Opinions on Recurring Ear Infections

This happend to my friend.. Everytime her child was teething she got double ear infections... That is how she knew a tooth was commin in

This past year, while waiting with all the other moms at dance class, we all talked about different things their kids were going through. I found out my daughter was the only one that DIDN'T have tubes in her ears. I was shocked! They acted like it was no big deal. I, too, had terrible ear infections as a child. I had never even heard of ear tubes before. But they say it really isn't a big deal. Over time the tubes dissolve, and they NEVER have earaches again! And these were 9-month old babies- 4-year-old kids. Sorry I don't really have any more info, but I hope it eases any worries you're having!

My son had this done when he was three. He did fine afterwards. He had to go to speech therpy because everything he heard wasn't right until after he got his tubes. He is now a growing sophmore in high school. He lost his tubes and has only had a handful of infections since then. I would still make the same choice again.

My two kids haven't had any ear infections, so we haven't even had to consider it; however, when I was baby-sitting, the 2nd-born had lots of ear infections, and the mother was considering getting tubes put into his ears. (The first-born had a lot of ear infections, and it affected his speech, so she was worried about it happening to #2.) It was just like your story -- the ped. referred her to an ENT, who recommended tubes. Then I suggested chiropractic care. Her doctors were most unhappy, and told her in no uncertain terms that he would never get better without tubes. She gave chiro a chance, and within a couple of weeks (without antibiotics), his ears were completely normal, and he's not had another ear infection since (he's 12). The mother would take him to the chiro regularly, especially if he fell on his head or whatever, but he didn't have to have any antibiotics since that time.

Not all chiropractors are the same -- there are some real quacks, and some don't treat children, so try to get a good one. It may work, and save your baby from surgery. If it doesn't, you've just delayed the surgery an additional month or so, which is not a lot in the grand scheme of things.

Well, here's a little differing opinion if you want one. Granted, my child did not have ear infections recurring like that, so I don't have the experience the other moms have had. However, he has had a couple of doozies. Studies show that children usually heal just as fast with or without going to the doctor and getting the medications (antibiotics are particularly ineffective and actually can just prolong the process). Doctors putting tubes in basically only speeds up what nature usually does anyway - which is that the eardrums burst when they get too much infection behind them, and then the ears drain. I thought previously that that was some kind of catastrophic event, but it's really not and they heal up from it usually just fine (and they are totally relieved of the pain once that happens). In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to help. One of the reasons toddlers get ear infections is because of the angle of their eardrums at that time. That changes when they grow a little, which is how they "grow out of it." If you elevate the head end of their mattress, that should help (you can just put a pillow under that end of the mattress or some rolled up towels). Also, Hylands makes a product the helps alleviate ear pain ("Earaches drops" I think it is). That's over the counter and I think you could find them at any drug store. If not, you might try Swansons Vitamins on-line (very inexpensive and fast shipping). If your doctor hasn't done so already, he can prescribe A/B Otic drops that really help alleviate the pain. Well, I hope this helps - and at least it's an additional opinion giving you some different options - probably about $10,000 cheaper! God bless and I hope your son heals up soon!

Hi Dawn,

I'm sorry your little one is going through this. There have been a few posts here on ear infections that I think you may find helpful. I realize you were asking for those with experience with recurring infection or tubes and I can't help there. I do however have experience with natural approaches, chiropractic and dietary changes.

Does your son eat dairy? There is a correlation between food allergies and ear infections. Here is the article referencing food allergy & chronic ear infections.
http://www.healthychild.com/ear-infections-alternatives.htm

http://www.hpakids.org/holistic-health/articles/160/1/Ear...
http://www.hpakids.org/holistic-health/articles/1830/1/Wh...

Here are some of the past posts about ear infections that you might find helpful too.

http://www.mamasource.com/request/16985174215936180225
http://www.mamasource.com/request/5708042735865298945

J.

Hi, I am also a sufferer of recurring ear infections since I was a kid....in my day we were prescribed antibiotics over and over again, now today I can no longer tollerate any antibiotics......I have since learned that with a good quality Melaleuca oil (tea tree oil) you can get rid of the infection within a few days, so no more antibiotics for me. a couple drops of tea tree oil mixed with some vegetable oil, dropped into the ear a few times daily for a couple days and the infection is gone, then to prevent recurring infections I sleep with the same mixture on a cotton swab stuck in my ears once a month or so, it works amazing.

I know tubes are a quick fix but I have a girlfriend who had it done for 2 of her kids and now they can't swim under water, and its just a small inconvenience. I haven't done any research on the subject myself because at my age I'm definetly not getting tubes in my ears :) but maybe a google search of the advatges and disadvatages of tubes might help in your decision.

Good luck

E.

One of my kids had hearing loss due to the (seemingly permanent) fluid in his ears. He had the tubes (twice) and also an adenoidectomy. He was MUCH better off with the surgery. Once he had the tubes, he could hear better, pronounce words better (because he heard them properly), and snored less! I was really wary about it, too, but he needed to hear!

Hi Dawn,
If you aren't comfortable with your doctor, then I would get a second opinion. But, if that second opinion verifies the first doctor's advice, please have the tubes put in your son's ears.

When a child has reoccurring ear infections, not only is he uncomfotable, but there can be permanent damage to his ear drum and to the bones and nerves that are involved in hearing. Even if you are very lucky and there is no permanent damage, your son is at the optimum age for learning language. If his ears are infected severely enough to merit tubes, then he is also having periods of time when he is unable to hear normally---which means that his speech and language may be delayed.

Kids DO grow out of ear infections (because the anatomy of the ear becomes larger and better able to function), but the damage that can occur during the period of time when they are having difficulty can be life changing.

I have taught Deaf and hard of hearing kids for over 26 years. Many of the kids I taught early in my career were kids whose ear infections were not treated. The numbers of those kids have fallen because of improved awareness AND because of the insertion of tubes as they are needed.

I know the anesthetic is scary, but the implications of not having the surgery can be even scarier. Please write to me if you have questions!
V.

