Daddy Says NO Tubes

I'd avoid it too. I'd do many other things to see if the antibiotic he's getting wasn't effective in the first place, or does he get an ear infection every time a tooth breaks through (like my daughter), or what. Vitamin deficiency, sleep deficiency, allergies keeping immune system down? Try working with those things. Or, get a se4cond opinion with the best pediatrician around. My daughter stopped her ear infections after her teeth all came through. Whew!

Try a chiropractor for a month first! Out of several kids I've known personally there was only one it didn't work for!

My daughter had multiple ear infections and now has PERMANENT hearing loss. It wasn't until I switched pediatricians that an ENT consult was facilitated but by then, the damage was done! Once the tubes were in, she didn't get ear infections anymore.

Not to sound nasty...ask your husband which is worse...your child being "put under" or risking your child's hearing because he has chronic infections, which can happen. Tubes take all of 15 min's, losing your hearing last a lifetime.

There are other ways to treat ear infections if your not open to surgery. You can try a chiropractor (which was a great success for our son) or herbal remedies. I work in childcare and we see tubes being put in all the time for babies some younger than yours! They are "under" for such a short time its unbelievable. I had one parent say they never even made it back to the waiting area before they were called back saying their child was done. Its really not that big a deal anymore mainly because its so quick.

Try a chiropractor to adjust your baby first. My sister's baby almost had tubes put in but after one visit to a chiropractor his infections were gone.

Go to a chiropractor. I bet your son has his top vertibrate out of alignment. This will cause the fluid to pool in his ear and not drain. This will then cause infection. A simple adjustment (find a good one who uses gentle methods and is used to seeing babies) will fix this right away. We had the same issue and it cleared up immediately. Birth is very hard on a baby. They are often out of alignment from the start. I would not put tubes in my baby's ears either.

I would definitely try some other stuff first. A chiropractor will probably clear it up immediately. Find one who specializes in children. Get a recommendation in your area from a friend or on this site. Eliminate things that might cause inflammation, especially cow milk. Give him probiotics to restore the balance of his system...antibiotics screw up the body's natural balance, leading to more sickness, and...more ear infections. The body's good bacteria is about 70% of the immune system...look for the high-quality, multiple strain kind in the fridge section at the health food store. Bio-K is a really good one. It's expensive, but so much cheaper than a lot of doctor visits and co-pays.

You should act immediately! Be vigilant and you can probably avoid the surgery. Good luck!

I understand your concern however it is such a quick and simple procedure. My daughter was put under for maybe 10 minutes with gas and it was over. She had just turned one. She had constant ear infections for 6 months to the point of where she lived on antibiotics. My concern was for her being on so much medication that if she should ever really become sick antibiotics would no longer work. Waiting two years in my opinion is not a good idea because fluid in ears can hinder speech and that is a whole other issue. It is like learning to speak while you are under water. I had a friend who waited and her son's speech was seriously delayed, so he had years of speech ahead of him. No one wants their child to go under anesthesia, however ear infections are very painful so if I had to I would do it again in a minute. My daughter is now 21 years old and did great after her tubes. Good luck in whatever you decide.

Good for Daddy!! My son is now 19 and had chronic infections as a child. I refused to do the tubes and took him to a naturopath - I think a good chiropractor would do the same thing. He "adjusted" him and told me to take him off of cows milk and he never had another ear infection.

my son went under when he was three weeks old. granted that was for a surgery for a condition called pyloric stenosis and not for tubes but its the same anesthetic. Even at 3 weeks he was fine, a little groggy and kinda out of it for the next day or so (part of that was because he hadnt been allowed to eat for 24 hours prior to the surgery) but he was fine. Hes a healthy happy 14 month old eating machine now. Waiting to get tubes put in could possibly cause some problems, in some kids it can mess up their inner ear if the infections get bad enough. This will mess wit their hearing and balance. About whether or not that would happen with your baby you'd haveta talk to his pediatrician. One of my cousins got tubes at a very young age and he was fine. His parents just had to make sure no water got in his ears for a while. IE no dunking his head in the bathtub without earplugs or swimming without them. In a 9 month old that should be easier to deal with. Also young babies heal faster than older kids. Hope this helps!

Get the tubes! Put your fingers in your ears, and try to imagine learning to talk that way! He may need years of speech therapy, and it will affect his cognative abilities in the long run becuase so much of that is langague based.

