7.5 Mo Old with 3 Ear Infections...

Hi K....
My daughter (now 2) went through this. started at 4months and every month we were in the doctors til i requested to see an ent (ear nose and throat specialist) and let me tell you its a tough one on us moms...as well as them... what we ended up having to do was put tubes in her ears... june 2, 2007 she was 15months and let me tell you she hasn't had even a runny nose since then... request to see an ent... and talk about your options...

This may sound a little funny to you, but take him to a Chiropractor. I took my daughter when she was young, and he kept her from having to get tubes.. He has a thumper that he would use to thump her under her ear and it made her feel so much better.... Hope this helps... By the way, i have 3 children, my first son had to have tubes, and so when my daughter got ear infections I decided to try something else before letting them poke a hole in her eardrum. You have really nothing to lose if you go to a chiropractor, worst case it doesn't work and you still have to get tubes, Best case it works and you dont have to let your baby have surgery...

It may be time for tubes. My son had to have them at 14 months. The ENT said the criteria was 3 ear infections in 6 months. The surgery was quick (less than 10 minutes) and everything went great. Hope this helps.

Dear K.,

You have had several moms suggest talking to the ENT regarding tubes. Tubes were wonderful for my son, who got them at 2 years and 3 months. Just a word of advice about the possibility of taking out tonsils and adenoids - at this early age your child isn't yet talking. If the doctor recommends this course of action, make sure your child doesn't have a really short soft palate or hypernasality. If there is any indication of this, you don't want to totally remove the adenoids - they are a roof to the soft palate, and nasal speech will just become moreso and difficult to control if you take away that roof. If your child was older and you knew there was no hypernasality, you wouldn't need to worry. But he's little, so don't take chances without being sure. Perhaps a plastic surgeon who repairs babies' cleft palates would be the one to check your baby if it becomes apparent that a T&A is the course of action your ENT prefers. Don't let your pediatrician or ENT pooh-pooh your concern. I really mean that. Meanwhile, go ahead with the ear tubes. They won't bother the speech or palate, and your child needs his hearing in order to start to learn to talk. You won't regret the tubes - I really believe that.

By the way, I know this stuff about the soft palate, hypernasality, and adenoids because my son has a hidden submucous cleft palate. If I hadn't done my own research and found out this problem with hypernasality and adenoid removal, my son's speech, already a problem, would have been devastated. Some ENTs know about this stuff, and some do not. Though I had one ENT who didn't think anyone had a brain in their head other than himself, I found another ENT who was fabulous, did diagnostic testing, answered all my questions and validated everything I had learned through my research. I owe her a great deal even today for my son's speech progress.

Though long and perhaps off-topic a bit, I hope this is helpful to you. D.

K.,

Are you seeing an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist) for him?? If not, you should request being sent to one! My first daughter, now 3 1/2, struggled with a number of ear infections early on. She was given ear tubes around the same age (8mos) and it made a big difference. She continued to struggle with what they claimed were "allergies" until we went back to the ENT for the constant nasal congestion. They then removed her adenoids, and gave her a second set of ear tubes at 28 months old. IT HAS GIVEN ME A NEW CHILD!!!!!! Bottom line in my opinion, you need to see a specialist and inquire why, after three infections, ear tubes arent'being discussed? Hope this helps............good luck!

My youngest son also had a problem with ear infections (16 in his first 15 months of life). We tried the antibiotics but we had to get tubes put in his ears and since then we haven't had any problems with ear infections. He is also speaking so much clearer because he can finally hear. Luck for us he didn't have any hearing lose. Our ENT doctor was wonderful. You need to go see a ENT doctor because sometimes your regular doctor just isn't enough.

Hey K.,

Trust me...if anyone feels for you, its me. From 6 months to 10 months, my son had 8 infections. We would go on an antibiotic to clear up one side, and while we were treating that side, the other side would get infected. It went on back and forth for months! We went through every antibiotic we could throw at it. And we did the Rocephin shots. OUCH!! The shots are bad. There is actually lidocaine in the shot because they are so painful and the medicine is so thick!

Anyway, our pediatrician would not even do the shots unless we agreed to make an appt. to go the ENT. I will tell you the shots were the only thing that did work...at least for a little bit. My 10 month old got tubes on March 7th. AND I'M GLAD WE DID. The very next week he got some kind of upper respiratory virus. You should have seen the fluid (paste like stuff actually) that poured out of his ears from that. We took him back to the ENT b/c we thought something was wrong. He told us that the tubes were just doing what they were suppose to do, but if my son didn't have tubes, we would have had a massive infection on our hands. After seeing what I saw come out of his ears, I will never regret tubes!! No wonder the ears get infected when all that backs up in there!

