My 2 Year Old Has Had 12 Ear Infections Since December! Advice Needed

A.,
My youngest had multiple ear infections and multiple courses of antibiotics. We were in the doctors office every 12 to 14 days. We did 2 sets of tubes which left scars in his ears and gave him a partial hearing loss. The fluid in his ears had turned to a jello-like consistency and did impact the way he heard and spoke. The tubes did help clear up the fluid and most ear infections but not the cause of the problems. We later had his adnoids taken out, but not his tonsils. He probably would have done better with the tonsils out too.

The doctors never suggested that my son might have food allergies that were causing the fluids and the ear infections - I had to figure that out on my own. Once I took him off of all the things that family members were allergic to, thought they might be allergic to, or just didn't like (peanut butter, oatmeal (including Cheerios and granola bars), milk, orange juice (including anything high acid like tomatoes), and chocolate were the ones for my family), his ears cleared up. It just took until he was 8 years old to figure this first part out. Later we figured out that he was allergic/sensitive to food coloring - Red 40, Blue 1 and Yellow 5 - which actually changed his sunny disposition into a mouthy, bratty kid. It is amazing how many things have food coloring in them.

Seriously look into both food and environmental allergies that might be impacting your child. I know another family where they discovered that their son had serious allergies to cats - and the dad did too, but the dad never had a cat as a child and didn't know he was allergic.

Good luck and take care - J.

1 mom found this helpful

Ask for a referal to a Pediatric ENT, if you don't mind the drive there is an excellent one Dr. Gottschall (sp) down at Kaiser Oakland. It is not good for her to have cronic ear infections. In addition to the ear drops did they also give you an oral antibiotic (or vice versa)? My youngest has the same problem and has had tubes in and is STILL getting ear infections with the tubes. What facility is your doctor out of? I have a deaf and hard of hearing teacher here right now and she says GET A NEW PEDIATRICIAN.

You can email me privately if you want to.

In response to the Kaiser bashing - it is uncalled for. If you don't have anything major wrong with you it may seem like they don't do anything but I think you would find that at and doctors. Kaiser really pulls through when you have major issues. Both of my sons have medical conditions and because of Kaiser doctors their lives were spared. Kaiser has paid thousands of dollars on outside sources when they don't have the resources to treat them

Oh, I really feel for you! First- go get a second opinion immediately from someone who is not against tubes. More information is always better. Do your research and really talk to the docs about the pros and cons. I've never heard of anything so bad happening from this.
I have to tell you- I had an ear infection last year for the first time in my adult life. Let's just say I was in AGONY. I was glad it happened so that I know what my kids are going through. After that experience, I would never let any of my kids go through repeated infections. Not to mention the potential damage from constant antibiotics, which is not insignificant.
Last- make sure that someone has a very close look at her tonsils. If they are large, that also can contribute to infections being constant. Most pediatricians don't pay any attention to this, and it caused my son to suffer for a long time. Somewhere along the line, they went from taking everyone's tonsils out, to taking no ones tonsils out, and neither was right. I had to really push to get my sons out, after they misdiagnosed him with migraines and behavior problems. Now I know he can barely breathe when he's asleep. Enough to make anyone irritable, cranky and get headaches.
So- I say never trust a doctor to make decisions for you. Ever. Your doctor works for you, gives you all the information, and you make the decisions. You are doing the right thing to become as well informed as you can.
Wishing you heartfelt best of luck,
J.

Hi A.,

I would like to just second the other mom's that have recommended you see a chiropractor. I was highly hesistant especially with such a young child. But my son had been suffering from acid reflux, colic and chronic colds. He has been treated by a chiropractor since he was 6 months old, and has yet to have one ear infection. The colds he does seem to get resolve a lot quicker when adjusted.

On side note my brother had to have tubes put in his ears when he was 2. It caused him severe speach delays. He's fine know but if they had put the tubes in earlier we might have been able to avoid the speach problems.

I would recommend trying a chiropracter see if you see any improvement if not you can revert to the possiblity of tubes.

Good luck I know these decisions are so hard!!

I would get a second opinion. My 7 month old has had the same problems are your daughter. The entire month of February and half of March she had one and found out yesterday that she has another. My doctor is requesting that we go to an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor. With too many infections, the risk of hear loss is higher. I would not take the chance. I am sorry that your daughter is going through this. I know what it is like with no sleep on your part too.

I would get a second opimion -- when my oldest daughter was 3; they detected fluid on the ear and her ENT put in tubes. It was affecting her hearing big time !!

My daughter had to have second set of tubes and then adnoids out around 5..her Eustachian tubes probably didn't convert until around 6.

Hearing does affect speech and reading and I am surprised your doctor is resistant -- considering your kid's history w/ infections -- the surgery does require general but it less then 30 mins.

Our ENT is Kaiser SF -- Jane Yang and she rocks !!

thanks, M.