Our fist child to get tubes is 18 now. She had it done in the doctors office with out a general. It was horrible! She does not remember it though and she started repeating everything I said the very next day! My second had 6 sets of tubes put in, all with a general (much better experience) and if a doctor told me today that one of my kids needed tubes, I would get them in a heart beat.

Have your husband read about language based speech imparments and disablities. Development is linear, you can't always make it up if you miss something.

M.

Why not try a chiropractor first! Find one that takes special training for infants/children. They have "healed" EVERY ear infection (including a "really bad double ear infection"-doctors words) in our kids!

My husband said the same thing and a month later, I could not take it any longer, she was in so much pain.

The doctor sent us to have her hearing checked and she had lost almost 90% of her hearing in one ear! I scheduled the procedure on my own went home and did not ask, but just told my husband the time, place and date.

Our daughter did just fine and they gave my husband a Valium the day of the procedure and we all got through it.. Thanks goodness she regained her hearing..

Sometimes, we just need to do what needs to be done.. .

Daddy needs to go to the ENT and hear about the permanent hearing loss from not getting the tubes.

Our daughter is 2 and has had tubes twice - the first time when she was 10 months, the second time when she had just turned 2. Her ears retain fluid which is a breeding ground.

Every surgery has risks, but this is very routine, and the complications are rare.

I'd encourage him to really understand the process and the risks before ruling it out. Your son's life will be MUCH harder if he's hearing impaired.

yes it will hurt him to wait and with my oldest they did like laughing gas. with my youngest the put him under I prefer the way the first doc did it but he has moved. tell daddy he cant hear plain its like hearing underwater. it also messes up thier equalibrium. it makes them talk slow and have to do speech therapy if its not done at a young age. ask him why he would want to give his child disadvantages in life when they could be avoided. tell him I have had 2 kids it was done to and suggest the sooner the better.

A little research on daddy's end should quell his doubts on anesthisia or laughing gas. The whole operation takes 15-20 minutes and the kid is laughing and playing within hours. And yes.....you could risk your child's hearing even more if you wait. I get the concern, but daddy will be miserable if his son has a possible hearing disability for life or simply, has to suffer continued ear infections.

my son has permanent nerve damage from recurring ear infections. Get the tubes.

I support your hubby!!!!!!! My son had the very same problem for a long time, I didn't settle for tubes...a hole in my baby's ear? Anesthetic? Forget it!!! I went to other 2 doctors and found a grat one who cured my son with a longer therapy with antibiotics (much longer than normal). My boy never had that problem again and his hearing is just fine. Seek other advice if you can, tubes are too common in my opinion.

I had them because I got ear infections since I was a month old. That was 23 years ago and I obviously don't remember a thing, but all I know is that I got ear infections once the tubes fell out. I certainly hope that what happened to Laurie A doesn't happen to your daughter if you guys decided not to! Best of luck!

My son has not (Thank God) but a friend's little O. just had tubes put in and he BREEZED through the procedure. He was his normal self by the next day. I'd get them...hearing is nothing to mess with. Good luck.

p.s. Have the ENT educate your hubby--he might just be afraid b/c he doesn't understand the situation.

My son was around that age when he started, but he went through a 6 month period of ear infections. We finally decided tubes. We were also just seated in the waiting room and he was done. But, those 6 months of ear infections, delayed his speech significantly. He has had 3 years of speech and we feel he is still a little behind with his speech.

Just passing along info from my experience... My daughter had chronic sinus infections and ear infections as a baby until we discovered a milk allergy. She kept getting put in antibiotics also... Then, around 12-15 months, she started to have allergic reactions to antibiotics due to too frequent use of them... On one reaction, she swelled up and had a rash break out all over her body. Her pediatrician called the children's hospital and told them we were coming because she was worried her kidneys may have been affected. Luckily, she did have that happening but it was still a horrible, scary day.

Once you show signs of an allergic reaction to a certain antibiotic, it wipes out you being able to use that entire antibiotic family FOR LIFE. So, in essence, it restricts the available medications that you can be prescribed... And as more bacteria infections become resistent to antibiotics, not having all the antibiotics available to you puts you at a disadvantage and risk.

My daughter had tubes put in around 15 months. It is literally a 5 minute "surgery"... I hesitate to call it a surgery because it's more like a procedure than a true operation. Hardest part of her getting tubes was having to arrive there by 6am... Literally, I held her hand as she went out, walked back to the waiting room--I thought I'd have a chance to drink some coffee and take a breath... Nope, nurse came out FIVE minutes later and said she was in the recovery room. I didn't even have a chance to go to the bathroom.

