardrum ended up bursting 2 times. It was awful!! They said that if it happens again she
could have hearing loss. She ended up having 8 infections within 12 months. We did have the tubes put in and I was also
scared to death. It ended up being the best thing we ever did for her. The left one ended up falling out too soon so they put a longer stainless steet one in. We had it removed
when she was 5. The right one fell out by itself at some point but her left eardrum was the one that had burst twice.
When they have fluid in their ears all the time it can also
affect their speech because everything sounds muffled. You
could get a second oppinion if you wanted to but I would go to
an ENT (ear,nose & throat) specialist. Good luck.

C.

Both my children have had tubes placed. They were very minor surgeries. My daughter didn't even have to have an IV placed. They put her to sleep with nasal sedative and mask. We were on our way home two hours after we got to the surgical center. There is really nothing you can do to get the fluid out (other than draining it). A little fluid behind the ear drum is not necessarily dangerous, but if it is infected fluid or causing your child hearing loss, then the tubes are a good idea. Both children didn't even have pain following the surgery. My daughter constantly has drainage coming from her tubes. I'm thankful they are their because I'm sure she would have major pain from fluid building up. Good luck!

We were the same way about getting tubes and honestly we waited too long. Once we finally agreed to get the tubes our son was a different child. It improved his eating, his sleeping, his mood, and his speech within 48 hours. Ear tubes are like tiny miracles, don't wait. Pray him through the surgery and he will be a happy child!!!

I think what the dr.means,is he would schedule your daughter to have tubes put in. At the age of 3, i doubt if he would attempt to do this in the office without anesthesia. With repeated ear infections tubes are inserted to drain the fluid, and will stay in for a period of time, usually several months to a year. With the tubes in place, if she has another infection, it wont be so painful and the eardrum will not become so thickened because of the infections. After repeated ear infections she may have some hearing loss because of damaged eardrums, so the tubes will really help. Sometimes allergies are the reason for so many infections. Hopefully while the tubes are in place, they will give the ears a chance of getting over the infections for good.

My daughters are now older, but back then they were even putting tubes in children's ears I highly recommend it because if you put it off your child could possibly lose some of her hearing, which happened to my daughter. Though the hearing loss was not that noticeable to people, it did effect her in school and she had to sit up front in order to be able to clearly hear the teacher. The procedure is over with in a matter of minutes and I wished I had done it earlier like they recommended but wanted so bad to see what else could be done without having to put her out for the procedure. My mistake that I paid for in the long run. Please have the procedure done. The tubes will fall out on their own and they are so small you may never even know when they come out.

hi my daughter is 19 months old and we had both ears infedcte3d for months.It was miseradle for both of us1.We recently got tubes put in and they drained all the fluis out of her ears right before they put the tubes in.A little but of it drained after the tubes were put in but let me tell you those tubes were a blessing she is so much happier.I was very nervous about it at first too but we hada great specialistand everything is great.Good luck I H. things work out for you.It as the best thing for us.

I have been through this. My daughter was much younger, 18 months but she had fluids in the ears and went through all the anitibiotics possible. My daughter has not had any colds or ear infections since the tubes she is almost 3 now. If your daughter continues to get ear infections or has fluid built up her immune system is going to try and fight it off this will make it easier for her to catch colds and other bugs. Also, the tubes will help her sleep better at night, hear better, and you might see improvement in her behavior as well if it is an issue-like I said my daughter was younger and once we got tubes her tantrums were less frequent. If you are scared tell your doctor and he/she can give you more information. We did not have any probelms with the procedure.

Tubes are wonderful. My son had them put in about 2 months ago and has not had an ear infection since. He was having 6 in 2 months and so forth. The fluid buildup got so bad that his eardrums almost burst. I will forever recomend tubes if a child is in need of them.

He had 35% hearing loss and is now back to a full 100%!

Good luck!

My husband had tubes.

BTW, she could be allergic to soy milk, try giving her rice milk instead. Soy often gives 'the runs.'

S.

My son had tubes placed in his ears when he was ten months old. I am so thankful for them because instead of spending our fridays at the doctors we were able to be together playing etc.. you get the picture :). I had tubes placed in when I was 9 years old and my brothers also had them when they were yong so I jsut figured instead of him hurting and posibly not being able to hear correctly therefore learning how to speak etc, I just went for it. People say that since he is that young to not bother with it because the ear is constantly growing and that the tube will fall out before it is time, and even though we have replaced his right ear I still am glad that we did it. you might look up some research on the actual procedure and purpose of tubes because they really aren't anything to be scared about. my son didn't feel a thing and never complained about getting them in. I apologize for not including any more useful information and my spelling and grammer are horrible but my son wakes up in about 30 minutes and I need to get dinner started!

YES!!! I had the same issues with my son- after being on the 6th round of antibiotics in a row, I was referred to an ENT who told me he needed tubes and an adenoidectomy. I wasn't comfortable with this, I didn't feel it was the best first course of action without trying something non-invasive first. I researched through the internet and found there is a chirorpactic adjustment that takes a whole of 2 minutes that gets the fluid to drain. Looks like he's just pushing up on the roof of my son's mouth, my son then seems like he's gagging up a furrball and it's over and done. Immediately his appetite returns and he can sleep soundly again. I recommend you trying it- it always cost me just $5 and not only did I go to my pre-op to be told they could not longer find a reason to perform the surgery, I have warded off the need for antibiotics by taking him at first signs of ear or sinus infections. My second child has benefited from that experience and never had to be on multiple rounds of antibiotics (which I hated too for ruining their little GI tracts and fears of becoming resistant). I do not know where you are located to refer you but I will advise you that not every chiropractor is able to do this precedure. My son was nearly two when we went to the chiro, and many do not treat children and others did not know of the "adjustment" to perform it. To me, I may have still needed to go through tubes/adenoidectomy, but I wasn't going to do it without a good effort to avoid it, my gut wouldn't let me. It worked for us, I've referred others to his office and they've been pleased too. Just go with your gut however you decide and it will be for the best.
If you would like a referral I am positive "Dr. Bob" (Robert Rakowski) would assist you as you're not in the Clear Lake area. If you're interested, his office is the Natural Medicine Center at ###-###-####. Or you can google his website and there may be information on there regarding the adjustment I'm referring to. Best of luck - you do NOT need to accept what scares you because a doctor tells you to do it. You are doing right to ask questions, get feedback, and educate yourself to make your own INFORMED decision to get the tubes or not. Follow your gut and best of luck to you and your child!