I have been in your situation and have to say that you need to get another opinion. We went through the same thing with my son who is now 6. He speech was affected and now is facing speech therapy that could have been prevented with the simple procedure. We too had Kaiser. Now we have different ins. and my daughter is 19 mo. old. The last year she had 9 ear infections and w/out a 2nd thought her pedi. reffered her to an ENT and a week later she had tubes put in. It was a very simple procedure. We were in and out in 2 hours. She had no pain after. Had I known how easy it was I would have insisted this be done for my son. He too also has asthma and I think they suffer needlessly with these infections not to mention all the antibiotics he had to be put on. Get another opinion and pursue this!

Hi A. -

Have you tried alternative medicine? I have not experienced anything like what you have described, but when I feel like I have run out of options with western medicine, I often turn to my acupuncturist, who is often able to help. I have been going to Dr. Linh Nguyen over at Speed Healing Center in Milpitas off and on for many years now. Maybe he (or some other alternative practitioner) could help?

Good luck,
H.

It sounds more like your child has had a single on-going ear infection?

I had chronic ear infections throughout childhood and occasionally get socked with them in adulthood too. Last year I suffered for four consecutive months with double ear infection and sinus infection on top of that. I went through two doctors, several office visits, and multiple series of multiple medications before the infections cleared.

Make sure your daughter is getting enough water and vitamin C, for one thing. My mom would advise you to cut white sugar and things like BHA and BHT from the diet -- in other words, keep foods as natural and raw as possible. Yogurt or LactAid to help with probiotics, because the antibiotics have got to be running your daughter down a little bit, even as they are helping clear infection. Definitely make sure she is hydrated.

If you haven't tried this yet, look into homeopathic remedies. You can find them at Whole Foods and they do have remedies for ear infection. Of course ask your doctor before you go this route, but you may find that he is open to homeopathy as an alternative to tubes.

My second doctor (also Kaiser) assured me last year that a lot of people have thin Eustachian tubes and ear infections are more common than you'd think. He was against tubes also.

I'm 40 and my hearing is pretty much perfect. ;) Don't worry too much. I know it's hard to bear when our children are hurting, but she'll come through this ok. You're in good hands.

Hi A., I've been there as well as my 2 best friends. Our advice is to either have the Dr. give you a referral to a ENT (Ear Nose and Throat Dr) or to switch pediatricians. Tubes are not harmful. They allow the fluid to drain from the ears so that the fluid can drain. Constant antibiotics are bad for children for at least 2 reasons #1 the child can build up immunity and now it will take stronger antibiotics to heal the child and #2 can cause painful diaper rash, and yeast infections. While is is scary seeing your child being taken into a surgery room, the end result of a much happier child is worth it! Hope this helps.

My daughter went through a similar scenario recently. She is 17 months old and had about 8 infections overall (over the course of about 5-6 months). She was on so many antibiotics, some which did not work and she would have to try another. Her pediatrician said he starts thinking about tubes after about 7 ear infections. She did get the tubes and had 1 infection about 1 week after but she got hit with a cold the day after surgery. All has been well since (her tubes were put in on 2/19). I also brought her to a naturopathic doctor (I wish I brought her much sooner) who gave her pulsatilla (a homeopathic medicine) which helps with the thick yellow secretions she always gets when she gets a cold. She has had 2 colds since that have been much less severe with no ear infection to follow. She can hear better and her speech is more clear which has been so incredible! Most importantly, she is comfortable.

When my daughter would have the earaches, I would give her Hyland's Homeopathic Earache Drops (Whole Foods has this) along with Tylenol or ibuprofen (ibuprofen was more effective). I cut dairy out of my daughters diet as well (as this helps decrease the thick mucus as well). She drinks goat milk, eats goat cheese...this has not been difficult at all. My son, who is 5 1/2 likes the goat cheese as well! Also, I give my daughter probiotics daily (to reestablish her GI flora) since the antibiotics screw up the gut badly.

I wish you the best!

Get a second opinion!! My daughter had tubes put in at age 3. She had only 50% of normal hearing at that time due to the buildup of fluid in her ears. Her specialist said it was a miracle she could speak. When he did the surgery to put the ear tubes in he said her ears were so built up with crusted over puss and fluid that they never would have drained. When she had the tubes removed, the second ENT removed her adenoids--and she has had no problems since. Apparently the adenoids were blocking the entrance to the eustacian tube. You can find that out with a simple x-ray. I'll hope for the best for you. Just based on my experience, I think your gut instinct that this is not normal is right. And you may consider blood work for allergies too. My niece was severely asthmatic until they discovered she was very, very allergic to cow's milk. Now she is nearly normal, as long as she stays dairy free. It could be some other allergen for your daughter, but it's worth looking into. Those are just my experiences, but at least it gives you some more questions to ask your doctor. Many prayers for you!!!

Go with the tubes. Now. There is no medical reason to wait.