Hey there, I know what your going through, I am a peds nurse, and my son went through the same thing, He has actually had 2 sets of tubes, First set at 8 months old, kept them for 2 years, 2nd set at 3 years old and same time we had his adnoids out, It was the best thing I have ever done. The whole time with his tubes maybe 1 ear infection and only because water got in his ear. My neice has had ear infections her whole life and her mom and dad did not want to get tubes b/c they didn't want to have to put ear plugs in her ears, she was 4 when she finally had tubes, but she had to go through antibiotic after antibiotic and rocephin shots, that hurt. It actually can hurt there hearing to have alot of ear infections, My son didn't go under IV anesthesia, They gave him some meds 1 hour prior to this I believe it was like Versed, then when they took him back the put a mask on his noe and mouth he breathed it in, the whole procedure took 15 minutes and he was done, he cried for a minute when he woke up b/c he didn'y know where he was, but 2 hours later he was running around the house playing. Good luck, its a hard decision, but its a good one. J.

My 3 year old daughter and my 11 year old son went thru the tubes and that was the best thing I have ever done for both of my children we was having ear infectiona every month and I was so tried of meds this was last year and my son hasn't had one since and my daughter has had only one.............so yes i would have tubes put in again if needed....

Single 36 year old mother of 3 year will be 4 July 1st and a just turn 11 May 30th

Good Morning,Dawn!
I too had a son with recurring ear infections as an infant. When he was 18 mos. old he had a minimal vocabulary of about a dozen words, difficulty sleeping through the night, most nights and most important, at one point he did not hear at all. This incident, was when Marc had his first set of ear tubes at 15 mos. He had a total of 3 surgeries and I agonized over the best choice for him, like you are going through,
each time. He actually went through a phase of adjusting to new sounds and noises. He covered his ears at times because it was "too noisey". He wore a bathing cap to swim. At 14yrs old he was a lifeguard at a local town pool. Looking back now, it was well worth it!All of it!
Marc is now 21yrs old and an engineer in the US Navy, swimming is still an important part of his lifestyle. His hearing is perfect!
More important is,his overall health improved dramatically after his last set of tubes(which were never removed)Marc grew,became extremely energetic and gained weight at 4 yrs old, right after this last surgery. His vocabulary was awesome too! Since he was 4yrs old, he rarely stops talking, which serves him well as an officer in the Navy.
Follow your heart. Make a decision based on your son's needs. Every surgery decision was agony for me and Marc's Dad. In the end our decisions were guided by our love for Marc and God, to do what was best for him to grow into the independent man he is now.
Best of health and happiness to you and your family.
Pat

I totally understand your fears and trepidation. I'm sure you will find moms out there that will tell you they didn't do the surgery and felt good about it. I just have to let you know that I felt the same as you but ultimately decided to let them put the tubes in. My daughter was 1 1/2. It was very scary to let them put her under and take her away, but I have to say it was the BEST experience overall. The doctor was great, my daughter was away from me only 30 minutes, and she went from almost constant recurring infections to NOT ONE ever since. The dr told us that the tubes might have to be replaced in 6-18 months as she grew (yikes!) but she is now 4 1/2 and we never had to replace them. Our current dr says that he can see the tubes in there and that they are not active any more but they are not hurting her at all; they will fall out eventually. My hubby and I both say that it is one of the best things we ever did! It gave her much-needed relief and of course being so young she doesn't remember a thing. Good luck with your decision.

I have a friend who has a 3 yr old who just got the tubes and she said it was a breeze. Sounds are a bit more extreme for him and he has to wear ear plugs when swimming and be careful in the tub. It has helped trememdously. I have another friend whose 8 month old son had to get them and she too said that it has helped tremendously. This friend is the type who does not like to do anything unless it is absolutely necessary, she does her research and is very protective. She says it was worth it. I would take the advice of the doctor and if it makes you feel better, be honest and ask the doctor, "what is the outcome if I decide not to do this? I am feeling apprehensive, what can you say to convince me that this is the best thing for my son". I have heard nothing negative so do your research, as you are doing, and be ok with it. :o) W.

My son, who turned two ten days ago, just had tubes placed yesterday. =0) This is actually his second surgery. When he was one, he had his adenoids removed and tubes placed. However, the tubes only stayed in about 7 months. Therefore, the chronic ear infections came right back full force. So, his Dr. referred us back to our ENT for another look. The ENT said that my son was retaining so much fluid that his hearing was only at 30%! So, he recommended a second set of tubes....called Duravent tubes. These tubes will be in for about two years...instead of the usual 9-12mths. The surgery is a breeze. The hardest part is that they can't have anything to eat or drink past midnight the night before. But, surgeries are scheduled in order of age, so my son was first in line (at 6:45am). From the time they took him from us, to the time they carried him back to us was about 15minutes..........no joke! It's that quick. He got to take his favorite puppy and blanket with him and he went right to the nurse.......they were wonderful to him! Actually spoiled him rotten with a new ball, stickers, etc. If you have a good ENT, then trust what they say. We happen to have a wonderful ENT. He fixed my daughter as well.........she had chronic ear infections that didn't begin until age 2. He recommended that her tonsils and adenoids be removed at age 3 and he was right......she never had another one. For her case, she didn't need tubes. Those doctors are great in their field...they know what they're talking about. I promise your little one will do just fine. Mine came home and ate an enormous bkfast.....took a 4hr nap....and then ate for the rest of yesterday. He's laughing and jumping and playing and you can tell that he already feels 100% better. I can already tell that he's experiencing life without having to hear through a bunch of gunk and fluid. What a relief! Good luck to you! =0)

Hi, I'm a mom of a 7 year old who got tubes in his ears when he was 4. I thought he needed tubes in his ears long before he reached 4, but his pedia didn't advise, so I went to a specialist myself. It was so wonderful that he wasn't sick anymore. The final tube just fell out and when it did he got another ear infection. The tubes helped him hear better, but he now has a speech delay I think do to the waiting too long to put them in. Anestheia is a scary thing, I know. I have a cholinesterase deficncey that is inheriated. I was paralized for about 4 hours before I came out of it. Maybe you should have your son checked for this before the operation. It is a simple blood test. I hope I helped you some.