Also, we did try chropratic care to see if it would help. That was a big waste of money. It might help a child who's ears were not as bad as my son's, but it did nothing for us.

So, to make a long story short, I would definately check with your ped. about an ENT visit. It saved our lives!!

My son is nearly 4 now...he had ear infection after ear infection from about 2 months until he was 20 months old. they put tubes in his ears when he was 13 months and they didn't really help. he ended up haveing a severe food intollerance to milk. once off the milk he never got another ear infection. I would deffinatly go see an ENT doctor.

Before going to an ENT, I would first visit a chiropractor and remove all dairy from his diet. There is a correlation between ear infections and dairy allergy. The chiropractic adjustments will help with aligning his spine and allowing the ears to drain. The adjustments will remove any interference and his body will be able to heal naturally. If you're in the Clarksville Area I can give you a recommendation of a chiro that uses the activator technique which is gentle pressure adjustments vs the popcorn cracking. His prices are reasonable and he offers a family plan/discount package too.

Bless your heart! I'm right there with you. My first born didn't start getting them until she was 2 years old and then had 7 in one year. We lived with a constant rotation of Amoxocillin, Augmentin, and Omnicef in our house! Finally, when she turned 3, she was referred to the ENT and had her tonsils and adenoids removed. They opted to not do tubes with her. She had naturally enlarged tonsils (never had strep throat at all), but the ENT said that is a factor with frequent ear infections. He also assumed her adenoids were enlarged, but couldn't tell until he removed them during surgery and sure enough...they were huge too. Once the surgery was done, she has been ear infection free and doesn't snore anymore! She is approaching 4 1/2 years old now.
So, my second born starting getting ear infections when he was 4 months old! It was non-stop with him as well. The month he turned one, we were sent to the same ENT. He recommended that he get his adenoids removed and tubes placed in both ears. Well, it has cut them down, but we still get them at least once every couple of months. I'm again with the 3 ear infection antibiotics frequenting my home. The shot they are mentioning to you is Rocefin (sp?). It really is a miracle shot. I know it sounds scary, but it will really help your little one. I beg for that shot now. This med will knock out 90% of the bacteria immediately! But, it's a painful shot and takes a minute to give, so they use it as a last option. You'll have to remain in the office for 10-15 minutes afterward with your little one. Now, mine has never had any kind of reaction what-so-ever, but we still have to go back to the waiting room with our little egg timer until we get the ok to leave. I know shots are no fun, but I promise it will work wonders for your little one. With my little guy, his tubes have already fallen out after only 8 months (due to growth). We'll see if we have to have a 2nd set placed since he's still living with ear infections. I won't be surprised if he winds up having to have his tonsils removed as well. I know your pain! It's a nightmare. But, once they grow and their little ear canals straighten out, it will get better. That's what I'm hoping for anyway! Good luck to you........and don't be scared about the Rocefin shot.......like I said, I beg for it now! It's so much easier than 10 days of yucky, sticky, antibiotics! =0)

I was just curious as to which milk he is on, soy or milk. Could he have an allergy to either?
Katherine

Take him to an ENT if you can. Your pediatrician is not quick to send you but you need to have him looked at before he loses any hearing because of repeated infections. My 10 y.o. daughter had recurring ear infections from 6-12 months and finally at 12 mos I put my foot down and demanded the pediatrician refer to an ENT. They put tubes in her ears at 13 mos and she hasn't had an ear infection but maybe 1 time since. I wish you the best, I know that ear infections are no fun.

Hey K.,

My 4th child had this problem. Her tear duct, which is located in the nose area, had not opened properly and we, unfortunately, didnt' do anything about it until she was a year old. We had to visit a pediatric opthamologist who did the very simple surgery to correct it.

Good luck!

my daughter was in day care when she was little and had the same issue. she had so many ear infections that the pediatrician told us one more in a year and she would have to have tubes. she has not had one since and she is now almost five. she was not able to take liquid medicine, and always had to have the antibiotic shots. she was also bottle fed. what i found worked for her, was to put ear plugs in her ears during bath time. the kind you use for kids with tubes. it looks a little like play dough and you mush it into the shape of the ear. any time i would shampoo her hair, she would get water in her ears and wind up with yet another ear infection. but have hope. my daughter is almost five and now never gets sick. she has not had more than a small cold since she was three. she goes to school and every child in her preschool class got a stomach flue, except her. she is so healthy now.