My niece is deaf because of slowness intreating fluid in her ear. My daughter and 4 other nieces and nephews had tubes, and they are all fine. The only discomfort is waking up after the operation because the anaesthetic can make them queasy.

I was at Camino Medical group with Dr Kathryn Obana. Excellent, logical and caring.

You are right on top of your daughter's health, good for you. But there is no reason in the world to wait - especially if she never has enough sleep to recuperate from one episode to the next. And you too. I was very aggressive with treating build up of fluid in the ear, and my pedi supported me. My daughter had maybe two episodes, after two months apart, but that was enough for me to get the operation. Get a baseline hearing test (comprehensive) before, and you will be amazed at the difference after.

Stick to you guns.

P.

Get a second opinion!

Find a new doctor. That many ear infections is not normal. My childhood best friend had tubes in her ears from age 4 until 12 and she did fine with them. She was even on a swim team. She just had to wear special wax plugs in her ears when she went in the pool.

A., just tellt he Doctor that although you respect their opinion, the constant ear infections are making it difficult for you to sleep and be present at work on a regular basis, not to mention the distress it causes your daughter, and that you would like to have the tubes. My son had tubes put in at approximately 15 months old and they were a huge relief. I do kow through other medical conditions in my son that it is difficult to find a productive way to express your disagreement with your doctor, particularly if the disagreement only exists on one particular matter and you are happy with all other areas of treatment. Just tell your doctor that as a single parent, and the sole provider of both financial and physical care of two children, you can no longer sustain constant ear infections. The surgery is simple (outpatient) and though your daughter will have some pain in the hours after surgery, it passes within 24 hours or so and your daughter will be fine. My son, while we were carrying him out of the outpatient surgery building (also kaiser members), for the first time in his life looked up at a plane passing by and said "plane!" I imagine that this was the first time in his life he had heard that low pitched rumbling, since his ears were constantly full of fluids. Good luck and God bless!

After we took dairy out of our so sick daughter's diet, she became our "Little Miss Sunshine." It was like night and day but it took six weeks. The inside of her ears were like jam and the special doctor wanted to put the tubes in.
Her own doctor said it could be a milk allergy but it would take six to eight weeks to see. Later we found out her uncle had a milk allergy when he was little but they didn't know what to do but drug him. Now they have soy milk in regular, vanilla and chocolate, soy cheese in different flavors, soy ice cream, etc. They have fresh soy mlk in cartons and soy milk in little cartons for on the go. They have soy formulas to mix with water also. Our daugher had ear infections, would take an antibotic and then a couple weeks later the cycle would start all over again. But being on soy milk she was bright, happy, slept all night and no more ear infections.
F.

My one year old just had tubes put in a month ago. Everything I have been told is that they like to put tubes in when they have had more than 5-7 ear infections in a year. The antibiotics aren't good for them to take so often, the ear infections can effect their hearing, and really, if the tubes help why not use them. I know several people who have had tubes put in their kids ears and they are fine. My son did end up getting another ear infection, even with the tubes, but instead of them having oral antibiotics, they get ear drops...and from my udnerstanding the tubes make a huge difference in the amount of ear infections they get. Plus, my son has a speech delay(probably caused by all the ear infections he has had) and with his most recent infection he actually reverted on his speech. Once the ear drops kicked in and he was doing better, his speech picked back up again. Their is a great ENT in Folsom that I know a lot of people go to, if it were me I would at least get a second opinion, especially, since it sounds like she has had so many.

Hi A.,

My kids are grown now, so I can give you the long-term view about ear tubes. My son had infection after infection also, at the same age as your daughter. He ended up in a very scary episode of allergic reaction to the antibiotics. Finally, we moved out of state, and his new doctor recommended the tubes. We did it right away. It must have taken about 5 minutes for the surgery. He was never bothered by the tubes, and he never had another ear infection. We never were aware when the tubes fell out, but they did, and there was never a problem. I wish I had done it sooner, because we all suffered terribly with those infections. I know what you're going through, and I hope this helps.

A.,

I understand completely. I was very hesitant to have tubes put in my son's ears- but it has been so beneficial. He has had them for a little over a month and he is a new kid. He was in so much pain with constant ear infections before and now he is so much happier. I suggest having your doctor refer you to an ENT at Kaiser. At the very least you can talk to them, get your child evaluated and get information about tubes and the pros/cons or any other treatments that may be available for your child specifically. Ear infections are painful and kids' hearing is affected. Good luck to you~

M.

Tube are safe. I know plenty of kids who have had tubes and are just fine. Most of them didn't even have infections as frequently as your daughter. Peta is right, the constant, frequent ear infectins could seriously affect her hearing. That's not something you want to risk. If your pediatrician is against tubes, I would suggest either getting a second opinion or switching doctors. Go with your gut. It's not normal nor right for your daughter to have to suffer. Remember, doctors work for you, if something they say or suggest doesn't feel right, go elsewhere to confirm what they say. You don't have to bow down to them.