Hi R.. I understand your concern. I wanted you to know that I have 3 boys and all 3 of them had tubes put in their ears. They all suffered from continuous ear infections as babies and went from one antibiotic after another. Finally each one had tubes and their infections stopped and life improved dramatically for them. My oldest was 3 when he had his put in. My middle child was 9 months and my 3rd son was about 14 months. All of them had wonderful experiences and I would recommend it to anyone. Good luck with your daughter. Everything will be fine!

I would recommend ear candling. My daughter once had trouble with her ears, constant ear infections. The ear candles releived her pain and removed impurities from her ears and helped them to heal. I candle my whole families ears. It is part of our business but you can do it at home. My favorite candles to use are the Wally's Ear Candles. They have never dripped for me. There should be instructions in the package when you buy them. You can find them at Whole foods or your local herb shop. You can also purchase them online. We have had nothing but good results with ear candling. I would love to answer any questions you may have. I have been using homeopathics and herbs with my family for the past 8 yrs. That includes ear candling. Be sure to use beeswax and not paraffin due to the carcinogens. Feel free to contact me.
Natural Touch
###-###-####

My son had tubes put in his ears like 15 years ago of course he was 2 when he had his put in. Every two weeks I was taking him to the doctor for ear infections. We were at his pediatritions office so often that we used to joke with the employees there that we were there to pay there paychecks. Anyways after so many inflection the doctor finally mentioned tubes for his ears. I was scared for him, but I was also desperate cause he was taking to much medication for these inflections they would go away but in two weeks we were at the doctor again. The tubes were the best thing for him. After they insurted the tubes he never again had an ear inflection. The tubes are so small that they come out by themselves as you child gets older. He won't even feel it. My son was 14 when one of his came out and the reason we knew it was there was because I took him in for a check up, they checked his ears and the doctor saw it there at the end of his ear and just took it out. But I really think this will be great for your child. Plus alot less medication for the child. I hope this helped

Hello I'm a mother of a 14 month old little girl. She had the same problem with having fluid in her ears. She just underwent the 10 minute procedure of having the tubes inserted on April 15 2008. so exactly 2 weeks ago. Trust me they work!! when she went in she had an infection on both ears and backed up with fluid, within the 24 hours after the insertion of the tubes they were drained and the infections cleared. As a mother I advise to allow your child to get the ear tubes. They don't hurt them and they eventually come out on their own. Hope I've helped.

You should not worry about having the tubes put in, it is something that is very common these days. My son has had 2 sets put in his ears when he was younger (he is 18 now) one of my daughters had a set put in her ears when she was younger. Now thanks to having the procedure done they can both hear quite well. My son had suffered with a 65% hearing loss due to fluid in his ears and after the tubes he has 100%.
My daughter is 5 1/2 years younger than my son so I was a lot smarter about ear problems when she came along and hers didn't get that bad. The tube looks like a tiny little thread spool that allows the fluid to drain and trust me the stuff that comes out of thier ears is nasty! All of thiers were done at Scott & White in Temple, but we now use the Kings daughter clinics. We like thier facilities much better. Scott & White has gotten to big.
My son had spent a long time taking all different kinds of medicines, blowing bubbles, drinking through straws and blowing up balloons trying to force the fluid out of his ears but nothing worked, so if they are willing to move that fast to get your daughters ears drained by all means let them!!!
You or your daughter won't even know that the tubes are in there. You will probabaly be sorry if you don't have this done. I have 5 children now ranging in ages 21 - 11 so I have been through quite a bit of this childhood stuff.

Both of my children had tubes put in their ears and it was a blessing. We had them on antibiotics every month trying to clear up the problems with recurring ear infections. No one wants to do that! So we took the advice of our pediatrician and talked with an ENT who suggested the tubes. What a difference they made! They fall out within a year (typically) and the surgery only takes a few minutes. The scariest part is having them put under because you do not know how they respond to that. Luckily, everything went smoothly for us. They still get ear infections every now and then but the antibiotic ear drops clear it right up. I hope it all works out for your daughter.

both of my kids had the same problem when they were the same age. They both had tubes put in. With my daughter she had fluid behind her eardrum .I,too,was hesitant about the surgery and felt the ent was rushing us into surgery.We held off and he checked her progress monthly for a year and there was no change so after 12 mths .of the same result we did tubes.
please feel free to contact me if you have any more questions.
I have been through it with both kids.
good luck

I don't know of a way to drain the ears, but I can tell you that my oldest daughter was having recurrent problems and stayed on antibotics for months with no relief. When she was 2 years old they went in an put tubes in her ears and that was the best thing ever. She has not had any ear infections since then. She is now 23 years old.

Hi R.,

I am M. and I live in Brownsville, Texas. Just an advice, tubes are excellent for babies and adults. My ENT had conducted that procedure twice already, and I haven't had any problems since the first time.

Just for you information, when I was growing up, I had too many ear infections and the same procedure was recommended. Unfortunately, my parents did not want to take any chance by accepting this procedure, so I suffered with ear infections all those years (especially when I was traveling). The procedure is very simple,and I can promise you that you will see the difference in your baby soon. I have friends that their children have gone to the same procedure and everything has been working out. Goodl luck!

