Advice from Moms with Babies with Tubes

Dairy allergies are the number one cause of ear infections. My son had multiple ear infections but never had tubes put in. I would try removing all dairy from his diet and see what happens. The teachers thought my son was autistic and had ADHD as well. He never had another ear infection or showed any symptoms of autism or ADHD once dairy was removed from his diet.
D. Merlin
mother/author
www.victoryoveradhd.com

I've had friends whose kids had tubes but as soon as they came out, an ear infection would happen again. Have you tried chiropractic? My son was on the verge of tubes; he would get an ear infection as soon as he was off the antibiotics. We tried chiropractic, very skeptically, and it worked! NO more ear infections!

My boy was 4 when he had tubes put in. I worried the whole time, but everything was fine, and it really helped. He never had another ear infection after the surgery. He was groggy and sleepy for a couple of hours after the surgery, but that was basically it. They advised us to sleep in the same room as him the 1st night, so we made a "nest" of blankets amd pillows on the floor beside our bed. He thought it was great. The tubes fell out on their own eventually, but before that he had to wear earplugs for bathing and swimming. He didn't mind that part, either.
It sounds like your son might be a bit younger, but there is a book called "Tubes in my Ears, my visit to the hospital" that helped him prepare for it. Good luck, and try not to worry! (That's the hard part.)
B.

My daughter had tubes put in at 18 months and they are still in now at 3. The surgery was quick (10 minutes actual surgery time). Seeing her afterwards on the anesthesia was scary because she was so out of it and not able to control her body, but it wore off really quickly. She was her normal happy & energetic self a few hours after the surgery.
Since then she has had 3 ear infections which are pretty gross because fluid literally drips out of the ears. The flip side of that is that it is really easy to tell when she has an infection where before it was a guessing game because she didn't display the usual tells.
She loves the water and has no problems wearing her earplugs in the tub and water park.
Good luck to you and your litte man.

Hi M.,

My daughter received tubes 6 months ago and I wish I had done it earlier. Her speech improved significantly as she could finally HEAR me. Her incessant illnesses stopped and she was just happier all around (because she was also getting more sleep as you noted). The surgery is so quick it took about 5 minutes.

I tried a chiropractor first, however by the time I started that it was too late. She had so much blockage she had significant hearing loss (thankfully not permanent) and the doc had to literally scrape all the hard fluid build-up to even get the tubes in.

Good luck. Again, I HIGHLY recommend it.

C.

Both of my sons had tubes. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. The only thing that was hard was my sons not being able to have a drink before the surgery (anesthesia) since they were so used to having their milk first thing in the morning. Anyway, there really isn't any recovery other than being cranky for a while after the surgery due to the anesthesia. I remember them being tired and mellow as well for a couple of hours after getting home. You have to use special drops in the ears for a few days afterwards, but the only thing I remember about it was that from the moment they each got home after the surgery, you could immediately see a huge difference in their mood due to not being in pain anymore. I think getting tubes is the easiest, smartest decision parents of children with chronic ear infections make. My now 3 1/2 year-old got them when he was 13 months old and he still has them! He is big swimmer, and though we did use the ear plugs for baths and swimming for the first year and a half afterwards, we never once used ear plugs over the last year thinking that the plugs must be gone... and I was shocked to see them there with my otoscope. On that note, I'd recommend getting an otoscope and learning how to tell if there is any ear infection- it is very easy and there are references and pictures on the Internet. Good luck! L.

Hi M.,
We went through this with my now 10-year-old. He was almost two, and I had really noticed a language delay. He could say vowels, but few consonants, and was really frustrated with his difficulty communicating. The surgery was really fast and he came through without much problem except that I think the anesthesia upset his stomach. He cried all the way home, threw up when we got there, went to sleep, and was jumping on the bed two hours later. It was soooo worth it though because his language improved dramatically. I'm a pediatric neuropsychologist and I would estimate that he made about six months progress in the following two weeks! He was so happy to be understood! Not only that, but he had no trouble learning to read (later, of course), which can be affected by poor hearing in infancy and toddlerhood.