Good luck. I hope you and your daughter get some relief and sleep soon.

I would respectively, politely and very assertively demand a referral to a pediatric Ears/Nose/and Throat (ENT) doctor. My daughter had tubes put in at 3 1/2 yrs and it was very easy. She is 4 1/2 yrs now and the tubes are coming out. It was overall a very easy process and I am very, very glad we did it.

Every doctor has their own philosophy but as a mother, your intuition trumps all. Follow your gut and get a second opinion. Your daughter's health, comfort and development far outweighs your doctor's feelings.

Look into the possibility that your daughter has allergies. Try taking her off milk for a while and see is she does better.

In the meantime, I'd check with another doctor about getting tubes.

TAKE HER TO A DIFFERENT DOCTOR!! My son had ear infections for over two years before they finally put tubes in his ears. It was hell. He was on antibiotics solidly for that time and now that he is 16, he is very resistant to most antibiotics and this has been a big problem due to his having asthma and getting brochitis. She needs tubes NOW. I was born at Kaiser and have been with them on and off for over 40 years and one thing I have learned about them is that they will always think of the bottom line until pushed. My son has ADHD and I had to throw an unholy fit to get him on Strattera because it was too expensive but I finally got him on it and he is starting to respond. You know your girl better than anyone, fight for her.

Get the tubes! Both of my kids (now 6 & 3) had the same problem. We put tubes in my older son at 2 and he never had another infection. We put them in my little guy as soon as he turned 1 and he has only had one infection in the past two years. It is virtually painless with no recovery time at all. They were running around the next day.

My eighteen year old son had many ear infections when he was little, and during his teens he got at least one sore throat/earache every year. They would prescribe antibiotics over and over again. It was just maddening. Finally his pediatrician sent him to an Ear Nose Throat specialist, who recommended we take his tonsils out. There hasn't been an ear infection or sore throat since then.

Have you tried cutting dairy (mostly milk) from her diet? Often children who get chronic ear infections experience some releif when dairy is cut way back.

Her Eustacian tubes will straighten out, but that could take another 2-3 years! Personally, I would not want my child to suffer that much for that long...ear infections are intensely painful and scarring from them can cause permanent damage to her hearing. Also, all those antibiotics will lower her natural immunity and can ruin her permanent teeth. My oldest son has discoloration of his adult teeth because he had ear infections with the eruption of each tooth as a baby and was given antibiotics again and again.

My daughter did not have chronic ear infections, but every few months she had ear pain and there was always fluid in the inner ear. After two years of seeing her pediatrician and on call doctors on the weekends the fluid built up so much that the Eustacian tubes had swollen shut. This caused 30-40% hearing loss, which we were unaware of because it happened over time and she had already developed language skills and was reading lips too. We saw and Ear, Nose and Throat doctor who suggested tubes and removal of her adenoids, which were SO swollen they had her Eustacian tubes and her sinus/nasal passages blocked...nothing was draining properly! I was VERY nervous about the tubes and her going under anesthesia, but she can hear now and she is SO much happier and NO ear pain!! We have to keep her ears dry for 9-12 months until the tubes fall out, but she will probably not need them again and her hearing was restored about 2 hours after the procedure. Watching her wake up from the anesthesia was heartbreaking...she was disoriented and VERY upset about the IV, but SO, SO worth it! Don't take chances with your daughter's health and hearing. Please get the opinion of an ENT!

Change Pediatricians! It's really easy with Kaiser - or just call the advice nurse and ask to see a different Pedi for a 2nd opinion. We were told that 4 ear infections within 6 months are a cause to consider having tubes put in.
Just because your Pedi has a great resume doesn't mean he's right! He doesn't have to sit up all night with a sick baby that's in pain!
Stand up for yourself and your child - you pay good money for Kaiser so pitch a hissy fit if you have to in order to get a 2nd opinion.

Hi A.,
After reading about your problem the one thing that I would suggest is that you ask your pediatrician for a referral to the ear nose and throat doctor at Kaiser. Just email your doctor and ask for the referral he/she should not be offended as this problem is a chronic problem that has not gotten better, in fact it sounds like you little one may be allergic to some of the antibiotics she has been given if she is getting hives. I raised an asthmatic child also and I was in the doctors office about every two weeks for the first ten years of his life. I worked for a ENT doctor and we saw many children that benefitted from tubes being put in and it is something that you should talk to a specialist about. (I personally had tubes in my ears both as a child and an adult after antibiotic therapy did not work.) The ears heal and the tubes fall out and the doctor can get the fluid out easily. (Just something to think about. Good luck and peace.
W. P.