Well I don't have any kids of my own but my husband and I are trying, but 3 of my neices and nephews needed them and not only did it drain the fluid, but with my nephew he went from 80% hearing to 95% percent once the tubes were put in place. I think that it works really well. Don't worry about her having to have tubes. The fluid will drain and when she doesn't need them they will fall out. She won't even know that they are in there. They are so tiny. She'll be fine. I know as a mother that you are going to worry, but she'll be fine.

My daughter who is now 7 1/2 had the similar issues when she a baby. She had her first ear infection at 5 weeks old and the fluid never left her ears. It was either infected or it was not, but it was always there. It started effecting her speech development a little. Whe had tubes put in her ears at 11 mo.s and it made a world of difference!! She did have a couple of ear infections after that, but she has not had one in about 4 years. We then had tubes put in my son's ears at 7 mos. and it really helped. I know it is scary to have your child put under anesthea, but I think it is well worth it.

Our DS, almost 3, has had 2 sets of tubes placed in his ears..........first at his first b-day, and the second set around his 2nd b-day. I am SO glad we did it. His life has been so much happier, being well instead of infected ears all the time. I think he has outgrown the infections. Don't be afraid of the tubes! God bless :)

Ear infections are a big deal and they are extreamly painful to the child. My son had fluid on both ears since birth, we tried many different medications and they never worked. At 4 months they put tubes in. He is now almost 3 and hasn't had a single problem with his ears since. Getting the tubes was a Godsend!

It's a simple, outpatient procedure and only takes a few minutes. They go home the same day. If the Dr. says that's what's best for your daughter, listen! It's much better to get the problem fixed now than have many more infections to come and cause unnecissary pain to your daughter.

Don't worry, everything will be fine!

my daughter got tubes in both ears last year and hasn't had an ear infection since! you want to get the tubes b/c when she gets an infection, it immediately drains. this prevents your daughter experiencing pain. she also will be able to here clearly, which is important for speech and language development...otherwise, her hearing significantly decreases when they are filled up with fluid. the surgery only took about 1 minute! please outway the pros and cons...i'm really happy with our choice to do it....hope this info helps!

R.,
I have a three year old that had fluid build-up on the ears and that I did not even know. He only had one ear infection since he was born and he took antibiotics and it cleared the infection. Then about a year later, I noticed that he started to snore and I mentioned it to my pediatrician and he recommended me to an ENT doctor. The doctor looked in his first ear and said that there was a lot of fuid and that the other would be about the same. Sure enough, it was. They did a hearing test on him and they found that he had 30% hearing and then I began to put things together. The doctor told me that meds. would not help the situation much and that surgery was the best option. He gave me a pamphlet and it told me about the sugery and it expalined about the ear tubes and what they looked like and how long they will stay in the ears. The tube is inserted into a small opening in the ear and the tube is about the size of a very small o-ring. The tubes will stay in place for about 6-9 months and they will come out on their own when the ear drum grows. The tubes then fall out. My son does not need any ear plugs for any activites except when he will be underwater of four feet or greater. I can not even get my son into the swimming pool! The doctor told me that with the ear tubes, the ear will drain and that he sould have no ear infections after that. Boy, after the ear tubes, my son's speech has greatly increased and that you can understand him much better.
I hope that this information has been of some help to you and best of luck to you and your child!
J.

My daughter had ear problems after birth. My huaband smoked cigarets and after he quit after my daughter was 6 yrs. Old. All the ear problems quit and she never got tubes in her ears after all. I just to tell about a cousin had tubes put in her ears when she was 4 yrs. Old and was over dosed. Also, she died at 17 yrs. Old.

Don't lose heart, it happens to many children. I was one of them and my middle child was another. If the doctor says it's best, trust him. It may break your heart to put your child through it (been there!), but that specialist didn't go through all that education, training, and experience to steer you wrong. My son and I both had our adenoids removed when our doctors put tubes in our ears. Many times in a child's development, the ear canal is too straight at that age to allow for proper natural drainage...it differs from one child to another, too. I was 4 or 5 years old and my son was only 18 months. You're doing the right thing by seeking professional advice and care for your daughter.

Quite frankly there is not much you can do. A few tips to prevent recurrent ear infections would be do not let your child lay down or lean back while drinking/eating, keep her upright for at least 30 minutes after meals, and wear ear plugs when swimming. Also, try to catch colds, flu, etc. early and use a strong decongestant to prevent fluid from sitting in the sinuses. But, it sounds like you daughter has chronic otits media, very common in children, and if antibiotics have not worked, tubes are your best bet. It's a very quick and easy procedure with the major risks comming from the sedation that is used, although in all my years in nursing I have yet to see any severe complications from tube inseriton. I know even minor surgery is scary when it comes to your child, but the benefits far outweigh the risks here. Chronic otits media left untreated can lead to permanent hearing damage/loss, and no mother wants that. I would suggest, even through all the worries, that you get this done. Plus, just to ease your worries a little, my 2 year old nephew had his tubes put in at Scott and White in Temple and did excellent with no complications minus a cranky day or two. Best of luck and God Bless!

Doctors readily want to put tubes in. Wait. Ear infections are normal and for some common. I had ear infections all the time as a little girl. My daughter had the same. They talked about tubes as well. I had a friend who has a daughter with multiple problems. He advised me against the tubes. I can't remember why. Weigh the consequences well. What are the odds of long term affects with ear infections vs. odds of something going wrong with putting tubes in. How many infections has she had vs other children? Get a second opinion before doing anything!!! Do what you feel is best for your daughter no matter what the doctor says. Doctors don't make the best decisions for your child, you do! They are your advisors only, not the caretaker. Take their advice in consideration, then make your own decision.