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...

Dear Dawn,
My youngest son went through this till he was just over 2 yrs old. He went through multiple rounds of antibiotics, but the infections kept coming back. The best advice I was given was to avoid anything that caused a mucus build up, (Lemonade and milk are the worst culprits), and to start using a good antihistimine. We started benedryl regularly and it helped quite a bit.
The doctor was just about to put tubes in my son's ears when we discovered that this treatment. The doctor's only explaination for the recurring ear infections was that my little one had crooked drainage tubes in his ears that could not keep up with the extra mucus drainage caused by colds or allergies. Benedryl - or a regular store brand - may do the trick. My son never did get tubes in his ears. He did nap a lot though, but that was much better than being in pain. He eventually grew and his drainage improved. He's almost 15 now and has had only one ear infection since he was a toddler. That was when he was 13 and strep was going through the family.
I'd see an allergist before allowing tubes to be put in. If you can stop the drainage, you can stop the infections.
Good luck,
Lora

Hi dawn. My name is R.. I was a child with cronic ear infections. I had many proceders where they would cut a smal hole in my drum and drain the fluid. I with they had given me tubes. My sons (2) have gotten this same problem from me. They had tubes and that made all the differnts. I am now 47 oh no. Almost 48 and have had a tube in my left ear for almost 3 years. It has been the best thing ever. I love my tube. With my infections and the boys, men, every time we had an infection the drum would burst and drain. This causes scares on the drum. Because of the repeated ruptures my oldest son and i had to have surgery to repair it drum ( tenpanaplasty) no fun. Your son will feel better with the tubes to help stop the pain of ear infections. There is no pain like them. If you want to call me about this my number is ###-###-#### or e-mail me and i can call you,. We have nation wide calling. You doc needs to really tell you all about the pros and cons. Been there done that so many times. Good luck, R. uhls

My son had sore throats and ear infections every two months from the time he was four months old until he was close to 2
and he stopped taking a bottle. It was like click no more ear infections. But he didn't go to bed with a bottle either so I wasn't sure why he got them. Hope things settle down for
your little one.

B.

A little about me: Single mom of a 21 yr. old son and 16 yr. old daughter. I work as a paralegal.

I know my son had tubes put in his ears because of having an ear infection every month when he was younger as well. He is now 7 and has not had one ear infection since the tubes have been out of his ears. I don't regret one bit having them put in.

I went through the same thing with my daughter. She is now 11, but at the age of 2 and 3 she would have continuous ear infections. The meds didnt' seem to help any. When she was done taking the meds we would go back to the dr and she would either still have an infection or would be fine and then get another one a few days later. So she ended up taking antibiotics for months. When summer came everything cleared up and she was fine then Sept rolled around and it started up the same way. The ENT specialist did recomend tubes and i was little sketchy but it was getting harder and harder to get her to take her med because she was just so tired of the nasty tasting stuff and since it wasnt' really helping her i hated forcing her to take it. She ended up getting the tubes. Surgery was quick and easy. The tubes fell out on there on after a year of two and she has not had an ear infection since she has had them. So in my book, tubes are the way to go. but I know there are some thatdon't agree but it worked wonderful for my daughter. Good Luck Jenny

We went through the same scenario with my 2 year old daughter. Finally we opted to do the procedure. It literally took 15 minutes to do tubes and adenoids. She was a little groggy for about an hour, slept for a couple hours and has been amazingly healthy since! It has been 6 months since the procedure, and she has not had an ear infection! I think back on all the pain that she was in during the infections and the potential for hearing loss with each one, and I am so glad that we did the surgery. I had an ear infection a few months back and it was honestly more painful than childbirth. I don't know how their little bodies deal with the pain so well. Good luck on your decision. I hope your little boy does well whatever you choose.

My son had the tubal surgery and had his antenoids removed (not sure if that's how you spell it) when he was 7 he is now turning 12 in July. He had ear infections all the time, sometimes he had nose bleeds and he also started having hearing restrictions. Since the surgery he has had no problems and he is hearing is now fine.

I had the same concerns about having him placed under anestesia but I feel I made the right decision for him.

I strongly recommend the tube in his ears. I was born with chronic ear infections. So I was very borderline deaf until i had tubes in my ears. Really couldn't speak until I was two, because i couldn't hear when everyone was talking to me. To boot, ear infections can be extremely painful, especially around loud noises. Anyways, my mom had tubes put in my ears when i was 2 and 3. I still had a few problems growing up. But the infections are very few and far between. Good luck with everything.

I understand your concern about over diagnosis, but the fact is he if he is having this many infections there is a problem. My friend's daughter has had many in 2 1/2 years and is now going to a speech therapist to help her correct the speech problems she has from the infections. The surgery itself isn't that traumatic and the anesthesia lasts about 20 - 25 minutes. This means they don't get to deep asleep and for all accounts don't have a hard time waking up from it. I would address my concerns to the doctor and weigh his answers with your own feelings to make the best decision.

I am a mother of 4 and 2 out of the 4 have had tubes. My first was so bad that I did not give it a second thought. My second I was a little more hesitate. But the reason I had it done was that he was unable to hear correctly and was having speech problems. It is something to consider since he it at an important time in his speech. They are under for such a small time. The whole procedure took less than 10 minutes. I would recommend to go to a childrens hospital that specializes in kids. Good luck

Two of my kids both had to have tubes in their ears. One had them at just under a year old and the other at 5. The younger one had many ear infections and I have to say that it was a hard decision to get them done but I am so happy that I did. She had no problem with the anesthesia and recovered quite quickly from having the tubes put in. My older daughter didn't have a single ear infection but was having trouble hearing and when they went to put the tubes in she had a lot of fluid in there and I am so happy we did it. Shortly after she was watching a movie and resting and asked me to turn it down, she was always asking us to turn it up. I am very happy with my decision to have the tubes put in and have not dealt with another ear infection since she had them put in.