HI A.,
I had those same issue's with our dr....UNTIL MY SON HAD A HEARING LOSS!!!!!
My son(who is now 24) also had these same problems,& his doctor said the same,"He doesn't need the tubes or his tonsils removed, just keep giving him the antibiotic. "You must not be completing the dosage if he keeps getting ear infections"...things such as this....Instead of being a GOOD doctor he wanted to put blame on us for not giving it to him properly or not often enough or letting him drink a bottle at bed time.
Here is how I dealt with the problem.......WE GOT A NEW DOCTOR!!
Just because that doctor is highly recommended does not mean you have to agree with him/her....The doctor is not there when your child is up at all hours screaming in pain! It's terrible that they(the doctor offc) made me feel like I was a bad mom or something because I did not agree with continuing the antibiotic treatment that was NOT working.
We took him to the new doctor & his first appt she ordered hearing tests for him...He had a 10% hearing loss by that time, and A LOT of scarring in the ear.....This can not be fixed...once the damage is done.He had the surgery to remove his adnoids,tonsils and had the tubes inserted THE NEXT DAY! He will permanently have a slight hearing loss! Why? cause some doctor said he didn't "agree" with putting the tubes in his ears!
But that doctor will not pay the price of his incompetance, my son did! PLEASE<PLEASE...for me, a person u never met, and for my son, PLEASE<PLEASE get a second opinion before it's TOO LATE!If that doctor agrees with the first then fine but....please check. I don't want the guilt of waiting too long like I did to worry you for years to come....L.

My daughter lived at the ped. office for the first two years of her life because of ear and sinus infections. Ear infections are not normal. Some happened, but not constant. My daughter's ear infect didn't go away, just calmed down. Then after the antibiotics were down and not in her system, it would ramp back up. This happened since she was 8 wks old.You are living what we lived through.

The difference, our doc supported tubes. Tubes made a HUGE difference. Night and day.

The underlying cause of all the trouble was allergies. Once we treated the allergies and the tubes, her health turned around.

Get a new doctor. Get her to ENT for peds. Get her tubed. Get an allergist. There is a RAST test, blood test, for allergies, so she won't have to go through the back pricks, which are painful.

Seriously!
Stephanie

Hi A.,
I'm so sorry that your daughter has been suffering with so many ear infections!! And I'm glad you're looking for other options. Chiropractic can actually help A LOT with ear infections in kids, and it's VERY safe and painless. Check out this website for research on chiropractic and ear infections: www.icpa4kids.com.

I'd be happy to talk more with you about this, just let me know if you're interested.
Best of luck,
L.

L. Clum, DC
www.thespecific.com

Hi,
I was in the same boat as you with my 2 year old son who is also asthmatic. Frequent ear infections, nebulizing and anti-biotics (and he is allergic to penicillin so many complications with that too!). Anyway, I finally decided to put tubes in his ears and am SO GLAD that I did it. I decided to put tubes in because our doctor (who has been practicing pediatric medicine for 30 years) advised it. Not only do tubes help the ears drain, therefore less infections, eliminating all of the infections reduces his risk for deafness, long-term damage, etc.

We had Dr. Siddique at Med-Clinic, who also performed a tonsillectomy on my 7 yr. old,put the tubes in and it went well. Good luck!

Hi A....

I had several children with tiny eustachian tubes...I finally tried "Ear Candeling" you can get them at the health food store...it really did help...and gave instant relief...The one with the most infections still has problems...the doctor now thinks at 26 she might have a yeast based problem in her ears...when modern medicine failed me...I would search out alternative methods...and a huge one is diet...

My heart to yours,
T.

That doctor is ridiculous. Get the tubes.

Get another opinion. Ear infection mess with their hearing and speech esp at her age. Also repeat antibotic will make her grow immune to them so that when she needs them for something else they will be ineffective.

Get the tubes and stop all of the suffering. My son was about 8-mo's old when he got double tubes and it was one of the BEST decisions we've ever made. It's a quick and painless procedure that makes all the difference in the world. I'd highly recommend getting a second opinion from your regular doctor.

I had a similar problem with my son, who at age 2 had had more ear infections that we could count and he was constantly on antibiotics, and also having trouble verbalizing. After much debate in our family and with our pediatrician, we took him to an ear nose and throat specialist, who recommended tubes. (I had tubes when I was a kid, three times actually, so this wasn't a huge surprise to me). It's not much fun sitting in the other room while your child is put to sleep, but the procedure only takes a few minutes, and although when he woke up he was sick to his stomach, (just from the anesthesia) within about 2 hours he was totally fine. His ear infections ended then, and it was absolutely and completely a success.

One of the things that I'll always remember about that day was that when we got home and he saw his sister and some other kids that were playing, and he smiled and started laughing like a new kid. I realized that for the first two years of his life, because of the severity of his ear infections and all the impacted wax build up in his ears, he had been unable to hear properly, and was in pain all the time. (If you take both your hands and put them over both your ears, that's what the doctor said his hearing had been like until that day).

I am very happy that we put tubes in, and I wish we'd done it sooner (I don't think that 75 ear infections is "normal"...and it's not ok to let a child suffer like that when something can be done). As a person who suffered from ear infections as a kid, I can say that it was blessed relief to me to be done with the earache pain, which is as close to a migraine as anything I've ever felt.