When sharing about medical procedures it's pretty hard to share because there are so many reasons to do a procedure or not. My sons throat has a double lobed uvula, this causes the fluid to be held in to his ear canal and not drain, causing hearing loss, and delayed speech development. He's now 17 and has had 14 sets of ear tubes. Although his case is different from yours, in that he does not get ear infections, it shows that ear tubes are not dangerously traumatic. There is, however some small measure of thickening if the procedure must be done repeatedly, and it must be done repeatedly in our situation. I recommend that you learn all you can about why your daughter might get fluid build up and infections. (some of the reasons might be because she is allergic or sensitive to foods she routinely eats,the shape of her eustachian tubes causes the fluid to stay, there are other reasons) I also recommend you consider alternative means for curing the ear infections rather than just accepting the antibiotic therapy. But for now, I think you probably will want to have the ear tubes, and get her ears healed up. Sometimes in order to use a natural approach to getting well, you have to start before there is infection involved and build up the immune system. There are lots of books written concerning this. Using natural remedies with anti bacterial properties are helpful (garlic, we use garlicin), taking vitamin C (Ester C is more bio-available), and eating fewer mucous producing foods, while still keeping a balance in protein and nutrients, takes time to learn. You need to learn about your daughter's sensitivities, the foods that cause her to thrive, etc.

About me: I'm a SAHM I have 8 children, ranging in age from 31 to 12, 2 grandsons with a granddaughter on the way. Married 34 years. Every child is different. I found that as I prayed for my children, and asked God to help me know what to do, He provided insight. The book of James in the Bible gives us the promise that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God, and He will give it to us. Worrying can cause other health problems, ask God instead, then trust Him to help you. He even helps busy students!

2 out of my 3 children have had tubes placed in their ears for very different reasons. Both had lots of ear infections in their first year of life, but that's where the similarity ends.

My oldest daughter (around her first birthday) got so ill between inner and middle ear infections in both ears, the flu and strep throat that I ended up missing a month of work (thanks GOD for the family leave act). Then her ear drums began bursting. I say began, because they did so multiple times. The only course for me was to place tubes in her ears because the scarring from the constant bursting of the drums could have led her to become deaf as she grew up.

It was incredibly difficult to watch my then 15 mo old child being wheeled into what doctors consider a routine outpatient surgery. After all this was my first child and she was so very small on that gurney.

However, she came through it like a champ and has been better for it ever since.

Moving forward in time by 8 years. My son was not talking like he should at 18 months. He was sent in for a hearing test and it was determined that he had constant fluid in his ears dulling outside sounds. He was placed in speech therapy with ECI and sent to an ENT for tubes. By now I knew what to expect. This time around it was done in a special clinic on an outpatient basis and he quickly caught up in speech by the time he turned 3.

As for the tubes falling out or being placed at all. They are very tiny and not at all painful to the child. The most discomfort they have is the grogginess from the anesthesia during surgery. They should be fine within a day.

The tubes themselves can fall out anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to a few years from the time they are place (in my oldest daughter's case 1 fell out and 1 had to be removed when she was three as it never fell out and she was having her tonsils and adnoids removed anyways)

Caring for them is only a minor inconvenience when talking about the benefits of your child being able to hear. You cannot allow water into the ear canal. You can either cover their ear with your hand when bathing them or if you plan on swimming a lot you can spring for the silicon ear plugs (a must as they shape themselves to the ear to prevent water getting in). There are other, more expensive, types of plugs for this, but it is up to you.

As for the necessity of your child having this surgery. There are some ENTs out there who recommend the surgery off the cuff so to speak because it is so commonly performed. If you are at all unsure, you need to ask yourself a few questions. 1) how often does your daughter suffer from ear infections? 2) does she respond to the antibiotics when she has an ear infection? 3) have her ear drums burst, or are they in danger of bursting from the frequency/severity of the ear infections? 4) is my daughter not hearing as well as she should be due to the fluid in her ears (this can be tested)?

If your answers to these questions still leaves you unsure, seek a second opinion. All insurances encourage this practice in cases if surgery to make sure the surgery is a necessary expense. As for you it would give you peace of mind to simply know it is necessary at all.

Good Luck!

I have first hand experience at this. My daughter had the tubes in her ears and it may such a difference. They will also make ear plugs that fit snug, because it would be very very bad if water gets in. She will wear these ear plugs when she takes a bath. They will take a mold of her ears to get them to fit just right. Also, my daughters speach had been delayed due to the fluid in the ears, just wish the doctor had done it sooner. What the doctor found was she had a 90% hearing loss in one ear(very thick fluid) and 60% loss in the other ear. This was worst then he expected. They drained the ears and put the tubes in. It very important at a early age to hear or it can cause a learing disability because kids learn the most inthe toddler ages. The surgery could be done in a doctors office but because toddlers would not be still that is why they do it in the hospital.

Hi R.,

I am an Australian mum who has had a child with similar problems. My son has had 4 lots of these ear tubes. We call them grommets here in Oz. It was a real pain trying to keep them dry when it comes to bathing and swimming. The good news is that yes they do fall out by themselves as the child grows, and that the child does usually grow out of the problem in the long run.

I have since found out (now that my son no longer has this issue) that if I had removed or really restricted dairy products that this can make a huge difference. One of the mums at our childcare center has had great success with diet change and natural remedies. It removed the need for surgery altogether.

Perhaps one of the mums in your area can recommend a local dietician that can help with a dairy free diet.

Good Luck!
P.
Perth Western Australia

Hi! I just got my Parents magazine for May. There is an article on pg. 37 that says, "Many kids who get ear tubes for recurring ear infections and fluid in the ear may not need them. A new study found that most children who had surgery to insert tubes had only mild disease. Kids need to have four to six months of persistent ear fluid for tubes to be recommended, say the researchers. For kids with chronic, severe infections, tubes help prevent hearing loss, damage to the ear, and speech delays-but these aren't a real threat for kids with less-frequent infections." Good Luck-S.