Dawn,
When my daughter was about 15 months, she started with ear infections that lasted from October through April the following year. We decided to go ahead with the surgery, but were concerned about the anesthesia, as well. Needless to say, it was a lifesaver!! She did not have any infections until about two years later, and when she did, her ear drained, as it is supposed to with tubes, and we could treat it with ear drops, which went directly to the infection, rather than oral antibiotics.

When we decided to have the tubes, we were at our wits end; we'd been through 7 months of straight infections, lots of missed work for both me and my husband, and it got to the point that he and I were fighting over whose turn it was to stay home with her. Since I was capable of working from home, it was generally me; unfortunately, it's very tough to work from home with a small child!

I'm pregnant again, and if we face the same problems, I will do it again; our daughter would get a fever every time she got an infection, and she's been very healthy since the tubes have fallen out.

The only negative about the surgery was our daughter's reaction to the versed; we had been told ahead of time that they react to it sometimes. Her reaction was an inability to console her after she woke from surgery; it subsided very quickly (by the time we got home, she was fine), and there were no after effects.

I know you were looking to hear from parents who decided not to go w/the tubes, but I'm speaking as a mom w/experience with the tubes, and they really were life savers!

Good luck!
D.

My daughter only had runny nose, watery eyes, and 2 ear infections. But, her adenoids were huge!!! This can be a problem. She had a 30% hearing loss by the time we got her into the ENT. The surgery lasts about 15 min. and the effects are immediate!! I was nervous about the surgery but it was the best thing we did for our daughter. Yes, he may outgrow the ear infections but it could cause permanent damage to his ears in the meantime. Our daughter was back at daycare the next day! It was the best thing I did for her!!

Both of my children had to have tubes placed in their ears to help with the drainage. Yes, as you said eventually and I do mean eventually your son will get big enough that the problem will probably right itself but in the meantime he is suffering horrendous pain that you can make go away by having the tubes put in. My son had to have them twice, my daughter once but none of the procedures had any side effects whatsoever and they were ear infection free which was a real blessing.

My daughter had recurring ear infections a lot from birth. She was almost a year when the ENT recommended surgery. We were weary and decided to try meds first and they worked for about a month and then another double ear infection with stuff coming out of her ears and it was terrible. She had the surgery when she was 13 months old and it was a blessing. She is now 2 1/2 and has had maybe one ear infection since. We did not have to have a second set of tubes put in. But a lot of kids do. We were very blessed. It is a hard decision but take into consideration the pain he is going through and get the tubes. The procedure only takes 5-10 minutes. Good luck with your decision.

This is really something that you will have to decide for yourself. Both of my nieces have had tubes put in their ears. My older niece it worked great the ear infections stopped no problem. The younger one still has ear infections occassionally but not continously. I will warn you though that my little niece lost some of her hearing because she had continuous ear infections for so long. So if they ear infections are continuous I would suggest getting the tubes ASAP.

My daughter had ear infection for the first 2 years of her life. One after another. I know how u feel. We were going to have the tubes put in. Went in for the consultation saw the tiny tubes... And when they looked in her ears the infection was clearing up. First one ever to finally completely clear up! We were amazed. So we did not have tubes put in.

But my sister's oldest had problems with his hearing due to allergies every year and fluid building up and not draining properly. So year after year they did the meds and later had to do tubes and remove he's adenoid. But she said it was no big deal at all. And she checks EVERYTHING out (she's a neo-natal nurse). The only bad part was when he puked on the stairs after getting home. But after that he was good. Next day he was great. And no problems since then.

So don't know if that was a help or not. But I waited and my little ones infection cleared, my sister's little one (6 or 7 then) had tube and adenoids removed and was quick and bounced back fast. Good Luck. You'll feel what's right for your little one.

V. (SAHM of Two)

www.Craftlister.com/ValerieAltman
("Candle Creater")

tubes were great for us!!! my daughter was under 2 when she had them put in. it took 5 mins the meds they give to make them sleep are very very little she was waking up within that 5 mins. she was like your son getting infections every money. we put the tubes in and she hasnt had one infection since. the tubes have fallen out but still no infections. if it came up again i wouldnt hesitate at all. think of it this way 5 mins of being under or month after month of pain... seems clear to me. i wouldnt want to suffer or have my child suffer ear infections hurt!! good luck what ever choice you make will be the right one. i dont know where you live but if its in louisville theres a great ent over off dupont cir. if you want the name just email me back

Hey Dawn!

I feel your PAIN. Both of my babies had recurrent ear infections!! My first one, had tubes x2, she would always have a real bad cold, allergies, watery eyes, and by the end of the week she would end up with an ear infection. I carried her to the ENT, and they recommended tubes. She continued with the ear infections with tubes in---this is what I got them for to stop the ear infections!! After having the 2nd set put in, and recurrent ear infections continuing I had heard this doctor speak at a conference about allergies. I took her to a pediatric allergist. He did testing on her, including allergy testing (multiple pricks on her back) drawing blood to check immune status, and a CT of her sinuses. After all this was done, he said she needed a very strong antibiotic, forgot the name of it for 2 weeks. I could only get it from Walmart. After getting the antibiotic she didn't get any more ear infections for a long time--years. My second child, he didn't have the same signs and symptoms as my daughter. He didn't have the runny nose, watery eyes, he just had the fever, fussiness!! We ended by at the ENT office, of course he needed tubes- so he got them-wow, I have a totally different baby now, no ear infections since he got tubes--before I was at the doctor's office every week!! Between injections,by mouth antibiotics, and visit copays I was getting broke. The tubes have made the biggest difference in him. I guess what I am trying to say is, it depends on the child and their signs and symptoms. Just be careful you don't want your child to have hearing loss when it can be prevented. Hope this helped. Let me know if you have any questions.