Find an ear nose and throat specialist and let them talk to you about the upside of the tubes. And, be brave on the day you take her in. She'll be fine.

There is ample evidence that the AB don't work on ear/sinus infection.
The first approach I use when I see children in my office with this problem is to rule out an allergy. Usually more common than an viral or bacterial infection especially if it is reoccurring.
After a treatment, I teach the parent to do a gentle lymph drain massage around the ear and down the lymphatic chain systems in the neck, towards the heart. Towards the heart because that is where the lymphatic system drains and meets up with the veinous system, to be filtered and cleaned.
This will help the ear drain before the Eustachian tube converts to a vertical angle.
Also there are ways to help with the effects of AB that may be candida overgrowth (that could be the diaper rash). A combination of whey and acidophilus or even simply yogurt.
There are other thoughts on this.
Be Well,
S. Slaughter DC ND (traditional)

Hi A.-

I would advise you to take your daughter to a chiropractor. I get referrals frequently by frustrated pediatricians for ear infections. The more traditional approach of antibiotics usually doesn't work after a while because it is an artificial immunity and it lowers your child's own natural ability to fight off the infection. Ear tubes are invasive, painful, and are often rejected by the body... being pushed right out of place. A gentle adjustment to the upper cervical spine (neck) does a few things: releases the pressure inside of the ear canal and also boosts the immune centers in the brainstem. It is very effective; usually only taking a few visits to resolve the problem. Just about any Chiropractor can adjust a child. You can look for a specially pediatric trained DC at www.icpa4kids.com.

I hope this helps!
-L.

Seek out a specialist and get tubes. I have a friend who opted for tubes in their 18 month old son as he as also getting too many ear infections. They were worried about his speech development. The week after the surgery he started to say more than 10 new words. It may have been a coincidence but I don't think so.

Your gut is telling you this is wrong. Do NOT ignore you mothering intuition. It is one of the few things we have. Ignoring your intuition in favor of a Dr who sees your child for 20 min intervals is very dangerous in my opinion. You know what is right for your child and your child trusts you to look out for him. If your gut instinct is saying your child needs different help don't ignore that. A good pediatrician will honor that too. Tubes do not put your child in any great danger and may bring relief not only to your child but your family as a whole which will benefit your child, a good pediatrician should honor that too.

Definitely get a second opinion, but don't just get it from another physician. Ask to see an ENT specialist. Ear infections are a normal problem at this age, but the fact that she's had that many in such a short time indicates to me that she isn't really responding to the anti-biotics. And we hear all the time that overuse of anti-biotics can be harmful too. I'm not a big fan of tubes either, having had them in my own ears as an adult, but sometimes I think they are the best alternative available.

I think your doctor is being irresponsible by NOT sending your daughter to an ENT. She can have SERIOUS problems from not having the infections taken care of. A friend of mine worked in a school for disabled kids and had a student who had lots of ear infections and the doctor didn't send him for tubes and his ear lobe itself started to cave in and become deformed. They had to take him to the ENT and have it corrected. Not to mention the hearing loss your child could have. And there's no guarantee she is growing out of it anytime soon! My son will turn 4 in may and he just had his 4th set of tubes put it. He was so sick all the time the first year of his life, and then he got tubes put in and he has been so healthy ever since. When his tubes stop working he is a mess all over again until he gets them replaced. I think you should switch dr's asap! I have heard that Kaiser drs get bonuses based on not sending people for a lot of referrals (don't know if it's true but it seems fishy to me). Good luck! S.

Hi there, My son had lots of ear infections (never counted) and never got tubes. He is now 23 and has bad allergies so I wondered if we should have done the tubes, don't know if this would have helped but this is my experience. Maybe someone out there can tell of their experience with or without tubes and allergies. He doesn't have any ear infections as an adult though. Good Luck

We went through a similar situation with my son. He has allergies & wheezes when he gets a cold. For an entire year, he was sick with either an ear infection or sinus infection and we had a lousy doctor. They had him on at least 10 antibiotics and it just messed up his little stomach. We found a new pediatrician and we love her, that really helped. Remember you are not stuck with a pediatrician. IT is almost like an interview process and you do not have to keep a doctor until you find you trust & like for your kids. Fortuanately, the house we were living in was causing my son to be constantly sick, we think it had a mold problem, whole other story.. since we have moved he is sick less often and things don't get to the antibiotic part. I thought I would write because I remember the sleepness nights & constant medicine being given to my son. I would get a second opinion, just because this doctor doesn't believe in tubes in the ears, doesn't mean it won't work for your child. Good Luck & let me know what area you are in, I can give you our peditricians info. She is great.. Our son was 4 when he went through all of this.

Our son had several ear infections in the span of 6 months. Our doctor didn't refer us but another medical professional told us that 5 ear infections in one year is when they recommenc tubes.