Hi R.,
As a mother of T. children my best advice to you is get a second opinion. I worked in Scott and White and for some reason I just don't like the way they practice.

Those ear tubes will be inserted and will fall out on their own. This problems is common in children and if your child needs the ear tubes he/she will do fine.

Good luck,
Elisa

Both of my children had reoccuring ear infections for many, many months. My son had his tonsils and adnoids removed AND tubes put in all at the same time when he was 18 months old. It was the best thing we could have done for him. He never had another ear infection. Because he was on antibiotics for so long when he was young, many of them do not work for him now. It really is a simple procedure. He was up and running and asking for chicken nuggets within hours =) The tubes will fall out on their own as your child grows and no longer needs them. One of the tubes came out without us knowing and the other I found on the outside of his ear canal when giving him a bath.

My daughter got her tubes when she was about 16 months (she had the same reoccuring infections as her older brother). She hasn't had an issue since either. Both of her tubes fell out without us even knowing!

We tried all kinds of homeopathic remedies and nothing worked to clear the infections. Surgery was our last option. I just wish that I had not waited so long to get it done. It would have saved us a lot of misery and money!

Good morning... my son went through this too twice... so don't worry this was back in 1978 he was 5 no one would listen to me that he could not hear all things... so they did test... he was five and lip reading.. when he came out of surgery he put his hands over his ears and asked what that noise was... it was birds singing... I cried... we had to learn to listen so we could tell him what the sounds he was hearing.. this was due to allergies the dr said... as a mother I am glad we did this and remember they have come along way now...he also served in the navy... he is now a father and working and a strong nice young man... we will keep you all in prayer... and good luck she will be fine...

don't worry ear tubes are the best thing you can do for her my son had them at 1 year and my daughter got hers at 10 months and they are both great

I know that chiropractic adjustments can help with ear infections and ear issues. I would recommend going to a chiropractor who works with children, like mine--Ron Barnett at Inner Sun Chiropractic on W. 6th in Austin. I know my godson had tubes put in and has just had the first of two major surgeries to repair the damage that they did. So, if tubes are going in you want to make sure a specialist who is good does it. Don't be afraid to question them about their success rate and to get a second opinion.

My oldest had tubes put in his ears on his first birthday. He spent the major part of the first year of his life on antibiotics because of the fluids/infections. His condition was much relieved and I never knew when the tubes fell out. He was very healthy after that time.

Hey R.....tubes basically help drain fluid until the canal is more mature and straightens with age. I had them when I was 5 and they eventually fell out....I had tons of ear issues, infections etc when I was a kid and now I'm a professional musician! So I wouldn't worry...they must have improved ear tubes in the past 20 years!
Hope this helps...I know how much it stinks to watch you child be sick.
M.

Hi-My oldest son was a week shy of his first bday when we had tubes put in his ears. They gave him a little medication to make him sleepy, gave him just enough "gas" to put him to sleep and by the time the Dr. was finishing, my son was waking up. He had no reactions or side effects. Before he had the tubes put in, he was on different antibiotics for congestion and fluid build up in his ears. The ENT explained that his ear canals just needed a little more time to develop to allow the fluid to drain on its own. My son's ear tubes lasted for 18 months (which I was told was rare, most last 6-9 months). When the first tube fell out, he started to develop a little congestion and the ENT DR. suggested we put tubes back in his ears and give him a little more time. We went ahead and had a second set of tubes put in, instead of fighting the congestion and fluid build up again. The second placement went just as well as the first set and they lasted for 6mths. He is now 7 years old and we have never had any more problems with his ears or his hearing.

Don't worry about the tubes they are great my son now 5 has had them three times,the first time he was 1 and we went in to the doctor yesterday and one had fallen out.so he will pro. get a new set soon. most of the time it will only take one time for the tubes to work, but my son had to be diff. its better to get the tubes you will be able to tell a big diff. after. the surgery wont take that long its really less than 30 mins and the kids get up the next day just fine, its not a big deal i know it seems like it is but remember if you are upset about it then she will, so try to relax it will be fine. J. w. killeen tx

My oldest son had many ear infections and was constantly on antibiotics. His pediatrician was very conservative and did not want to put tubes in unless absolutely necessary. He put him on a low-dose antibiotic for a month to see if it would resolve the problem. It didn't, so he referred us to an ENT in Houston - also very conservative. My son had fluid in his two days before his appt. When he got there, they were clear-the first time in I can't remember when! The dr. said it could have been from the elevator ride. It was very fast and his office was on one of the top floors.

It's worth a try. Elevator rides are free...

My children's pediatrician has prescribed Rescon GG in the past. It was a Rx at one time but not you can purchase without. You can find it behind the pharmacy counter. Sometimes they have to order it. Its purpose is to dry out the Eustachian tubes.

My son started to get ear infections at 3 months old and had at least six to nine by the time he was a year old. We ended up getting tubes and he hasn't had but maybe one since (he is now 4 1/2 years old). It is a bit of a pain because you have to put ear plugs in when they get wet, but to me that is better than tons and tons of antibiotics. It really isn't that bad.

Hello R.,
I am a Single Mom, Full Time student and worried about my daughter too. My paternal grandfather is a ENT (Ear Nose & Throat Specialist) here in town. He said the same thing about my daughter. I asked him if there was anything that I could do to maybe prevent this surgery completely? His response was to have her chew gum as aften as possible. I am not sure if your daughter can "not swallow" her gum but if she does good with it, I'd highly recommend you do that. We went back for her check up and my grandfather said that we will wait to do anything cause they seem to be getting better.
Hope this helps...
E.