I have 2 sons that both had tons of ear infections when they were babies. Their pediatrician never even brought up tubes with my oldest because the antibiotic would always clear it up. By the time he was 2 1/2 - 3, he quit getting them as often. He just turned 5 in April and has probably had 2 more since he turned 3 (only when he gets really bad sinus infections). My youngest had ear infections constantly since he was 3 months old and the antibiotics would usually not clear them up so he got tubes just before he turned 8 months. It was the best thing ever. He turned 2 in December and had his first ear infection since the surgery when he got a sinus infection in March (it was in the ear that the tube had fallen out of) and antibiotics cleared it up quickly. My pediatrician always says if the antibiotics work, then you don't need tubes and it definitely worked in our case.

Hi there,
My son, now 3 yrs. 9 mos., had tubes put in two times. The first set came out after a few months and he went right back to having ear infections. I also worried about surgery and anesthesia, but I was equally if not more worried about him being on antibiotics so much. He never had an infection while the tubes were in place. His second set has been out for a few months now. He had his adenoids removed the second time as well. We feel like the surgery was the right decision for us. He did well with the surgery. He was pretty cranky for a while coming out of anethesia. After the first surgery, he threw up once right as we got home. He took a 3 hour nap and when he woke up, he was totally back to normal. Good luck with your decision.

Dawn,
I have 2 brothers who have had recurring ear infections, as well as many friends whose children have had them. (My son has been one of the lucky ones not to get them.) Of everyone I know who has gotten the tubes, not one person has regretted it. I know there is a risk, but everyone has said that the change in there child is immediate and really makes it easier on the kids. If I were in the same position, I would rather have the anesthesia and tubes than constantly be dosing with antibiotics. Hope this helps!

I use to work at an ENT office. I really think that getting the tubes would be a good option if the Dr. thinks that is what you should do. They never recomended surgery if they thought it was not needed. I had tubes put in when i was young. The anasthesia is not very strong and it only takes a few miniutes to do the procedure. When done on adults they do it in the office with no anasthesia, just local numbing medicine. If your son has had that many ear infections in a short period of time, the tubes would be a hughe relief for him. If fluid is the cause of the ear infections. It really is a very simple surgery. I would say it is better than keeping him on antibiotics if that is what his pediatrician keeps doing to get rid of the infection. The only time I have had my son who is three now under anasthesia is when he had to get a tear duct uncloged. He did awesome. I would say that it took about the same amount of time as it would to put tubes in. He was only 1 at the time. I hope all goes well. I just know how uncomfortable ear infections can be.

Hi Dawn,

My 1 year old just had ear tubes put in. He was constantly having ear infections so we were referred to an ENT doctor. I was hesitant as well, but the doctor pointed out that for every infection there is fluid in the ear which can last for up to 2 weeks, which is like being underwater, and can really impact their hearing and speech development. That's really what got me. The surgery was super fast, they only use gas anesthesia. He was in and out in 10 minutes with no ill effects after. You would never know he had surgery. So don't be worried about the surgery part. It will probably be worse for you than him.

Good luck with your decision.

K.

Dawn,
I understand your fears, my now 20 month old had to have tubes in and adenoids out when he was almost 15 months. It was absolutely the very best thing we could have done for our son. He had ear infection after ear infection, he was sick all of the time. The recovery time was very short, he had the procedure at 7:30 AM by 6:00 PM you could not tell he had anything done to him. He has not had any problems or infections since then, it has been great for all of us. You will get lots of advise, just go with your gut and heart, you will make the right decision for you and your child. Good luck!!

My son is now 7 and had tubes twice. The first time there was no iv only gas to put him to sleep. The second time he had to be sedated because he was having his adnoids (sp?) out also. I would HIGHLY recommend tubes. He has a speech delay because of his reacurring ear infections when he was in infant. The speech isn't so bad anymore because we have had him in speech therapy since he was 1 1/2.

My son had recurring ear infections. I was against tubes too, I didn't like the idea of surgery. However after 2 years of infections and then being put on a preventitive antibiotic, I decided tubes might be better than all that medicine. I'm so glad I did it. The surgery was simple, he was groggy for only 30 minutes or so afterwards and we never had another infection! Good luck

when my son was little, he too, had reocurring ear infections. we spent many a day in the doctor's office for perscriptions for anitbiotics. i had mentioned to the doctor of the possibility of having tubes put in his ears. i was then told that tubes are usually for ears that are not draining well. (my son's was draining). he mentioned that my son would eventually out grow this. well, guess what, he was right. he hasn't had an ear infection in lord knows how long.
if you do have to go with tubes, trust me, it is a minor surgery. several of my nieces and nephews have had to have them and seems like it was in no time at all they came out. (they usually work themselves out on their own).

Hi Dawn,
My twins are long grown up now (18 and just graduated!) but when they were 8-9 months old we went through the same thing...recurring ear infections month after month. We ended up doing the tubes surgery when they were about 11-12 months old and it made a huge difference in how they felt and in their lack of illness.
I understand your concern about the necessity of the procedure and of course any time there is an anesthetic, there is a risk. Believe me, I was sweating bullets the whole time the surgery was going on. But it made such an immediate difference afterwards that I thought it was well worth it. I know you think they might just grow out of it...but if it takes 3 or 4 years for them to grow out of it and while you're waiting your child is cranky, miserable, and sick all the time, is it worth it? Just my 2 cents!

Good luck to you whatever you decide!
L. H.

I have two kids (9 & 6) and they both ended up having to have tubes in their ears. I was very hesitant at first with my son because I didn't want him to have to be put under anesthesia. When I talked with the ENT they assured me that it would only be for a few minutes. We ended up doing the surgery and it was the best thing we could have done for him. He was only under for about 5 minutes and stopped pulling at his ears within a week. We had tried every antibiotic out there and this was the absolute best option we found. Jimmy was 14 months old when the surgery was done and hasn't had an infection since. He just turned 9 in April. After my daughter started having recurring infections at 5 months, we took her to the ENT and he put her tubes in at 8 months. Good luck, it's hard to think about having them put under, but seeing my kids not be in pain anymore was so worth it!