I just called the Ear Nose and Throat doc myself and dodn't need a referral but I'd still thank your doctor for his opinion but tell him you'd like to cover all your bases and see an ENT.

When we had the tubes put in, the ENT told us that there is no way that our sons ears ever would have drained or that antibiotics would ever really help. He said the mucus in there was just too thick. SOunds like what your daughter has going on.

The night after the surgery, we all slept much much better. It only took my son two hours to recover and he was playing. The sedation is very very mild and the whole procedure only took maybe 20 minutes.

Perhaps you should seek a second opinion. I can't imagine taking anti-biotics one after the other is healthy, but I'm not a doctor. Just reading your situation makes me ache for your daughter. If there is fluid in the ear that is causing the infections, draining it out would sound like a solution. Yet again, I'm not a doctor. I never experienced the situation, but I would suggest a second and/or third opinion to really make an effort to ease your daughters pain. Kaiser sometimes gives you the run around, but you have to take charge of your health care! Good luck! Hope your daughter feels better real soon. Take care.

That sounds horrible! Have you tried cutting dairy out of your family's diet? Check out the book, "Disease-Proof Your Child: Feeding Kids Right" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman at www.drfuhrman.com. They may carry it at the library, too. It's also available on audio CD. I also recommend the book, Healthy Kids by Marilu Henner. She talks a bit about the relationship between dairy and ear infections.

I also found this link that might be helpful:
http://www.healthychild.com/ear-infections/ear-infections...

I sure hope your daughter feels better soon!

You have lots of responses. 2 thoughts: First, get another pediatricians opinion about tubes. I understand that it is not until age 5 that the ear changes. Second thought - since she has been on antibiotics for so long you might want to look at probiotics such as VSL#3 to help build up the good bacteria in her digestive system and help her immune system. Our girls have been on VSL#3 this past flu & cold season and we only got one cold. You might want to check it out.

I just want to say I agree with everything said here so far. Get the tubes!!!! My son (at 2 1/2) had tubes put in and his adenoids out, and was playing basketball that afternoon. The surgery is quick and safe. The other thing to remember is right now your daughter is learning language. Not being able to hear can seriously affect her speech, which can result in a very long and often expensive recovery. This was the case with our son (who was also asthmatic. That coupled with the ear can make speech VERY difficult for a child) He is 7 1/2 now and only just being released from speech therapy. There are more than just her ears to consider here. Please get a second opinion from a qualified Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist. They will not only examine your daughter but also test her hearing in ways your ped doesn't. My daughter also had constant fluid in one ear. She had an occasional infection but nothing else. However we watched it and checked her hearing with her ENT every 6 months until she was 5. Eustachian tubes usually don't move/drain until the child is at least 4. In our case they never drained so we ended up with tubes at 5 years old. So easy! She is 9 now with clear ears. Please run, don't walk, to a second opinion, for your daughter's sake.

I would go to an ENT (Ear/Nose/Throat) specialist. The pediatrician may not like tubes, but it sounds like that is exactly what is needed. Although it is a surgery to place the tubes, it only takes about 20 minutes and doesn't pose too much risk. My child has them and he doesn't get ear infections anymore, which has been great. You might also consider that having her on antibiotics so much is also not good because the body can build up immunity to them and then they are not as effective.

Ear tubes are not a permanent thing -- if they use the short version, they generally work their way out eventually and most kids don't need them replaced again and do well. Your pediatrician may be right about the angle, but if the tubes can help until that happens, I would say to do it and keep your child out of misery.

My child is not an asmatic, so I don't know if that would bring complications with anthesisia, but that would be something you should discuss with the ENT before surgery.

~~V.

While it is true that some children are more prone to ear infections some never get them. I was like your daughter growing up and thank God my 4 year old son has never had one. As far as the bashing of Kaiser from some on this post I would like to say that there are good and bad in EVERY insurance plan. I have been an employee at Kaiser for nearly 11 years and have had nothing but excellent care. True, they won't prescribe unnecessary treatments or medications but you get good care. I have had multiple surgeries and they saved my life and my sons when it was an emergency c section. I would ask for a second opinion and bring her to Redwood City. I would ask for an appointment with either Dr. Wayne Easter or Dr. Jason Clark. These men really care about the kids they take care of and will help her get well. And NO the doctors at Kaiser are NOT fired if they diagnose or treat "too many" patients. They actually have really high standards for their providers and they have to undergo testing and pass boards before they can practice there. Are they picky about who they hire? Yes, and if it isn't a good fit then they will let someone leave or ask that they leave. Don't give up on Kaiser but you may want to switch to a pedi that is a little more proactive on issues like hers. If you want you can private message me and we can talk more.
R.