I have 3 children. Two of them had tubes in their ears with their adenoids taken out. This helped tremendously. Yes it is true that as the ear heals and grows, the tubes fall out. However, this saves the ears from infection for that year or so. This means less antibiotics and less antihistamines. I have never regretted getting the tubes. Statistically, from what I have read, there is more risk involved in the drive to the hospital for the operation than in the operation. i.e. More kids are hurt in accidents than in surgeries for ear tubes. Hope this helps.

Ruth,
My daughter had to have tubes placed in both ears at the age of 1 yr. She had a constant ear infection starting at 8 weeks old and was constantly on medication......not good for her little body. The tubes were a life saver. They have since fallen out and she has been ear infection free for 2 1/2 yrs now. she is now 3 1/2. It was a miracle for us. I hope that you have a great sucess with what ever the specialist recommends.

S.

Hello,

My name is Krystle and I would like to suggest an ear candling session. Ear candling has been known to releive sinus congestion, headaches and remove old ear wax. It is a very soothing treatment and has no known side effects. Basically anyone can benifit from this treatment especially those suffering with ear infections, allergies, grinding of the teeth. You can read more about it on my website. www.mediterraneandayspa.com

Hope this bit of info helps.

Krystle

My daughter had fluid in her ears for over two months. Since removing milk from her diet her ears have been clear.

This is a recent development though, so we'll see if or how long it lasts.

I've also heard of people trying lymphatic massage or even chiropractic adjustments to help ear fluid drain.

My 2yo son had recurrent ear infections since he was 6mo old. He has even ruptured both ear drums. His 1st Pediatrician never mentioned that he get tubes, when we moved to Austin a little over a year ago, we immediately found the best Pediatric ENT and had my son's hearing tested. He could NOT hear out of either ear. Because so, it had delayed his speech and he was not talking. We had the tubes inserted and it was the best thing we ever could have done for our son. It is a little scary having your son go to have the procedure, but it takes less then 10 minutes and it is well worth it. I absolutely agree with your ear specialist to have the tubes inserted. Sometimes the fluid in their ears doesn't go away and they just continue to have horrible ear infections. My son has not had an ear infection since the tubes were inserted and he talks up a storm now. Hopefully my advice will help a little. Good Luck.

Get the tubes - my almost 7 year old had the tubes put in his ears when he was a year old after having many ear infections since birth and lots of colds and sinus problems. He has only had a couple of minor sinus infections and ear infections in 6 years. What a life saver the tubes were. He is a very healthy, energetic boy who was a very sickly baby. I wish the tubes would have been around for my now 20 year old! Good Luck - The surgery was only about 15 minutes with hardly any recovery necessary and the tubes only stayed in about a year before the ears were totally healed and fell out.

R.,

I know several children that have had these procedure done. Don't worry about it, she will be okay and her ear infections will no longer contine. It is a fast procedure and the tubes dissolve on their own in a couple of weeks, not months or years. She won't be able to feel them on or being dissolved. The best thing about it is that her ear infections will dissappear.

Take Care and Good luck,
Y. G.

tubes aren't really a big issue. And in the long run would proably be better for your daughter. My son had them at 3 because of the constant fluid on his ears and the constant infections. The fluid also cause dramatic hearing loss in his ears. once the tubes were put in he could hear again and it was wonderful! Don't be worried. There are antibiotics that can drain the ear but if you have already tried that route with no results then tubes are the next step. Like any good mom you are going to worry. But this procedure is quick and painless. I have read some of the other "hippie" responses on here about removing milk and other very important things from a growing childs diet. Why would you want to make it harder on yourself and your family by having to change everything when this quick little procedure with more than likely cure your problem, and your child can continue to have Vitamin D in her diet. Thats just my opinion....I know that All Natural is the way we are suppose to go, but really step back and take a look did your mom do everyhing naturally? If not did you turn out ok? All Im saying is that is a proven very efective method to end the constant infections and constant antibiotics. Good luck.

Have you gone on the internet and researched the tube insertion? It seems to be of questionable worth, fairly traumatic to the child and of little help. Question it, especially if the physician gives you the "Well, it sometimes helps, not always, but what else are we going to do?" routine....Several doctors whose research I find well-grounded have said that the basic problem in chronic ear infections in children is an allergy or at the very least a sensitivity to milk.....Although cutting milk out of your child's diet might not immediately alleviate the infections, if these physicians are correct, it might stop the problem in the long run.....If the doctors citing milk allergy are correct, it's the usual situation of mainstream physicians treating symptoms only and not the basic causes of problems. First time I read of the milk allergy thing was in the work of Dr. Lynden Smith....By the way, people allergic to milk usually have no problem with fermented milk products such as cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt.

I don't know how to get fluids out of ears before an appt, however I wanted to ease your fears about tubes in ears. I have 4 kids, and 2 of them had numerous ear infections and were on many types of antibiotics from age 3 mos or so on. They both had tubes put in (one at age 2.5 yrs, the other at 1 yr), and the tubes worked miracles! No more ear infections, no more antibiotics. The tubes will fall out on their own (typically) after 1-2 years. And both of those kids have great hearing now. I would definitely recommend tubes for a child who has reoccurring fluid in the ears or ear infections. The fluid distorts their hearing and can cause speech delays, and the overuse of antibiotics is something to avoid.

Good luck!

L.

I am the woman who SHOULD HAVE had tubes put in my ears when I was a kid, but my mom said no. Apparently she thought it wasn't necessary, but now we regret it.

I am now 36, and EVERY TIME I get a head cold, I now get vertigo. Fluid builds on my inner ears and won't drain out. I've had vertigo at my job, while DRIVING, and sometimes it doesn't go away for a month or so even while taking agressive decongestants.

Vertigo is really awful once you've had a full blown attack. The room starts spinning, you get hot flashes, you can't hold your own head up, and if you don't find a comfortable position to be steady in, you end up throwing up. Don't even think about walking once all this has happened. Yes, it's just like being drunk, only your completely aware of the pain you are going through. I really am not exaggerating here. It is as awful as it sounds.