My two cents for you, I would go ahead with the ear tubes because you do not not not want your son to develop allergic reactions to antibiotics due to over-exposure to them. Seriously, if I only knew then what I know now.... We found out the hard way. (And if his ear infections are being triggered by sinus and congestion issues, you might want to have him checked for a food allergy that may be causing the congestion.) Good luck!

I understand Daddy's concern, but he really needs to think about the long term.
Who am I to say anything? My kids never had an ear problem in their life, but I know so many others who've been through it. They never regretted it.
Not to sound horrible, but there are babies who have heart sugery right after birth and it's a difficult decision. Would you say no or do anything to help your baby?
Getting ear tubes is a fairly common procedure and although it is frightening, your little boy will be so much happier and healthier afterwards.
I would be more worried about him suffering permanent hearing loss as a result of the persistant infections.
Maybe have dad go to the doctor with you to get more information about exactly what the procedure entails and perhaps he'll feel better about it.

I wish you the best.

While I understand your husband's concern, I totally disagree. My son had tubes at 10 months after 6 consecutive ear infections. He was constantly in pain and miserable. The reason they need them so young is that their eustachian tubes are not fully developed and that is why they don't drain. If you don't get the tubes, he will most likely keep getting infections back to back. Getting the tubes was the absolute best thing we did for that poor baby. He didn't have another ear infection for 5 years after that...and he was a completely different baby! The procedure is extremely simple and quick...really no big deal at all. I probably know 15-20 children personally who have had the procedure done...it is very common. I highly recommend it.

My son had tubes when he was 12 months old. If your son has reoccuring ear infections you run the risk of perment hearing loss. My son did just fine at 12 months old. We saw Dr McKenna and LOVED him. He is ranked one of the top ENT's in the valley. I would get the tubes if that is what doctors are suggesting as you would hate for your son to have hearing loss beacuse of reoccuring ear infections. Good luck!

Tubes were great for my son!! Antibiotics take all the good bugs along with the bad bugs. I hated going through all the antibiotics time after time. He would get a diaper rash or a yeast infection or a bad stomach ache. I just got so sick of it and after he got tubes and all the fluid drained out he started walking the next day. I was so happy and it only took about 15 minutes. Once the tubes were inserted he never had another ear infectionl

Our 1 year old just had tubes put in after approximately 7 ear infections and various sorts of antibiotics that in some cases worked but often didn't. The surgery was quick and she's been ear infection free since. It is difficult to watch your baby wake up from the anasthesia but it's a very routine procedure and it has proven effective. They go under for literally about 10 minutes. I worried about antibiotic resistance as well as hearing/speech issues. For us the surgery has been positive. Good luck! I understand your husband's view, it took me many sleepless nights and many days/nights of watching our daughter in pain before I started to become ok with the idea of her going under.

M.

If you wait to long, you run the risk of permanent hearing loss, either mild or severe. Also could delay his ability to walk as ear infections often make one dizzy and disoriented. I've had 1 child put under at that age for tubes & it was quick and his recovery was even quicker. Children are amazing like that. The infections can cause all manner of problems if not dealt with and if they're recurring then it's time to step it up to tubes. If he had as many ear infections he'd have it done for himself, they hurt.

my oldest who is 5 1/2 now went under when he was 5 yep you read right 5 days old. and again when he was 4 and he is about to go under again on july 16th. yes it is scary but if you trust the doctor and the hospital where it will be performed then don't worry about it. my oldest had tubes put in january 29th 2009. he is sooooooooooo much better now. but i have also been told that after a child turns 1 the ear infections start going down.

It will hurt him to wait. Ear infections are very painful and it will delay his speaking. I first had it done when my son was about 9 months old after many ear infections. I was scared too. They only go under gas anesthesia---not general anesthesia which means it is a whole lot easier on them and they wake up a lot quicker. The procedure itself takes about 10 minutes and made a world of difference with our son. I would research it and have your husband read about it too. He is having your son suffer for no reason.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me.

