14-Month-old Getting Tubes

A.,
Both of my sons had tubes placed when they were younger.My older son had some speach problems that led to us investigating his hearing and that led to the tubes.He had water behind his ear drums and was speaking more clearly within a day of having the tubes placed.My youngest suffered from ear infections like your son They both did very well with the procedure and we feel it was the right choice in both cases. If you feel that you are a pretty calm mom, you should speak to the surgeon about staying with your son until he is under anesthesia.I have always stayed with my boys until they were out. My youngest is 13 and had a hernia surgery and I still stayed with him. I feel like it really helps them stay calm.
Good Luck

Before undergoing surgey for the tubes I would try a Chiropractor. I have always thought "different" about Chiropractors until I started going a few months ago. They have testimonials of children with cronic ear infections, getting adjusted and the ear infections stopped. As a mom to a 1 year old, I would try this before surgery. It is just a suggestion. If you have insurance, it should cover these visits. I go to Logan Chiropractic in Sarasota. It is a family owned business and they are extremely welcoming and friendly. It doesn't hurt to go talk to someone. You do not have to get your child adjusted. It could be very infomative. Logan Family Chiropractice - ###-###-####

Tubes are a breeze - considering his age you'll be an early appt so you will probably have to get there EARLY. Ben's first set was inserted at 14 months. I think our check in time was 6:00!!! Which is better since they can't eat or drink which is the hardest part.

Dress him comfy and warm, bring a blanket if he has a favorite one - the surgi centers/hospitals tend to be cold. Dress the same yourself. Bring an assortment of toys b/c from check in until they are rolled away can be quite a while, easily over an hour. They need to have a check up to see if they are well enough to have the surgery, the anesthesiologist checks them out, then just waiting your turn.

You'll only be separated from him for a short time if it is only tubes. Depending on how he reacts to the anesteshia his time in recovery will also be short. You should be able to be back with him in 30 minutes or so.

Once at home, a bit of pain relief is all that was ever required for my son. Of course he has unusually high pain tolerance so I'm not sure if that is normal. He bounced back pretty much instantly and it was a struggle to keep him quiet. He had tubes/adenoids at 14 months, a vallecular cyst removed at 16 months, new bigger ear tubes at 18 months, a 3rd set of tubes at 2.5 and the 4th set at 4. Now he is 5 and 1/2 and is going in on Jan 15th have both tubes removed because they scarred over, have his tonsils removed and repair a hole in his eardrum because he got an infection and it ruptured b/c the tube was blocked! He didn't even complain about the ear until AFTER it ruptured... the doctor was amazed, but like I said he has a high pain tolerance.

In all 5 of those surgeries, he's had only on lasting complaint. At All Children's Hospital they use a pre-anesthesia gas to relax them and so they don't know the IV is going in... they let them pick a 'flavor' of gas. He chose root beer and he expected a glass of root beer. He is still bitter that they "LIED" to him.

His first 4 surgeries were at such an early age, he doesn't remember them. The last one was only a year ago so he does recall it pretty well, and still he isn't afraid or nervous about the tonsils/ears. Kids are incredible... YOU are the one who will set the tone for this experience, if you are freaking and nervous so will your child. So just relax and go with the flow and it will be a better for everyone. I have had plenty of opportunities to see nervous nelly parents who make the experience awful for everyone involved. It is a huge disservice to the child for the parent to be freaking out, because they pick up on that and then they become afraid and it makes it so much more traumatic of an experience when it doesn't need to be.

Good luck!
L.

My son had them done just 2 weeks after his 1st birthday. He had just 1 ear infection but still had fluid for almost 6 months, so the ENT thought that it was the best way to get rid of it. I was concerned as any parent would be, but let me tell you...my son was a totally different child within a few hours of having them done! He cried in the car on the way home, about 30-45 minutes, but mostly out of hunger since they have to be fasting. He took a nap once we got home and when he woke up 2 hours later, he was as happy as could be! He had a huge smile and was laughing, which hadn't been the case for a while. he had some slight whining from discomfort over the next few days, just getting used to the feeling of the tubes, but nothing that a little Motrin or Tylenol couldn't fix! Good Luck to you and your little one!

My daughter got her first set of tubes at 18 mos. She just turned 6 and is now on set #3 (all thanks to allergies). Every child is different but Raven was the worst right after anesthesia. The first procedure included her getting her adenoids removed so the procedure only took about a hour, but when they wheeled her into recovery, she started crying and screaming and didn't stop until we got into the car to go home. She went right to sleep and started eating right after her nap. As a mom it's going to be a rough because you know he's going to be in a little bit of pain and, if his hearing has been affected at all, the new sounds may frighten him a bit. But he should be just fine. And I don't know where he's having the surgery done, but Raven had all 3 done at All Children's and they were amazing with her. Good luck!

My dtr had tubes at 1 year old and my son at 15 months old. It was the best thing I did for both of them. They both had repetitive ear infections and this made a huge difference. Neither one acted like it bothered them at all. My dtr never minded being taken from me to go to OR, but my son cried quite a bit and had to be partially sedated to calm him down. Afterward, both were fine! Good luck.