That said, of course it's scary. I had been hopeful that it would be even easier because my older son's friend who had tubes woke from surgery, walked to the elevator with his parents and commented on the "bell" when the elevator arrived. He had never heard that sound before! He had no problem coming out of anesthesia, no nausea, nothing but good news from the surgery. I hope it goes that smoothly for you and your little one.

E.

For us, it was well worth it. And way better for our daughter. She had her surgery quite a few years ago, so I'm sure that technology is way better these days.

The surgery itself is fairly short. And we, too, were worried about the anesthesia. But she did very well and our faith sustained us in trusting the Lord to take care of her. And that He did!

The healing process was nothing. No side effects for her. She was a bit groggy when she woke up but that was it. And she never had another ear infection. She was put on so many antibiotics in the beginning year of her life it was great to have her off them once and for all. The tubes eventually fall out on their own after a few years and that's it. We had a great experience.

One thing, try and schedule her first thing in the morning surgery schedule, as they can't eat for several hours before. You and she will be better for it. Blessings to you!

Hi:

Here's something to consider looking into that could possibly obviate the need for tubes. In my grand daughter's case, she had constantly been sick and went round after round after round with antibiotics, until they decided to put in tubes. While the surgery was quite literally over in 15 minutes, and she felt better afterwards, she started getting sick again and went back on antibiotics, and antihistamines and then they said she developed an allergy to the antihistamines, and then said she was developing asthma. We learned about naet - which stands for Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Techniques, and consulted with Dr. David Karaba in Fullerton. The first two treatments cured her allergy to their dogs, and dust, and immediately she began to feel better. They have since cured other allergies (like to milk) and she is one happy, healthy little girl. Gwen was 11 months old when Gwen had her first allergy elimination. She is now 19 months old.

My gut tells me that had we learned about naet and visited Dr. Karaba before the surgery, her allergy would have been cured and her body would not have had any reason to keep producing all that fluid, and surgery would not have been necessary.

As I said, this is just for your consideration. I do know that Dr. Karaba is willing to do a free consultation if you want to explore allergy elimination and see if its something you want to pursue.

In any event, best wishes to you and your precious little one.

M.

Hi M.,

My son had so many ear infections from age 6 months to 13 months when he got ear tubes placed. The surgery was very quick and he came out of the anesthesia without difficulty or any problems. He is now 2 1/2 and still has the ear tubes and has not had any ear infections, problems, or pain since the surgery. I definitely think it was worth getting the tubes placed. How old is your son?

-S. H.

I know friends who had this procedure done for their child with good results many years ago.
That said, you might be able to avoid the surgery all together with a chiropractic approach.
I started going to a chiropractor 15 years ago to treat asthma/bronchitis/sinus problems. It really works. I can recommend two chiropractors one in Long Beach, one is in LA in the Farifax area. It is far less stressful than surgery. Anesthesia does carry risks. If it doesn't work out you can always go back to plan A. And, yes, they work on infants.

http://www.chiropracticresearch.org/NEWS_ear_tubes_in_chi...
http://www.accursochiropractic.com/s_chiropractic_infants...

Dr Mark Kennedy ###-###-####
6557 E Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, CA 90803 (near Seal Beach)

Khalsa Chiropractic ###-###-####
http://www.drmhaatma.com/

My daughter (now 3) had tubes put in when she was 10 months old. She had 9 ear infections from the time she was 3months until she was 9 months old. The process was MUCH easier than I expected. She was put under very simply and the doctor came to get me (about 20 minutes later) when she was done.

I held her and had a bottle of breastmilk (she had to skip breakfast due to the anesthesia). They told us not to feed her for an hour after, but she was truly inconsolable when she came to and I know it was only because she was so hungry. I finally fed her a little milk at a time and she was fine. No more crying and no sickness.

When we got her home she slept for about 4 hours and then was back to her normal cheery self after that. The worst part was fighting with nurse to get her to let me feed my poor starving kid.

The ear infections completely stopped. It was the best thing we could have done for her. She has only lost one of the tubes so far and hasn't had any problems with ear infections since.

It's the best thing EVER! DO IT! My son, now 14, had tubes put in his ears and tonsils removed when he was 6. He had his first ear infection at 2 weeks old and then never went anyomre than a month without one. After the surgery he's had maybe 2 infections. Kids bounce right back. My son ate a Milky Way 20 minutes after surgery. It's not fun to see your child going into surgery but belive me you WON'T regret it.