If you don't have this done, your child will face a lifetime of potential hearing complications. I would rather take the risk of anesthesia and pain for a few days than have a child who is partially deaf for his entire lifetime.

Dawn,
It's a tough decision to make. I have a 26 month old boy and we had to put tubes in exactly a year ago. We were experiencing ear infections on a monthly basis. Our pediatrican referred us to an ENT. THe ENT ran a few hearing tests on him and then told us that what our son was hearing was a muffled noise, almosty like being under water. My husband and I were working h*** o* enunciating properly and building our son's vocabulary, but all he was hearing was blah, blah, blah. That was our deciding factor to move forward with the tubes. The entire process once we sent him back took literally less than 8 minutes. I will be honest. It was hard to see him coming out of the anesteshia but so worth it. He hasn't had an ear infection since. Good luck!

I have delt with this problem with all three of my children my 20 year old has had three sets of tubes becouse of a bone in her head that was malformed with no ill effects.my 13 year old was always sick and complaining wtbes atu had ith earake so she age 4 and my 9 year old son spent more time home in first grade with ear infection they would call and ask could we pick him up from school then to get him and i'd tell them call for a appointment at the clinic. its much better to take care of then watch them suffer i'd do it again if needed.

I am not the opinion you want I suppose, but getting the tubes in my now 11 year olds ears at the age of 18 months was the best decision my husband and I could make. He kept ear infections (more often that what your son has). The antibiotics was not taking care of them. We were not one of those parents that put our son to bed with a bottle. If he wanted a bottle, I held him almost in a upright sitting position to try and prevent the ear infections. It affected his speech and during the ear infections, his hearing. He had a lot of scar tissue in his ears by the time they put the tubes in. He never had another ear infection after they put the tubes in. We have been dealing with the speech since then. I hope you make the decision that is the best for your son.

Dawn,

My daughter had recurring ear infections when she was about the same age as your son. She is now your age. My experience with this situation is this. When we were finally referred to an ENT for the problems she was having, she was having trouble with her hearing. When they tested her, they found she had a 30 decibel loss in one ear and somewhat less in the other.

I'm not saying this to scare you, but to let you know how serious this could become. It is important that you follow up with the specialist. they will do what is best for your child. I would refer you to the one that I have taken my children and referred others to, but alas he passed away several years ago. I do know that there are many good ENT's in our area.

Good Luck and God Bless!

My son has so many ear infections that it was not funny. We had four, yes four sets of tubes put in him. The first set when he was eight months old, and it was spring time. He had a growth spurt and they were out four months later. While they were in the infections were lessened. After the first set came out, it took two months of constant infections before I was saying I want my tubes back in his ears! While the tubes were in, he still got some infections but not as frequently and not as severe. Usually with the tubes in, it only took one round of antibiotics to clear the infection up. He had two more sets put in, with the last set being when he was five and half years old. I could tell a big difference with the tubes in. Yes, he did have to have some speech therapy later for a little bit, but it could have been worse if I never had the tubes put in. I will never regret having any of the tubes put in. His earing and speech are fine now. With so many ear infections, you can damage the child's hearing and the speech wcan be affected too. Just listen to your doctor and pray about it.

Sorry, not much personal experience with ear infections or ear tubes here. Of all my 7 kids, only one got an ear infection, which we txed with a home remedy.
But, I was wondering about the possible relationship between early ultra sounds and ear problems. Did you have one or more, if so how many weeks along were you when you got them? I'd appreciate responses from anyone who has a kids with ear problems. Thanks.

Dawn - I too as a child had recurring ear infections. I can remember the pain to this day and truly believe that those infections effected my hearing.
My sister was also "blessed" with those wonderful infections; however, her pediatrician suggested tubes which my stepmom had put in. Almost instantly, my sister looked at my stepmom and said "I can hear now" and shortly thereafter the earaches/ infections cleared up. I wish doctors would have believed in tubes when I was younger !!
I truly believe the benefits of tubes in the ears outweighs the risks, etc.
Hope this has helped.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY and GOOD LUCK !!!
R.

I went through the same thing with my daughter and tried everything before allowing the doctor's to do surgery (second opinions, alternative therapies). I finally had the procedure done because I didn't want the fluid built up in her ears to affect her hearing and speach. The surgery was quick as well as the recovery and she never had another ear infection after that (about a year and a half now). The tubes have come out on there own and her speech is great. I too believe that the body should heal itself but didn't want to the risk having other problems.
Good luck!!

My daughter who is 3 years old now had tubes put in when she was 15months old. It was a hard decision for me as well. I was scared but the surgery only took 20 minutes and I was able to have my baby back. She did have a bad reaction to the anestesia. Vomiting.... But I would have to say it has worked wonders for her. Apparently she couldn't hear very well before tubes and since them she hears extremely well. The very day she got her tubes she was talking more clearly and responding to us better. I thought that she was talking just fine before the tubes until she got them and heard the dramatic difference. I was amazed with the results. Now she is doing so well that she seems to very advanced for her age now. I understand the fear but the rewards outweigh the fear. I would suggest that you have a friend or family member come with you if you do go through with it so that they can sit with you while you wait. That's what I did and it really did calm me down. Also it helped pass the short time without it feeling like and eternety. Good Luck and God Bless!!!

does your son sleep with a bottle...this is a no no for ear infections. also my nephew had them and was not treated properly and is now partially deaf. this can be serious business do as the dr says tubes don't do any damage as i've seen so far my granddaughter had three sets. it's worth the extra disadvantage of anesthesia i think. (grogginess and nausea)

My son had tubes put in when he was about 2 and it helped out. He just now at age three went through it again with new tubes, removal of adnoids and tonsils. I was not to sure about it but am happy that I did it. He sleeps better and his speech is a lot better. He was showing some diminished hearing in one ear and it has returned back to normal. I never thought my son snored or had problems sleeping until about a week before his surgery he fell asleep with me and his heavy breathing made me move into the other room. He sleeps so much better now. I just had to way out what would be better for my child taking antibotics all the time or doing the procedure. One doctor told me that back when we were younger we were outside more and not so closed in with other kids and that may be why getting tubes now a days is such a normal thing. Not sure if that is true or not but I hope it helps.