If your doctor says it's necessary, then trust me it is. I have had so many days ruined because I couldn't function while my ears where screwy!

Our son was a around 18 months and had been having ear infections back to back. It was the fluid retention causing this. He was sick all of the time. I was worried about him loosing all or part of his hearing so we requested the tubes. It is a surgical procedure. After the tubes he could hear better and he (to this day) is not my sickly child anymore (he will be 8 in July). It is scary, but if it is beneficial then it is worth it.

Everyone's experience, opinions and outcomes with or without ear tubes is different and for what it's worth to you, here is mine. Both of my children had multiple ear infections under the age of two. Both their doctors recommended ear tubes as a last resort. The last ear infection my daughter had was when she was 18 months old. Her doctor treated her with Zythromax. It's a strong antibiotic given once a day for 5 days. Her ears cleared up as well as her congestion. She is now 12 and has never had another ear infection and has perfect hearing. During allergy season when she gets stopped up, she uses Nasonex spray and her congestion clears in a couple of days. But never another ear infection. When I had my son and he was diagnosed with his first ear infection at 6 months, I started researching ear infections, causes, treatments - conventional and alternative, etc. A friend of mine also had a 6 month old son, so we did a lot of researching and comparing of notes and doctor recommendations. Anytime my son started to act like his ears hurt, I would start him on lots of Vitamin C, liquid Echinacea in his juice, and a couple of drops of garlic oil in each ear. I also did not give him any dairy products until he seemed to feel better. As a precaution, I would take him to his doctor, and his ears were fine from that time forward. He is now 9 - never another ear infection, and again has perfect hearing. My friend's son continued having ear infections for several years. She went the conventional route and had the tubes - not once but 6 times! They kept falling out and the doctor kept replacing. He also had his tonsils and adnoids removed, scar tissue in his ears from the tubes, and hearing loss and a speech impediment. Although hearing is better and speech improved with therapy, this was quite an ordeal for this couple to go through for 3 + years!!
You are doing the right thing by getting many opinions. Make sure you do ALL your research before resorting to ear tubes. The Eustachian tubes in infants grow outward, therefore when they are congested, the fluid builds up and can't drain downward, especially when lying down, thus it stays in their ears causing the pressure and pain, and needs to be dried up. As they grow older, the Eustachian tubes start to grow downward, causing most fluid to be able to drain, thus less ear infections as they grow older. I feel that it is a doctor's last resort, and there are many, many of these procedures performed needlessly everyday. Be well informed, get a second, third and fourth opinion if you have to, research alternative therapies, and make sure that the root of the problem is not hiding somewhere else, whether it be allergies - food or environment - diet, etc.
Good luck to you with whatever path you choose. I have found the book "Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child" to be quite helpful during my child rearing years, and it has saved me countless time and money by eliminating needless doctors visits.

Hi. I don't have any kids w/ tubes, but my sister has gone through that. It's a quick in-office procedure w/ great results! You have to be careful for a while - no water in the ears, etc. but it does make a big difference for the child. No more chronic ear infections and usually they can hear more clearly w/out that extra fluid in there. I think it's much better than going through the infection/medication cycle over and over. You're in my prayers! Best wishes!!

My son is getting ready to go in for his third set of tubes. He had consistent reoccuring ear infections so we got the first set of tubes. I wasn't sure they were working because he continued to have ear infections but about 14 months later the tubes fell out and the infections increased 10 fold so in fact they had been working.

The tubes are great because even if they are still getting infections the ears are able to drain on their own vs. building up of fluid causing pain and possibly other symptoms. In addition they can take ear drops vs. having to be put on yet more medication. The inserting of the tubes is a very routine procedure which only take a matter of minutes. My son was home playing within a few hours as if nothing had happened. I know it is very scary to watch them go through that but I think it is a much better alternative than the constant antibotics that don't work. Most kids are fine after the first set of tubes and never need anymore. Unfortunately that has not been the case for us but that is very common. GOOD LUCK!

A little about me:

I have three children 10, 4, and 10 months. The 4 years old is the one with all the tubes.

Get the tubes!!! Get them now!!!! My little one got chronic ear infections. We were scared of the tube surgery and waited a whole year until she was two to get them (we had finally had enough of the up all night crying). After that, she never had an infection or pain...we could have saved her a year of pain and infection all for a 15 minute surgery! The tubes are teeny tiny and will fall out on their own in about two years. You won't know they are there, or when they fall out unless the DR tells you.

The only other thing you can do is to give her benedryl or some other antihistamine which MAY dry up the fluid. She may have allergies and would have to be on the medication permanently and still can develop ear infections. I would go with the tubes!