Hi M.--
I know I'm way late in responding, but I just got back from vacation!
Anyway, two of my kids have had tubes,so I know how nerve-wracking it can be. I was strong until they were taken away into the operating room and then I cried for 5 minutes in the bathroom. By the time I was done crying,I came out and sat for about 3 minutes and the doctor came out to tell me he was done! We only waited for a total of 8 minutes (I'm not kidding!) We went back to the recovery room and waited with our baby for about one hour. While back there, the nurse talked us through everything she was doing, what we could expect, everything we needed. Once we felt comfortable, and our baby was alert and comfortable, we were on our way home. By 10 o'clock that morning, both of my kids were running around like nothing had happened to them! Oh, to be kids again!
As far as ear infections after surgery, it can happen. But, they're MUCH fewer and farther between.
My advice? Do what you're comfortable with.
But. . . keep in mind your child's pain. Also keep in mind what ear infections can do to a child's hearing & speech development.
I know this was long-winded, but I wish someone had been long-winded with me before my kids went through this :)
Write back if you need any more advice or have any questions!

Good luck!

You didn't say how old your son was. My son had the procedure at 11 mo. and it changed our life. He also had his adenoids removed because they too were interfering with drainage. It was stressful while we were waiting for him to come out of surgery. But recovery was easy. We had to try to keep him from running around the next day. All the infections and secondary illnesses immediately stopped.

A good thing to know is that sometime after surgery your son will need to be fitted for custom ear plugs if he wants to do any swimming. This is done at a hearing aid place.

Hi M., I have a 2 1/2 year old son and he had to have tubes but in at 15 months old because like your son, he had already had 9 ear infections. I too was scared about it but the surgery only takes 15 minutes! My husband and I went back with him and then when the doctor came they took him into the OR and my husband and I sat in the waiting room. The doctor came out 15 minutes later and told us that he did great! They don't really knock them out for it they give them more like laughing gas stuff just to relax them. After surgery my son was a little tired but that only lasted for about 30 minutes and then he was ready to go for the rest of the day. His ears didn't bother him at all and the tubes have been the best thing for him. He had one ear infection once the tubes were put in but that was right after and the infection drained out, he has never had an infection since then. They will give you some antibiotic drops and if your son gets water in his ears you just put a couple of drops in each ear and that's it. You will have to use ear plugs if he goes in the pool but he won't need to in the bath tub. Once your son's body doesn't need the tubes anymore then they will come out on there own. My son's tubes were in for about a year and one is now all the way out and the other is working it's way out. It takes a couple months for them to come out once they start to. I would say yes get the surgery done cause your son will feel so much better, I know that mine son did! Best of Luck and God Bless you and your little one! Hang in there it will be ok!

Have you tried going to the Chiropractor first? I have worked for and have had tremendous success with my own children. My children started getting adjusted at 3 mos. old. Try it before surgery, it might work.

KS

Hello M.,

It's been a long time ago, but my son had tubes put in his ears at 2-1/2 years after many bouts of ear infections and sleepless nights. The fluid was causing hearing loss also.

It was a very good decision. He wasn't under anesthesia very long and he recovered very fast without any pain.

Of course he's 27 now, and has never had another ear infection.

Hope this helps.

D.

Hi! Our little guy had 6 ear infections, and I was very skeptical about getting ear tubes put in, but when I found out that they do not need to wear ear plugs while in the water I said ok. Our son was around 1 at the time, and I everything went really well. And 6 months later, no ear infections and when he gets colds it clears up so much faster. He had some Tylenol that night of the ear surgery and a little the next day and seemed good to go. We woke from the anesthesia and surgery fine, and then you wait until he can eat a little bit and then you can take him home. It was the best thing we did for him. Definitley worth it! And I feel better he doesn't constantly need the antibiotics.
Good luck!
Mom of 4

Hi M.!

My son, who is now almost 32 years old had constant ear infections to the point where he was becoming immune to the various antibiotics the doc put him on. FINALLY, they suggeszted the tubes. Granted that was about 26 or 27 years ago but, it was the best thing for him. In addition to the tubes, he was tested for allergies and was diagnosed allergic to every kind of grass, dust, cats and highly allergic to the rabbit we had. He received shots for several years starting with twice a week and by the time he was about 12 or 13 was down to once about every other month. As an adult, he is healthy and basically allergy free.