A.,

My first thought is that you need to change MDs. My son had a max of 6 infections and they had me sent off to ENT for tubes.
NO, all those infections are NOT normal. I have a kaiser MD as well and depending on your area I can recommend someone (i am also an employee).
At 2 years old, yes, over time, the Eustachian tubes will become more verticle but how many more infections does she have to have? and yes, the risk of hearing loss with continual infections is a concern as is creating a super bug with all those antibiotics.
If you want to talk more extensively, send me a message
R.

I am a pediatric nurse and I would advise you to get a second opinion. This is your daughter, not his. If you are worried you have every right to see someone else, regardless if he is on the Board at Kaiser. And 12 ear infections since December is not normal. Good luck, but get it checked out with someone else.

I would get a second opinion.

Two other thoughts on the matter. The ear infections can cause hearing loss therefore creating speech delay.

My son had the tubes put in by and ENT at 16 months. It helped greatly.

A.,
I have a child care and have had a few of the little ones here in the same situation as you baby. the solution? TUBES!
I was a tube patient myself at the age of 9 and have not had ear infections ever since. I'm 46! Believe me, the procedure is very simple and it is an out-patient. Your baby will be under anesthesia for about 5 minutes only, the Dr. will place tiny tubes in the ear drums and after a couple of hours you'll be back home. In 15 years of child care I have had about 10 kids that had tubes put in and all have succeeded. No more pain, no more cranky baby. You'll see your baby relax and be a lot happier after tubes. Ask your pediatrician for recommendation for a specialist and don't wait any longer. Good luck!
A.

My daughter had the same problem, it was miserable for both of us. We opted the tubes route and it was an immediate relief. Though the (minor) surgery was a bit scary to deal with, we got through it and were glad for it. Her tubes did not fall out so we had to take her back in to get them removed, also a bit scary, but worth it. Her hearing is fine, though I question it sometimes, like at chore time!! Check all your options, as I know it is not for everybody, but for us, we were all so relieved. We went from infections for 6 months (and all the negative effects of anti-biotics) to 2 infections in the next year!

Good luck to you all, take care!

D.

I would be checking into food allergies, particularly milk.

Dear A.!
You and your daughter have suffered enough! I didn't have time to read all the advice but I agree with the two main things to get the tubes and get a new doctor. What I want to add is that her immune system and bacteria flora in her intestines are very weak after all these anti biotics so she will very easily get sick over and over again. I think it would be good to give her probiotics - a well balanced one, recommended by a naturopathic dr or someone who knows about it. About Kaiser - get out if you can. I've heard that the doctors there get fired if they diagnose too many people. Don't know for sure that it is true but if it is: a terrible policy few know about - all about money - not about helping people. Everyone I know htat's with Kaiser have a lot of issues with it.Now that doesn't go for everyone working there as most of them aren't told. Just something to think about. We've been through several doctors - it doesnt hurt to get a second opinion if you can.

Get a new doctor! See a specialist, ENT. My daughter had the same issue and it is not healthy to be on antibiotics long term. Plus her hearing is most likely being impaired, which leads to speech development issues (which is why we finally decided to do it). We had tubes put in my daughter’s ears by Dr Robert Wesman at Children's. We do not regret it at all. It seemed really scary and I was worried about anesthesia, BUT she doesn't have painful ear infections anymore. Each cold she has had since then has been mild and manageable with out leading to an ear infection.

Hi A. - your doctor may not agree with my advice, but it has worked in many other cases and it appears that standard treatment is not working for you (it rarely does). Get your daughter to a chiropractor specializing in children or earaches to make sure she is aligned properly - this all by itself can make the difference. Second - get her off of ALL dairy if you have not already done so. Frequent earaches are not just about germs - they are about the biological terrain of your child. Third - get her off juice and sugar. Fourth - make sure your child is getting some sort of saturated fat in her diet - a lack of saturated fat the diet (especially children) causes immune deficiencies. There are many studies about this.
If your child responds to being off dairy - keep her off for a while, then at some later date, try giving her unsweetened plain yogurt or kefir (usually tolerated by everyone except the extremely allergic). She has had many rounds of antibiotics and her internal flora is probably a mess - make sure you are giving her probiotics (capsules from the health food store or whole foods) every single day - open the capsule and put the powder in her food - she must reestablish this flora if her health is to return.

Good luck!!

Since you have had so many, I am going to pass on some advice that I got, but haven't actually used. I have been told by two chiropractors that an adjustment would be great for babies with ear infections. I am going to try it next time my boys have one (we have had 3 infections for each twin since December).

Good luck,
S.

My niece also had numerous ear infections. She had the tubes put in and 3 weeks later one of the tubes popped out.
My sister then took her to a chiropractor and she never had another ear infection.

Homeopathic medicine is a well-proven, safe and effective treatment for ear infections. I would suggest taking your child to a homeopath and getting a prescription for her.

Have you thought about complementing your western medical treatments with treatments by a naturopath or homeopath? I have no idea what your position is on alternatives, but it never hurts to add them in. I know people who've had miraculous results...good luck!