[healingmachine]

Unfortunately my 13 month old has been having a lot of ear problems lately. Her one ear was clean as can be, but the doctor kept pulling out wax from the other one (three appointments worth)...we were putting in mineral oil and thankfully she could finally see her eardrum, but there was fluid in the ear. Now after two weeks we went back to make sure all was okay and there's a definite ear infection in the GOOD ear and the other ear had more wax buildup and was infected as well.

The doctor prescribed a stronger antibiotic than amoxicillan this time and we go back in two more weeks. I feel sooooo bad for her. She also just cut two new teeth and has been cranky and irritable anyway. I don't think that has much to do with the ear infections though.

The thing is, the doctor said she didn't want to jump to anything, but she might be a candidate for tubes in her ears. I read that it's completely routine and one of the most commonly performed procedures on kids.

I also read that the season has a lot to do with ear infections and we do live in an area where it seemed to be more common.

I'm wondering if anyone has any personal experience with this or with your kids. Any insight would help greatly. I know it must be painful for her to have these issues...but if the medicines don't work, is this always the end result? Is it okay if it is? Thanks for any advice.

[leastofthese]

2 of my little ones had them. It was a quick procedure with relatively little after effects. The worst thing about it is that they do have to be "put under" and then, of course, there is the issue of bathing and swimming after tubes are placed. It's hard to keep water out of a little one's ears in the bathtub!

But, no, it isn't the end of the world. She should do just fine with them. Not dealing with the ear infections is a good thing!

[mallory4]

Although I know ear tubes are very common, I think there is research that shows they aren't that effective or necessary. A couple of kids I know have them replaced all the time and don't seem any better off than they were before.

We looked into it when our daughter was little and kept getting congestion in her ears and nose. They also suggested adenoid surgery!

Another option is to try to figure out why she is getting congested in the first place. In our daughter's case, it was dust allergies and seasonal allergies, so we redid her room to eliminate a lot of dust-catchers and make an effort to wash her bedding in super-hot water every week or so.
She only had one or two ear infections after that, which we just treated with Tylenol. That was about 4 or 5 years ago.

Dairy products are rumored to cause a lot of congestion in some people, so if she will drink soy or rice milk instead, you might see if a few weeks without dairy does the trick.

Good luck! Hope your little one gets some relief

[leastofthese]

Mallory4, great ideas!

[healingmachine]

Thanks for the replies.


Leastofthese, do you just use ear plugs in the tub? That would be SUPER hard!!! Is it really bad if a little water gets in on accident? That would really worry me!

and

Mallory, thanks for the info--we are going to an allergy/asthma specialist in two weeks so maybe that will shed some light on the situation. My DP has asthma so we are pretty good about dusting, brushing the cats, washing her bedding in hot and all that.

I am glad that you have alternate ideas because sometimes I really dislike just doing whatever the doctor orders without trying to find other ways to correct it. If it has to be done, then so be it. But this is surgery we're talking about...routine, but still 'going under'. I will also check out the soy, but it is expensive and we have WIC.

Thanks again. Will keep this all in mind.

[leastofthese]

Yes, at first I used ear plugs during bath time, but that was very frustrating as they would always fall out and I wouldn't have realized it until after I'd poured water all over their heads!

Finally, I just started washing hair before they got in the tub. I would wash it in the sink, laying the child on the countertop with their little head held in my hand over the sink. This way I could control where the water went. Then once hair was washed and patted mostly dry, they could play in the tub to their heart's content.

A little splashing isn't going to hurt, but pouring the water over the ears to rinse shampoo will definitely cause the water to drain into the ear and will cause another infection. My little girl got a few of those.

[Snugglebug]

My kiddo's always seem to get ear infections the most when they are teething. And of course we live in the allergy capital of the world, southern California, which just makes it worse. It seems like once they hit 1 1/2 and cut all those monsterous molars the ear infections clear up. Just my observation, but personally I would try to delay surgery for a few months to make sure it was REALLY neccesary.

[kathyandmark]

My daughter had ear tubes put in at around 15 months. They worked great to keep her infection-free, as before that she had ear infections galore. BUT - they were in for several years and did not fall out as they were supposed to, which can lead to permanent damage where the little hole is that they make to put them in! Finally, they fell out, but she almost had to have another surgery. If I ever am in the situation again, I would look into taking the child to a chiropractor first. I have a few friends who swear by it. I don't know if you are allowed to do that with a foster child, though.