Hi Ruth, my son will be 21 years old this year and has been plagued by ear infections since birth. I did have tubes put in his ear when he was just a few months old, hoping to fix the constant pain and suffering of my child. This did not fix his problem. The tubes did not come out like the doctor said they would in months, instead after several years they had to remove them and one tube actually had attached itself to his eardrum, the other left a hole in the eardrum, which quickly grew back. However, he has had one eardrum rupture twice and the other once. At one point both eardrums ruptured within hours of each other and he was almost deaf for several days. He went to a specialist at that point and he suctioned out both ears and removed all the infected drainage. My son said that was more painful than the moments leading up to the eardrums rupturing. That apparently is the most painful thing a child can endure, and it's horrible to be a parent and watch as they suffer this and there is nothing you can do to prevent or alleviate it. We have tried antibiotics, drops, and just about anything you can think of or have been told to try, but still he has this. He did learn early to blow his nose and get as much of the drainage out of his head as possible. He was like most small children who just sniffed it back and that was the worst thing he could do the specialists told him. I hoped he would outgrow the problem but that has not been the case, as he just recently had yet another close call with his ear rupturing again. So far we don't see any real hearing loss but I don't think he hears as well as he should. His eardrums have scars on them from the ruptures that doctors see each time they check his ears, so that has to affect your hearing to some degree I would think. I have heard of the tubes working for some and not for others, like my son. The doctors say his eustachian tubes are just very small and that slows down the drainage, so when there is an abnormal amount of congestion like during a cold or with my son, alergy seasons, it is too much for the tiny tubes to handle and it backs up and puts pressure on the eardrum. With his experience he would literally scream for minutes or even hours before the eardrum ruptured and then it was an immediate relief. If the eardrum ruptures you will know it as there will be a drainage of the fluid out the ear. If this happens don't panick and don't be scared if you see a bloody tinge to it either. My son's had his eardrums rupture in the winter as well as in the middle of the hot summer. Your child will have to go under anestesia to have the tubes put in, it's a minor outpatient procedure, in case you weren't told so. I can not say whether you should or should not have tubes inserted in your child's ears, that is a decision you and your doctor should make, but make sure you see an ear, nose, and throat specialist first to make sure this will have a real chance of helping before going through with it. I do think some doctors see it as a cure all and it is not. Others seem to do it because antibiotics eventually stop working at all and the parent gets frustrated as well as the doctor so they just do the next thing on the list. So go to more than one doctor to get an opinion, but most of all, don't expect this to be an instant cure for your child. I hope this has helped. Good luck.

My son had tubes inserted over 3 years ago.They probally took 1 1/2 to 2 years to fall out.The procedure only took about 30 min.Let me say they were worth it.He had no ear infections while he had his tubes.He probally had 10 to 12 before the surgery.He would get an ear infection and his meds would never work either.He has had 1 ear infection since they fell out.Your Daughter will have to have ear plugs that her doctor will give when she swims or takes a bath.I have to say my daughter is 19 months old and she has had 5 ear infections already. We have a ENT SPEC. appt. already. I hope the best for you and your daughter!!

My son got tubes when he was 2. Before this, he would get ear infections ALL the time. He even had a couple of febrial seizures where he went into convulsions due to the infections. After receiving the tubes, he never had an seizure or ear infection. You don't even know or realize when they fall out until in for a check up and the doctor tells you they're gone.

Hi,

My daughter had tubes in her hears when she was just 18 months old. she did great!! it is nothing to worry about.

Mya daughter had the same problem when she was 2. it seemed like no matter what she always was getting ear infections. I did jus tlike you OTC meds, home remedies, to "old folk talk fromback when I was a kid my moma did this (grandparent stuff, finally I agreed to see an ear specialist and she had to have tubes. She will be 6 in October. The tubes fell out last year. She (knock on wood) hasn't had any "problems" with her ears since getting the tubes. I know it sounds scary. I was worrried to death. paced the floor and everything while they did the same day out patient procedure. After she was all done and released from the hospital she wante dto go to chuck-e-cheese. I would recommend getting the tubes. I am a strong believer in "herbal" healing but when I tried everything and nothing worked I trusted the doctrs and now I am absolutely glad that I did. please keep me posted. I will also Pray for you that you get the "right" answer to your prayer. L.

I have worked with many children with recurrent ear infections who have had PE tubes placed. They have recovered/learned their speech and language at an alarming rate. My brother had them 20 years ago and he did well...

The tubes are not to "drain" the fluid perse - they are placed in an incision to help the fluid to dry and dissipate - the tube looks like a little bobbin from a sewing machine. They will stay in the ear drum until the ear drum reheals and pushes them out -

PLEASE ASK the specialist as many questions as you have to better understand the procedure and care issues after they are placed!!! If you don't ask the doctor will assume you know everything.

J.

This is such a problem lately.My son just had this done again along with tonsoils and ads removered.He had the tubes put in the first time before he was a year old and now four.
He had the fluid and ear aches alot the first time and it helped but when they finally feel out it was back to the doctor we went because he was sick all the time due to the ear fluid and the other things were a shock to us when we decided to take him to the ENT.That told us he was in a bad situation with everything and that if we did not take care of all three things he would have several more new added problems and he could lose his hearing.

The fluid was causing some speech problems and not that he is better everything else is getting bettet.Speech,eating,sleep habits and much more is changing as well.

I would just go and get them done and hopefully she only needs them once un like our situation.Some thing a read before the surgery was that if you get them done before age two there is the change they will need them again later.

This would make your daughter and you feel so much better.

We saw Dr.Patrick Brown in San Antonio at the Head and Neck Specialists office.He was good and works more cases with kiddos then anything.

Good Luck

R.:

Your concerns reflect what mine used to be but let me tell you with all sincerity, you'll always worry and the procedure of insering tubes truly only takes about 15 to 20 minutes. You'll worry like crazy those few minutes but the end result will be that your child will get better!! Meaning, no more antibiotics that don't work, no more pain for your child and no potential damage to her hearing. Both of my children and my step-daughter have had ear tubes. Chronic ear infections were inherited by them (thanks to Dad). I guess the breastfeeding I lovingly gave them didn't help.

Trust your doctor. I delayed my decision with my first born and my child almost had hearing problems but thankfully she's doing fine. To answer your original question, no there's nothing that I know of that can drain the fluid. That is done during the procedure but your child will immediately be better. No more fevers, aches, etc.

I will tell you though that with my children, the ear infections only stayed away as long as the tubes were in the ear canals. Once out, we had problems again until they finally outgrew those problems. Step child had one set of tubes inserted, my first born had two sets and the last one has had four sets inserted!! She does not respond to antibiotics - we used them all up which is dangerous. She had her last set put in last summer and she's doing fantastic as she ususally does.

I'm not trying to scare you just being realistic that the tubes may have to be done more than once but hopefully not. All of my three girls are doing great now and I'm so relieved that none of them have hearing problems.

Feel free to contact me if you want to discuss more in detail.

-Mkoopmann