I would go with the recommendation of the ENT. They deal with this now simple procedure all the time.

Good luck to you & your little man!

Hugs,
S.

LOVE TUBES!! I feel very blessed that we live in a day that they can do this surgery and I don't have to resort to medication for my little ones. The surgery is only a FEW moments and I mean that. We just did out little guy and I did not even have time to find my way to the waiting room befor they were calling my name. As far as what to expect, not much. It is such a little thing, (and we as moms make such a big thing out of it). When he comes out of the anethesia he will be GROUCHY and this is a good thing. They are disoriented and angry at the world, you included. They want to be held, no down, no mom, no dad. Just angry in all aspects. This is a good thing. Let him flail and be angry and be happy in your heart that he is doing just that. Be patient and in a few minutes...could be 20 or so he will be tuckered out, sleep all the way home and wake up happier than you have seen him in a long time! Be sure to take his favorite cup with you. They like them to drink befor they let them go home. Be glad for the EARLY time at the hospital, because they have to fast and are hungry and want their cup in the morning. But most of all I can say is just be glad that this can be fixed, and he won't be in pain anymore and will sleep better and eat better! We have done this with two of our kids and have had NO problems. We swim almost every day and just follow with the ear drops if he goes under water. IT is worth it in every way! Good luck!!

M.,
You have nothing to worry about! My son had repeated ear infections in both ears from birth until he got tubes in at 3 months! Yes that's right, they put tubes in his tiny ears at 3 months old. He has fluid on both ears that wouldn't go away. The Dr. said he had never done it at such a young age, but my son cried ALL the time, not an exaggeration!

The day of sugery we went to the hospital, the nurses took him back, it was only a few minutes, less than 30 min, and we were taken up to recovery to see him. He did great! One of the nurses was feeding him. He wasn't in any pain, they gave him meds for that. We sat up there for a while and then he was released. No effects from the anesthesia, he slept most of the day. But most importanty, no more problems! He gets plugs in his ears at bath time and when swimming. He is now 3 and we have only just recently had 1 ear infection(I think it was my fault, I forgot to put the puddy in his ears before a swim).

All in all, though I was terrified to hand my 3 month old over to the nurse before surgery, I know that it's the best thing we have done for him!

if you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to email me: ____@____.com

Hi M.,
My 3rd has tubes in her ears. She had many ear infections and was finally given the tubes in May of last year. Since then there has been no infections. She is doing great, thank God! The surgery is scary but quick. My daughter woke up from the anesthesia very upset for about an hour. That was the touch part. But after that, no complaints and no pain. To me, it has been well worth it. Best to you and your baby.

How old is he? My daughter was 15 months when her tubes were put in. It was last resort, we tried several medications, foods, etc. After pretty much a year of non stop ear infections we did the tubes. What a difference! Since then she's had 2 ear infections (she's 9 now). I wish we would have done it for her sooner. Constant ear infections can also effect speech and the antibiotics can become reisitant if used too much.

The surgery was outpatient and we were there early-no food or drink before hand. The anethesiolgist turned out to be one I new from the hospital so I was very comfortable with her. (She helped fixed a botched epidural I got from delivery my daughter-another story.)

She had to wear a teeny hospital gown and she was hooked up to heart monitors, etc. She was given a shot to put her to sleep. As soon as the surgery was done (about 30-45 minutes?) we were taken to her in the recovery area. Once she woke we had to stay another couple hours just to montitor her. I don't remember her being in any pain but she was groggy until mid afternoon. She did not get sick from the anethesia. The next morning it was like nothing happened. Then we just had to watch water in the ears during bath time. The tubes fell out on their own several months later and she's been good to go ever since.

I had tubes when I was young but it took a long time to get done. I have a lot of scar tissue on my ear drums from all of the ear infections which I am sure effects my hearing.

My cousin was against the surgery and used some type of garlic or yeast drops in her sons ear about 5 years ago. Apparantely it worked so you could look into that.

My 3 year old went through a whole year of consecutive ear infections and we finally had tubes placed and her adenoids removed in Jan! It was the best thing for her! She has gained weight and doesn't snore, etc!