Wait, stop, go read Fiengold, and look at what they say, and then take your little guy to a chiropractor. Want to see success stories about this check out docmccullen.com
Please don't let them be cutting on your little one-this is a systemic problem and that only addresses a symptom-- not the underlying cause!
Being mom is the toughest job going, and I am glsd to be in the gramma part- best of luck- Kia

My daughter has gone through this twice she was probably about your lil mans age the first time she had her tubes put it. It all went very well and she did really great the hardest part for me was going into see her when it was all over she was just coming out of the anesthia and was highly combative and had no control of her lil body it was aboustely heart breaking! However in the end when she woke up more she was ok we had no problems about a year or so later they fell out and had to be put back in. this time they kept me out longer and let her come around more before letting me see her! She also seemd to come out of it faster this time as well.

good luck!!

My daughter now 5 has had tubes in her ear twice now. The first time was scary for me also. But she handled it very well. It took them like 15mins to get the tubes in but of course you have to wait like an hour or so with the recovery and all. He will do just fine. My daughter was up and walking around later that day but of course I made her activites limited. He will feel a little discomfort but the tubes are small so he will be okay. Just bring something for yourself to read while you wait in the recovery room

Well, I have dealt with this 5 times in two boys and the most recent was early December. It is scary to think of your baby getting put to sleep, but I promise that by the time you sit down in the waiting area and get your stuff put down, it will all be over! The hardest part may be when he wakes up. It depends on the child and how they deal with the anesthesia - just like adults. My oldest woke up all three times smiling at the nurses and ready to go. My youngest, screamed for about 30 minutes straight the first time and vomitted this last time. Otherwise, after a few hours they are perfectly fine.

You have nothing to fear!

Good luck!
Sam

Lucky for my daughter, it is not her that my experience is with; it is instead myself. I had such bad ear infections and pressure in my ears when I was a baby that I was born "deaf" As in not really deaf but so much blockage in my ear drums that my hearing did not function and this resulted in me having to get tubes in both of my ears. The tubes fell out a couple of times and I had them re-inserted about 4 times.
That does not mean that will happen with your child though. Due to my concern of bad genetics I mentioned this to my daughter's pediatrician and he seemed appalled that I had to have them 4 times and was sure that if done correctly, once was enough. (However 25 years ago technology was much different than it is today)
During the course of my first 12-13 years of life I had re-occurring ear infections about 4-5 times a year. I had to wear plugs in my ears when swimming and ear-muffs in cold weather.
But don't let any of this scare you - I was a completely normal kid! I did everything from swim in the ocean to making snow angels and was active in sports and everything. By the time high school came around the ear infections only came maybe once a year and now as a 24 year old adult I only get one every 2 years or so.

Sleeping on an incline helped me sleep (says my mom- of course I dont remember)

Good luck! I'm sure your little man with be just fine!
@}~>~~

A., my son had tubes 3 times. First at 13 months, then 16 months (also adenoids were removed with this surgery) and then again at 3. The surgery LITERALLY takes 5 minutes. The first time, his ears were so bad he hadn't started walking yet. He would just tip to the left every time. The DAY of the surgery, we got home after about an hour and a half drive (St. Pete to North Port) where he was happy and smiling the whole drive home. We got out of the car, set him down to play when we got inside. He got up and WALKED like it was nothing. No pain from the surgery, no side effects, and he could suddenly walk without tipping over. The only 'pain' he was ever in was from the effects of waking up from anesthesia, and that was more just disorientation. There was extra recovery time from the second surgery because of the adenoids, but never more than a day of laying around, etc. after any of them.
I absolutely understand your concern, as you are a mommy and don't want bad things to happen to your children. But as a mom who's been through it (a lot!), let me assure you that if he REALLY needs the surgery (Daniel had more than 30 ear infections before his first surgery!), then you will be stunned at the major difference. Daniel still has ear infections upon occasion... he's just 'that kid.' But these tubes have been in for about a year, and the infection always drips out of his ear (which is disgusting, but it's exactly what's SUPPOSED to happen!) and is SO much easier to treat with the ear drops and NO MORE HORRIBLE antibiotics!
It has been worth all the trips, and if the next go around ever occurs (if there's another surgery, it will be for t-tubes that will have to be surgically removed) we will be all for it. It has made an amazing difference in his health.
Beginning to end, the preop takes longer than anything. He will be 'away' from you for less than 1/2 to an hour. He'll probably be in recovery for an hour or so and then you'll go home. And, like I said, the actual procedure for tube insertion takes about 5 minutes... not exaggerating. Expect him to be upset upon waking up from anesthesia, but not in pain. He may have a slight fever for a day or two afterward and a little bloody drainage. But it has never been a big deal in our situation, and it has certainly been better for him and all of us to avoid constant trips to the doctor or ER for 105 fevers and overloads of antibiotics.
Best of luck to you and your little one!

Getting tubes is no big deal. My daughter was tired the first day she got them done and was back to playing normal the next day. You may or may not know when they fall out. Just don't get water in his ears....Really it's nothing to worry about....