My son was 10 months old when he had his 1st set put in because the doctor broke her finger the night before his schedule surgery (called me from the hospital at 11pm). Couple of reasons I didn't wait...infections are not good and infections that get out of control can spread to the blood stream (they are lethally, though unlikely, possible). More importantly, repeated ear infections can lead to permanent hearing loss, that can never be fixed. It also delays their development because they hear everything like they are underwater, so speech and taking are delayed. Of course there are risks in surgery and anesthesia, but the rest of your child's life not hearing properly is probably worth it since so many of these are done. This isn't a major surgery, they are only put under because they are so small and can't hold still (adults do it with local). Really the risk of not is much great than the risk of the surgery.

I also wanted to mention, I completely agree with the comments on antibiotics, they are so much worse and he'll end up getting sick and not being able to use them, then what. I did want to say, we had it done at 10 months and then again 6M later. He still had ear infections because his adenoids were blocking their ability to drain properly, so we had to have a 2nd set of tubes and the adenoids out. I wouldn't change our decision for a minute, I could tell even at 10months old he was hearing better, but be cautious, loud noises will bother him for a couple of days because everything is muffled to him right now (I wish someone made me think of that, I was so stressed at why every noise made him so upset for like 3-5 days, it got better though). Now I have a smart healthy 5 yr old boy.

wow my 3 year old son has the same problem with multiple ear infections. He also has a speech delay, I wonder if it could be from all the ear infections? The dr has recommended tubes but we havent done it and now I'm really starting to consider it. It could make his speech better. And I do not want him to struggle in school. You should consider it because it could really help your baby in the long run. If your husband doesnt trust his pediatrician then take him to an ENT to get a 2nd opinion. Because you know that is what they specialize in. I doubt they would tell you to get tubes if your baby didnt really need them. Good luck! Hope everything goes well.

If you continue to put baby on antibiotics, it can wreak havoc on his body. My son had them done, it was over in 30min and he was fine! There is some crying when they wake up, but no problems at all. And the best part, NO MORE EAR INFECTIONS! How long does your hubby want him to suffer with infection after infection?? Tell him to get informed about the positives of tubes, and the problems with too many rounds of antibiotics. The last one my son was on, Augmentin, gave hhim terrible diarrehea. It was awful and he was miserable. He has had tubes for 1 year and ) infections. It was absolutely the best thing we could've done.

My son had ear infection after ear infection. We went to see an ENT and he recommended putting tubes in my sons ear. He explained that if my son was having this many ear infections during the summer, he would have more problems during the winter months. We decided to have the tubes put in. The actual procedure is less than 5 minutes. The tubes should fall out on its own when the ear canal gets larger. In fact, my son, who is now 2 has one of the tubes out. The other other tube is still in. He has not had any problems since then.

Both you and your husband should consult your pediatrician and an ENT together so you can get all your answers and concerns addressed before making a decision. Good luck!

My son had to "go under" when he was young. We knew when he was born he was going to need surgery, but opted to wait until he was over 3 months old so he did not have to stay over night because of the anesthesia. He didn't get tubes put in. My husband was concerned a little about the anesthesia, but was comforted by the anesthesiologist who came out and explained everything to us during the pre-op and right before surgery (at Cook Children's). I suggest talking to the surgeon about it and they may be able to calm his fear.

I also recommend trying a chiropractor first, too.

Go with the tubes! Tubes are very common, I had them as a baby and I know many others whose kids have had tubes put in around a year of age. It is a very quick procedure and well worth it! Ear infections are horribly painful and can effect the hearing, especially when they are frequent. The tubes are safe and will help the fluid drain to prevent further infection, which will prevent potential hearing loss and speech delays as a result of frequent infections.

Another good point that many moms brought up is the issue of frequent antibiotic use. Being on antibiotics all the time wipe out the body's good bacteria and causes secondary infections like yeast infections, thrush, stomach bugs, etc. Also, being on antibiotics all the time can cause resistance to that antibiotic which could cause problems in the future if your son needed that antibiotic again for a different type of infection. Plus, ear infections are painful and if you are giving him Motrin/Tylenol for the pain then having the tubes will cut down on the amount of pain medicine that he needs, which is always a good thing.

It really is a very fast and simple procedure that will make a world of difference for both parents and baby! Maybe try having your ENT speak with Daddy about his concerns. He could explain the procedure, risks/benefits, recovery (which is super fast) and give statistics on success rates and what not. Good luck!!