When she woke up from surgery, she was just not herself. My dad is an anesthesiologist and he warned me.. But still.. He said kids ALL pretty much react the same way, they are very disoriented and scream, etc!

Mine did.. I had to leave for a minute to cry and gather myself, then come back! Then they gave her some more demerol and she fell back asleep and the next time she woke up, she was fine!

She was back to herself that afternoon! They said within a few days, but that same day she was running all over the house like nothing ever happened!

Her mouth was sore from the device they use to keep the mouth open and she had a bit of a sore throat from the adenoid removal, but really.. I wouldn't change a thing!

Good luck!

M.,
I had the similar situation. My sin was 20 months getting ear infection after ear infection. It was disturbing his sleep also. I was due with my second and we scheduled the operation 2 weeks before baby #2 came and it was the miracle we were looking for. Surgery was quick, he was crying inconsolably when he came out of anesthesia(this is common). By the time we got him home, he was eating muffins and drinking smoothies. We were at the park that afternoon. We got specially designed ear plugs for him so they are more comfortable( I think they were like $25). He is 3 and still has tubes, has had on;y one minor infection and you have to put in drops which for my son is a big deal and he kicks and screams but that is better than holding him down to give him antibiotics every couple of weeks. Good luck and I hope it works out as well for you as it has for us!

my younger son, just recently had tubes put in. i had taken him to an audiologist in fear that he had a hearing problem because he wasn't talking. needless to say, he'd had many many ear infections. the audiologist explained that for every ear infection a baby has, it sets their speech development back 1 month. So little E was waaaay behind. He got his tubes july 21st, and that same day i could see the change in him. your little guy's demeanor and all-around attitude will change, for the better. as far as what to expect, just make sure you take a few questions written down on paper for the dr. he'll be your best resource for any questions of that kind. every kid is different, therefore making your recover time either faster or a little longer than normal. i hope this helped! :D

I can give you some advise as an adult who had tubes in her ears when I was five years old after years of ear infections. At the time, they recommended to wait for the tubes but now they opt for the surgery much sooner... and thank God!! The years of painful ear infections marked my childhood more than any surgery. Back in 1975 when I had the surgery, it was maybe 2 days in the hospital and yes it was a bit scary for me and I remember having drainage down my throat so I had a very soar throat. I don't know how old your son is but it sounds like none of that will be an issue since he sounds very young. Even back then, the tubes never interfered with my daily life other than not being able to go in a swimming pool for a while. I don't remember any pain. I remember getting a lot of attention since I had the tubes and I ate it up. :-) I feel you are absolutely making the right decision. While I would occasionally experience some ear infections throughout my childhood, they were nothing compared to what I experienced before the tubes. Not to mention that I was told I have scar tissue on my ear drums from the extended years of ear drum ruptures and that resulted in some hearing loss.

Hi
I am so sorry to hear about your son, that sounds like a very tough situation. I am not sure if you have tried this, but acupuncture can be very helpful with ear infections in children. I'm guessing it would also be a good idea before or after surgery if that is scheduled. There is a wonderful pediatric acupucturist named Jaime Boyd in Bankers Hill.
Good luck- hope all works out.

I STRONGLY suggest you get the book, "The yeast connection" BEFORE you allow any surgery on your little one. My daughter had 20+ ear infections before she was 18 months. I received this book from my son's preschool teacher the night before her surgery.... I spent hours crying because of the things I allowed the doctors to do to my daughter!! Please just give it a chance before you under-go the drastic measures of surgery!!!
T.

My daughter got the tubes when she was about 2 and it was great. She had her adenoids removed at the same time. The only really tough part was when she came out of the anesthetic--she was pretty upset. But it didn't last that long and the nurses gave her a popsicle. They will give your child pain medication and just give it at the appropriate times. You will be fine: it made a huge difference in our lives.

Hi M.,

From the time I was a baby until the age of 7, I had VERY severe ear infections... all the time. By the time the finally decided to put the tubes into my ears, I had lost 20% of my hearing due to scar tissue. I developed an allergy to penicillin (sp?) from being on antibiotics so often. Waking up from the anesthesia was a bit rough but I've never been so grateful for anything in my life. I'm 30 and can still remember how painful those ear infections were and how sad summers were for me having to sit and watch all the other kids swim and have fun. Believe me your child won't remember the procedure and you'll be amazed at the difference once the ear infections are gone.