Get the tubes. It is not a big deal. The baby will have a little gas for about 5 minutes and no general anesthesia. the procedure takes only a few minutes. Tubes will change your baby's life and he he will be a different child. My baby got them at 13 months after having one ear infection after another. He would be on antibiotics for an infection in the left ear and get an infection in the right ear (while on the antibiotics). The DAY we got the tubes, he was a different child. No more ear infections (it's been 7 years), no more crying at night because his ears hurts and he was generally a happier child because he felt better. Ear infections are very painful and I certainly would recommend the tubes to stop the little one's suffering.

Get the tubes. MY son went to the EENT and I found out at 15 months he could NOT hear at all! That is why he wasn't speaking. AFter the tubes, if he got an infection it would drain out as oppose to building up in the ear, not as painful. HE only had 1 more infection after the tubes. His tubes fell out around the age of 3 1/2. Go for it. it will make a huge difference. HIs vocabulary really picked up after the tubes too.

My youngest daughter had reoccuring ear infections, 1-2 a month for several months also. We finally decided to do the tubes because she had already been on so many antibiotics that her body was building an immunity to them and they were also causing her other problems. We couldn't have made a better decision. The tubes never get rid of the ear infections completely but it lessens the occurence. My daughter went from having ear infections every month to maybe having 2 or 3 a year max! The procedure only takes 5 minutes and they are totally back to normal afterwards, no big deal. Good luck with your decision, it is always hard what to decide what is best for your child.

I am not sure where some people have gotten their information, but a ruptured ear drum can cause loss of hearing, which could cause speech problems. I know from my own experience and working with pediatrics. I totally agree with others that say the benefits of the tubes totally out weigh the risks!! I have never doubted the decision I made for my daughter and it beats her crying in pain saying her ear hurts.

I haven't gone through this with my son, but my sister has with her son. He had ear infections almost non-stop until he was 4 years old. They finally decided to go through with the surgery for tube placement. It has stopped the infections almost 100%, but because they let it go he does have some hearing loss from the eardrums not being able to grow properly. If an ENT recommends tubes, they are for the best interest of the child. I work in healthcare and although I have seen doctors do questionable things I have never seen one that was eager to do unnessesary surgery on a child.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/85835.php

Something you might want to look at.

18 years ago I remember my younger sister constantly getting ear infections. She still has her tubes, and today is fine. She was rarely prescribed antibiotics for it.

I feel very lucky that my 3 year old has never had an ear infection, as I used to get them regularly myself before, when I smoked. However, she has had CA-MRSA twice now-so trust me when I can say I sympathize with you on a certain level.

I wouldnt hesistate to get a second or even third opinion. And I would try to exhaust all other options first before resulting to surgery. I know this isnt an easy decision, so good luck, and I hope you find the best solution that works for your son.

ETA: I read Lorraine's response and I wanted to add-I've had an eardrum burst from an infection(actually the last one I ever had)-and she's right, its not that bad. It hurt for all of 1 second and then it was like blessed relief. However, my hearing was a little funky for two days, like sound was being filtered through a corrugated tube, but overall I wasnt bothered in the least.

My daughter also suffered from the recurrent ear infections. She had her tonsils and adenoids out and tubes in her ears all in one swoop at age two. I wish we could have done it sooner. She has a mild hearing loss that has affected her school and learning. We did not recognize it until it was too late to prevent the hearing loss. Not to mention the affects of continuous antibiotics that are required to treat the ear infections. The risk of anesthesia is much smaller than the lost time at school and work and the pain of constant not feeling well that your child is being put through.

As a child I had tubes in my ears and it took years to out grow the ear infection stage and to this day I still have trouble off and on with my left ear. My friend Wanda has a little girl who kepted having ear infections and didn't want to have her little girl go through the surgery because she thought it would scare her, but after a year of fighting ear infections she finally gave up and got the tubes done for her little one. Who is doing much better and happier little one. If since Oct your little one has had them once a month, I myself would go for the tubes. This might be something he out grows soon or it could be a problem for year or more. Ear infections can cause ear damage exspecially at this stage in his growth, if it is something that continues for along time, also keeping him on meds for extended period of time will make his body get so use to the med that it will be not to work for him, making it so that he will have to have something stronger. These are things you might want to talk to your Doctor before making a finally decision.

My youngest son had constant ear infections also for the first 11 months of his life. He had his first set of tubes at 11 months and the second set one year later. He was on antibiotics for the first 11 months of his life which I worried about him taking so many drugs. I also worried about the possibility of hearing loss if not treated. He is just fine now. His hearing was tested yearly. No hearing loss and a very well adjusted 9 year old.

Hi Dawn,

From what you have described, it sounds like your son is experiencing chronic ear infections (4-6 ear infections a year). I am a speech-language pathologist so my biggest concern would be your son's speech development. Children with chronic ear infections often have a speech delay because they hear things as if they are under water due to the fluid on their ear drums. To get an idea of how this would sound to a child...put your hands over your ears and have someone talk to you. Their hearing is very dampened. My advice would be to get your son a formal hearing test conducted by an audiologist to see if he is experiencing any hearing loss. Many times they will find that the child's hearing is normal, but there is fluid on the ear drum which is affecting how they are hearing things(the under water example).

You said your son is almost 2 years so I'm not sure exactly how old he is. Here are some developmental speech milestones for an 18-month-old so you can get an idea of what your son should be doing at this age and if his speech development could be a potential concern. He should use 10-20 different words, recognize pictures of familiar people and objects, start to combine 2 words such as "all gone" and "Mommy bye-bye", use words to communicate wants/needs ("more", "up"), imitate words and sounds more precisely, point to own toes, eyes, and nose, bring familiar objects from another room when asked, follow simple commands, know and say the name of at least 5 things, mix real words with jargon (jargon being the jabbering you hear your child make that isn't exactly words yet), and may sing and/or hum simple songs. If you have a concern regarding your son's speech, I recommend you have him evaluated by a speech-language pathologist as soon as possible. If he does have a speech delay, getting tubes placed often helps this issue.