[ally123]

my ds ended up having tubes at 6 months- which is very early!! He was so miserable before that and had constant ear infections. We were concerned that the infections and constant fluid build-up would affect his hearing. Once we did the tubes we did not have another ear infection for over a year. We ended up having to do another set of tubes once the first ones fell out but the surgery is really quick (although I was terrified because it is surgery). It was a very good solution for us.

[bjhv5]

I had eat tubes way back whenLOL! I had lost 70 % of hearing in one ear due to fluid build up and 60% in the other.After the tubes I reagined all my hearing and had no further problems.2 of my bio children had to have them and did not get another infection in the ear until sometime after the tubes fell out.

I would agree to try other things first but do not be affraid of them they worked great for us.
Good luck and I hope your little ones feels better soon

[healingmachine]

Wow, there's a wide range of experiences here. Thanks for all the input.


It's not a definite that the doctor recommends them...yet. We're seeing how this stronger antibiotic will work and then we'll go from there. I really would like to find alternative methods/ways to prevent, but I know that if it's absolutely needed, then I wouldn't hesitate.

I just hate rushing into medical decsisions. Also, I saw someone said they don't know if you can do it to a foster child...I'm not sure about that either. In my classes they told us there needs to be a second opinion and it's usually by the doctor/nurse the actual agency uses.

In my case though, my daughter is a relative placement and we have temp. custody, so we would have the final say.

Thanks for all the posts, it helps me look at the situation from all different sides!

[LadyBugz]

Mine had horrendous ear infections that antibiotics were not getting rid of. After 6 months, her hearing was drastically affected to the point that her speech required intervention. We finally were allowed a referral to an ENT. The second the tubes went in, a different child came out. Her anger and defiance of the last several months was completely gone. The tubes went through their natural cycle and fell out on their own about 18 months later. The ear infections came back even worse. A second set of tubes was put in and adenoids removed and again it was like a different child emerged from the OR.

She still had another minor infection with the tubes in. They are reduced about 90% is what the statistics say. And we have special ear plugs from the doc. Studies conducted with children with tubes in swimming and bathing with ear plugs, without ear plugs, and no water at all show comparable numbers of infections, which has led many docs to say not to worry with ear plugs with swimming and bathing. The exception is in deep water (9+ ft I think) as they aren't clear how the pressure at those depths will affect the plugs. In my experience, it is SO worth it to get rid of the infections when other methods aren't working. We almost forget they are there the inconvenience is so minor.

[crikkit]

I had a tube placed in one ear about 2 years ago. I envy the kids who get to be put under for this! I was awake. Not very painful, but you can hear what's going on right in your ear, which is pretty weird.


Kids' eustachian tubes (canal that connects the inner ear to the throat) are easily blocked, but as they grow the eustachian tubes change shape a bit and don't get clogged so easily. If the eustachian tube can't open on it's own, the tube placed in the eardrum helps equalize the pressure that's building in the inner ear from the eustachian tube being blocked, and the fluid that builds up with no way to escape. The eustacian tube will get blocked more easily when the kid is congested, but if it's a severe problem it can get blocked even when the kid is perfectly healthy, so they may have to get tubes inserted a few times until they outgrow the problem.

[Sunshinemom]

My oldest had nearly constant ear infections for about 1.5 years, I think he was on antiobiotics 13 times in one year, so it was pretty bad. When he was 2 he finally had tubes put in and he NEVER had another infection. When his younger brother started down the same path of infections we got them in sooner at about 18 months or so and he again has never had another infection. I think that with the oldest they fell out on their own and with the younger the ENT took them out after a year, very simple process in the office.

We tried to do earplugs in the pool, but never bothered with them in the bath, we just tried to be careful, it really wasn't too bad.

I have heard that allergies can often be the problem and if you have the inclination to eliminate dairy and a few other items from their diet and try that you might get some good advice from you Dr.

Good luck! I am a big believer in tubes since it was amazingly successful for my boys!

[fostermomintx]

My foster son had tubes put in his ears last year after numerous ear infections. The procedure was pretty simple and we were out of the hospital within 2 hours. He has not had one ear infection since. And his hearing and speech have improved dramatically. I was never a believer in this procedure until I saw what it did for him. I was afraid that he would need speech therapy but was recently evaluated by the school district and doesn't need it at all...I firmly believe the tubes made a world of difference. He was not talking a lot before the operation but since that time I can't shut him up....