Good luck!

My son had tubes inserted and adenoids removed at age 2 1/2. We used Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego and had a great experience there. Although our main concern was the anesthesia, we were assured by both our own Doctor and by physicians in our family that it was very safe. In face, our pediatrician's son had the same surgery with the same ENT just months before ours and was very positive about her whole experience. Our surgery was at 11:00 and we left the hospital around 12:30. By 4 PM that day, our son was bouncing around like nothing ever happened. Since the surgery, he is a much happier kid. He never had ear infections but he did have constant fluid build-up in his ears which affected his speech as well as recurring sinus infections. I do not regret the surgery for a moment and know that, in our situation, this was the best choice for our child. Good luck in making your decision!

Hi M.,
I actually had tubes put in about 5 years ago (when I was 40!). I was a little dizzy when I first woke up but felt great by the afternoon. My ears have been much better but it did take a few weeks until they were completly unclogged. One of the tubes came out easily but the other had to be pulled out by the doctor because it had gotten stuck. Remember to remind any doctor looking in your son's ears that the tubes are there so they don't disturb them.

Good luck!

Hi M.. I just wanted to say that when I was around 4 or 5 I had tubes put into my ears, for the same reason. I had them taken out shortly thereafter (meaning they werent in for an eternity) and the only pain I experienced through the whole things was the removal. I wanted to tell you that my ear infections dramatically decreased in frequency and pain levels over the years, and now i rarely get them. If you hav any qualms about doing it, please don't. Ear infections are VERY painful, no matter what age you are, but especially at such a young age where the pain threshold isn't as advanced. I'm so glad my parents did it for me, because I noticed a difference. My ear infections used to be so excrutiatingly painful, and even though I was so young, I remember quite a few of them to this day like they happened yesterday. The worst one was when it got so bad that I was coughing up blood, and was rushed to the E.R. - that's when the decision was made to put them in. I can't answer any of your other questions, sorry :( , but I can tell you what a positive difference those little tubes made in my life.

My son (who has down syndrome) had tubes put in when he was 5 mo's old and the surgery was a breeze. It only took about 30 minutes for entire procedure. He was just very hungry right after, and he gulped down a ton of water and he got gassy, and burped the loudest the nurses had ever heard from a baby. So, it was a nice, fast procedure and having the tubes put in helped him tremendously. I think you'll be glad you did it! Good Luck!

Hi M.,

I feel for you. I have a now 14 year old boy who had constant ear infections from the age of 7-12 months (coincidentally about the time I had put him on formula). His pediatrician was suggesting maintainance antibiotics and tubes....I hated the idea. I had a friend suggest putting him on soy forumula. I did and the ear infections went away! Simple as that. I would definitely try taking away all dairy (if you are breastfeeding, eliminate it from your diet) for a week or two. What can it hurt to try? You may be able to avoid surgery. By the way, I went back to my ped. after putting him on soy (and ear infections went away) and she still would not admit that it was the milk. Needless to say, I switched peds. Good Luck!

My daughter had tubes at 3 yrs. It worked great. She outgrew them at age 5. No pain from surgery( a few days max). She was a little out of sorts from the anesthesia, but I recommend doing it.

M.,

My son had tubes put in his ears 4 months ago. He just turned three Aug 22. I had th same fears you do. I was terrified!! The suregery takes less than 10 mins. I got to the ____@____.com gave me a bed and i had to put him in hospital PJ's. We had to wait about an hr. for observation to see if he was sick and ok for surgery. I took lot pictures and played with him. They came and gave him the oral sleepy medicine and took him for surgery. I went downstairs got a muffin and drink. Came back sat down to text to family he was in surgery and before I was done the dr came with the ear dropps. We were home by 8am and he was acting like nothing happned that morning. He has done great!! He loves to swim so I got the ear plugs and head band so he can go in the pool!! Dont feer they make it seem worse than it is!! Good Luck! My prayers are with you!! C.

My advice is do it. It takes less than an hour-recovery is nil. They wake up, drink some juice go home.