I did the tubes, my son had them put in at seven months and it literally was a 10 min wait from the time they took him, to when they were calling us back. I was mainly worried about the constant antibiotics (my son was on several rounds.) They weaken the immune system and they also cause antibiotic resistant bacterias, super bugs. This may lead to having to use stronger and stronger meds. I am not opposed to antibiotics, but just the constant use of them. I was worried about my child being a "sickly" child catching everything and not able to fight it off. Allowing him to go on with ear infections when the antibiotics are not working can cause permanent hearing damage that can lead to speech delays, not mention they are incredibly painful. I would put your fears aside and have a long talk with your doctor about this subject and make an informed decision whatever that may be! Good Luck!

There is alot of different comments out there for pros and cons. I too was leary when we went to the ent and he started pulling surgery forms out right away. My son had almost total hearing loss in the right ear and partial in the left. We had to do something. There are different types of tubes and our ent put in more permanent ones as my son was a little older before he started with ear infections. The surgery was very fast and my son did great. Two years later he had to have surgery to remove the tubes. He has not had an ear infection since. Because of the hearing loss (due to frequent ear infections) he also had a significant speech delay. If you live in the phx area there is a 6-12 month waiting list for speech services. He is now 10 and is fine no hearing, speech, or other health issues. If I were you, I would get a second opinion but go with what you feel is right. Babies as young as yours undergo surgery all the time with no complications. The newest research out says that antibiotics are ineffective for ear infections as well. Most are caused by viruses. Good luck

My brother had chronic ear infections from the time he was four months old and didn't get tubes put into his ears until he was nearly two. Because of all the ear infections (he would take the medication for the 10 days, be off of it for two and go right back on it because another infection would set in), he had severe hearing problems and now at 21, is still having problems hearing certain frequencies. Get a second opinion if you don't feel it is safe, but the longer you wait, the longer it will take him to be able to hear and speak properly. Children learn how letters and words are supposed to sound by hearing us say them. If they can't hear us say sand ( and s is a letter kids have problems with), they'll give the s sound an f. Good luck

My 15 yo daughter had chronic ear infections and was on maintenance meds for years 10 years ago when this was a big debate in med field. Doing it over, I would do the tubes. She had speech and developmental delays and issues with reading and math. Has been on an IEP and 504 in school since and has always struggled in school. This is a safe and frequently performed procedure.

the surgery itself is very very short and easy. recovery is even easier.
tubes work for some kids and do not work for others. once a child has tubes put in the ENT will persist on putting 2nd and 3rd tubes in case they don't work. for my daughter, tubes lasted less than 9 months, had ear infections throughout those 9 months, the eardrum never healed, hearing bone eroded from being exposed, hearing was lost.
so even though we were in that 10 per cent when complications occur for us it has been a heartbreaking experience. my daughter had her 3rd set put in 2 weeks ago. not because of recurring ear infections but because the patched eardrum was being sucked in and fear was it will get wrapped up around hearing bones. 1 week after the tubes were put in she came down with double ear infections.
so i passionately hate tubes, and would never recommend them to anyone. but i also have no other solution for recurring ear infections. my daughter is 6 and has ear infections maybe every month. tubes did nothing.

HI!

My son suffered with ear infection until he was almost 2 years old and it was horrible! Towards the end he had to be on antibiotics constantly or else he would have an infection. I was very nervous about him havin the tubes put in. I did a lot of searching and got a lot of information on the subject and figured it was what was best.
When the day came I was nervous when they took him back. I was figuring on at least an hour. They came for us in less then 20 minutes. My son was only under for less then 10 minutes. I will tell you that it is a little hard on them waking up because they are disoriented but after about 10 minutes he was great. Within a couple hours he was up and playing like nothing happened and he has never had another ear infection.
If your husband is that nervous about it have him talk to the doctor. Having that many ear infections can cause a hearing loss. My son had one until about 2 months after the surgery.

Good luck I hope this has helped!
M.

PS If you have any other questions e-mail me @ ____@____.com

Tell your husband that your son can have tubes now or permanent hearing loss in another year as well as no immune system plus continual pain from the constant ear infections. Tubes are the most common surgery performed on children with very little risk and lots of benefit. Get the facts, talk to the dr, talk to another dr if you need to, but don't let your husband just say no based on ignorance.

My friend's son had multiple ear infections when he was young, but they never got the tubes put in. He's now 4, and has speech problems which are related to the numerous ear infections. Although he is in speech therapy, they worry that it could affect his ability to learn to read! It is amazing how something so little could be interrelated to so many other things. In fact, if he isn't up to speed by Kindergarten, slow learning could continue, which would affect him for the rest of his life. Sorry to be such a downer, but you don't want that!