Please let me know if you have any questions about the information I have given you. Good luck!
-K.

I don't know if this will help and I don't know if there is a way to pull certain questions up BUT I have seen TONS of these exact same questions on here. It may be worth researching mamma source to see if you can find some of those questions and write to them and ask them what their experience was and how it all worked out and what their advice would be.

hi ihad a son that also had recurring ear infections with him that started at a very young age i did have the tubes put in his ears i had to do this a few times some times they will fall out and you not know but i think it is a good thing my son lost about 50% of his hearing in one of his ears because of the ear infection and with the tubes he got all his hearing back please think hard befor you say no ear infections can cause hearing loss my son is 21 now and has out grown the ear infections he was around 5 or 6 when he out grew them

Hi,
My daughter had 7 ear infections in one year and the ENT said if she had gotten any in the summer, tubes would be the best option. Fortunately she didn't get anymore. That was a few years ago, she will be 6 in July. I am not sure if not getting tubes was the best thing though. She still gets ear infections very easily and she can not put her head in the water whether it be a pool or bath tub. We tried swim lessons and she could not continue because of the infections. When we see her pediatrician they say her hearing is fine but inside of her ears always look dull. I have never heard of anything negative about tubes only good things. Hope this helps a little.

Hi Dawn,
I can relate to your concerns. My son is now 16 yr old. He had ear infections from birth to nearly 2 1/2 yrs old. With each one his fever would shoot up and he was inconsolable due to the pain. He was on every antibotic there was and finally I agreed to have tubes put in. It was hard but he was suffering more with continuing ear infections. I was concerned that it would cause hearing problems later in life. We have not had any infections since the tubes. Best of luck on what ever you decide. K.

Hi Dawn, My step son was living with me several years ago when he was around 6 (he's 30 now) He kept having recurring ear infections, which made him miss allot of school. So I took him to the ENT doctor and they put tubes in his ears. He never had any more problems. They told me when they were ready to come out they would pop out of his ear, and that happened one night while he was in the tub. It wasn't scary, we laughed and said that his ears must be cured!

We had a problem with recurring ear infections with my 2nd son and it seemed that everytime I had to go back to get them check they were still infected. We ended up going to a ear nose and throat dr and he advised we wait to do the tubes. His advice turned out to be great because my son didn't have to have the tubes and is doing great.

My daughter had to have tubes in at 10 months (May '08), she had had 9 ear infections since she was about 1 month old and 5 since January. The surgery itself was very quick, done before we knew it. Coming out of anesthesia was a little rough on me as I could not comfort her at all. But, I am glad we did the surgery. Just in the month since her surgery she has become a very active, vocal little girl. Prior to surgery I felt as if she was a little behind schedule for a 10 month old. She has had another ear infection since the surgery, but the drops that were perscribed did the trick and she never ran a fever with it or anything. So the tubes are doing their job, and I am thankful we had the surgery done!

Dawn P,

My son who is now turning 4 in August had constant ear infections. I too was very hesitant after all he is my baby and the thought of him going under anesthesia and the unthinkable was just more than I could handle, but we had the tubes put in and I have to say that without a doubt it was the best thing we ever did!! He was only 1 yr old then and not one ear infection since! The entire procedure litterally took 15-20 mins from the time they took him back and there was basically no down time. I wish I would have known then what I know now because he is still a little scared to let our family dr just look in his ears and forget about water getting in them, he is terrified due to the pain he remembers with the infections. I am now pregnant with my second child and will not even hesitate with this one if it is needed.

my son is 15 mnths and has never gone for more the 3 weeks without an ear infection pretty much since birth. as a baby i was also prone to ear infections. my mom was not a big believer in tubes. the military doctor we went to than told her that if a person were to drain the fluid sitting on the inner ear its hardly ever infected. ear infections are quickly diagnosed. but not to be overlooked. as a baby my ear problems continued until i was 2 and than just went away. i have no hearing loss or problems at all. with my son i dip a q-tip in alcohol, squeeze it out a little and clean the ears a couple times a week. that was a tip given by pediatrician. good luck

Hi Dawn,

I am a 31 yr. old stay at home mom, with 4 kids. I had tubes in my ears when I was little and have been through it with my now 3 yrs. old son, also. I would highly recommend it. My son had constant ear infections until he was one and then we decided to get tubes in his ears. I believe that the constant fluid in his ears for the first year of his life caused delayed speech. He is much better now and close to being on track with his speech (partially due to three older siblings), but I'd hate to know what might have happened had we not taken care of this for him.
The very worst part of it all was watching his little body go limp when they put him under. But it only hurt me, not him!
He was fine. The anesthesia had no effects on my son, whatsoever. The tubes don't cause any pain and fall out on their own when it's time. (you probably won't even know they fell out) My son hasn't had an ear infection since he had tubes. (2 years ago)
As far as the doctors go, the ENT guys are pros at this, so they'll probably know with one look whether it will be a necessary procedure. Luckily, our insurance covered the entire procedure (which is just an in/out procedure).

Good Luck,
B.

My son got his first ear infection at 12 months and it looked like every month after that. He was referred to an ear, nose and throat doctor as well and he recommended tubes. We went ahead and had it done with no problems at all and he hasn't had an ear infection since. I am glad we did because my greatest fear would have been if I hadn't it could've caused damage to his eardrum or loss of hearing. They did a hearing test while he was under the anethesia after the surgery where they watched the eardrum respond to sound by the way it moves. The doctor did tell me that he did have mild hearing loss(called conductive hearing loss) but it was not severe enough to require hearing aids. That really scared me! So after a year and they came out, the doctor recommended to reinsert another pair just to be on the safe side considering his history and I agreed. No more infections and no more problems with his ears to date. Also he has never failed another hearing test! For my family the tubes was an ear (smile) saver!! Just ask the ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctor plenty of questions to ease your mind because you really want what's best for your son.