Ear Tubes - Cornelia,GA

my daughter was 15 months old when she had tubes put in her ears. I was so nervous about the anesthia. but it was simple. First, they gave her a liquid that helped her relax, then they gave her a gas to put her to sleep, they didn't inject ansesthia in her veins. This was the best thing i have ever done for my daughter. we are working on one year with out any ear infections.

L.,
My daughter was similar to your son, having ear infection after ear infection and received tubes at 11 months. It was tough on me, but a life saver for my daughter. She stopped being so sick. Her tubes stayed in until she was about 3. She is 5 now and she has had maybe 3 infections since they came out. As for the anesthesia, I had to have it done at the hospital because of a heart issue, so I didn't see them put her under (which was much easier for me), but I understand it is quick and painless. If you are in the Atlanta area, I really enjoyed my ENT. They were great. Their website is www.childrensent.com. All of the nurses and staff were great and we used Dr. Thomsen who was also great! Keep in mind that your son is really developing his language at 11 months and he will be delayed if he can't hear anything. That is what really turned me around. The ENT will do a hearing test to see where he is at. Good Luck!!

Hi L.,
It sounds like you are getting feedback on the tubes. You may want to get on board with some treatment from a preventative standpoint. 6 months of antibiotics is a ton and have side effects you should deal with. He needs to be on constant proibotics. Secondly, I would take him to a chiropractor or a cranial osteopath (Dr. Richard Armond in Suwanee is great). This will help his immune system, which is the root of the issue, as well as get the head in shape, which may be adding to the structural issue.

Homeopathy is very powerful and can work well acutely and longer term. If you are interested, I will send a referral.

Immune support (see your natural herb store) is very important. Ear infections are up 300% from 10 years ago, so we are doing something in our lifestyles ( food, vaccines) that is changing the lay of the land.

You are in cornelia, so I am not sure, but I know of three chiropractors I really like (Dr. Pam Stone in Kennesaw, Dr. Kira in Cumming, Dr. Caroline Von Fluggue in Buckhead). You would want one that frequently sees children and comes with a recommendation.

I hope he can get past it soon. J.

Hi L.,

I completely understand your fear. When my daughter was fourteen months old we decided to go ahead and get tubes put in her ears after several ear infections. Being a first time mom, I was very nervous about the procedure and the anesthesia. However, I am so glad we went ahead and would definitely recommend it. She was only gone for about 15 minutes total and we've had absolutely no complications since the surgery. She has had no ear infections since and it will have been a year since the surgery next month. If you decide to go ahead with it, you will be glad you did it!

Hi L. ,
Both of my son's had tubes put in . My first son now 8 had his put in around 1 1/2 yrs old. He had an ear infection just like your son. I too didn't know about the tubes,but I was very happy with the tubes. My son started talking after having them put in. He could not hear us normally . The dr. told us that it was like he was under water and trying to understand us. He has had only 2 ear infection after the tubes.Once they get the tubes and they do get an infection it drain on it own. You will see green stuff coming out and then you put in ear drops. My second son had his a 1 yrs, I make them put his in because I didn't want to go through that again. I hope this helps. Dottie

My friends 10mth old daughter just got them on fri. She was done in like 30 mins. They gave her laughing gas so they didn't even put her under. I went down to see her and I totally forgotten that she had that procedure done that morning. She was a little irritable but besides that she was her typical self.

Getting tubes put in my sons ears was the best thing I ever did for him. We were like you, and ear infection after ear infection until he was 12 months old. I think we had 10-11. I tend to lean more towards the "do as little as necessary", because I believe you build up immunity to antibiotics. I like as little medical intervention as is necessary. Now, that being said, we followed the docs advice on the ear infections because I didn't want to damage his hearing. Finally we were referred to the ENT who recommended tubes. He got the tubes when he was 13 months, and we have not had a full blown ear infection since then. He will be 4 in May, so you can see the good it has done!!! If the ENT and doc both recommend it, I suggest going for it. They give the baby a bottle to drink, that makes them a little "drunk". That is the anesthisia (SP?) and then they take him away. You sit in the hospital room and wait for them to bring the baby back. It took about an hour. Then you wait in the room about another hour to hour and a half to make sure all is well. I don't recall any blood or gross things with the tubes, ever. That is MY experience with them. If you have any questions feel free to email me and I will answer the best that I can.
Good Luck.

I'm so sorry you are having to go through this, but with the advice of your Doctor of referring you to an ENT at this point was most likely a very good idea. Here is the thing...ear infections can cause serious damage to the hearing as well as fluid on the ears. However, tubes can also cause scar tissue and affect the hearing as well. So like the saying goes "darned if you do-Darned if you don't". I have fraternal twin girls that began their ear infections at about 10 or 11 months of age it was very shortly afterwards that it was decided to get tubes in. I actually fought the idea of tubes at first by taking them to Chiropractic care-it did help. However, at the time I was working full-time and the kids were in Daycare. It eventually got to the point where antibiotics only took about 48 hours to take the fever away which meant I could take the kids back to daycare and I could return to work. I was on the verge of losing my job because of all the ear infections. Adjustments just took to long and it became quite more expensive rather than taking them to the Doctor and paying my co-pay and then combined of getting the antiobiotic. Tubes were a life-saver to me. As soon as they were in the ear infections disappeared their walking got much better, and speech improved. Amazing! They do have to go under Anesthesia but only for about 10-15 minutes is all the procedure takes. My twins have had to have two sets thus far and possible that they may need another set making 3. Each time was different for me. The first time they both were about the age of yours maybe just a tad bit older and they were very sleepy afterwards and just wanted to cuddle. The second time was horrible they both came out crying hysterically to the point they had red rashes all over their neck and face because they were so upset. After awhile though they calmed and just wanted to cuddle. I was so thankful that I had my husband there with me that day because I most likely would have broke down to cry too! lol!
I still cannot figure out what the difference in behavior was other than the fact that they were "older". I used the same doctor-same hospital for second round so.....who knows? I didn't look to see where you were located but Dr. Parks is the best ENT ever! I wouldn't trust anyone else to my girls! Ask LOTS of questions-the ENT should understand that and if they don't find a new one! Good Luck! Hope all works out well for you and your precious baby!

I have gone through it twice with my three year old and it is much harder on us than them, trust me! The tubes were like a miracle-she didn't have any more infections until they came out. Now she has a 2nd set and no problems at all.

I was nervous about the anesthesia, too. It is such a fast procedure that I had enough time to set my purse down, sit down, grab a magazine and then as I was opening it, we were called back b/c it was over. The first 30 minutes were rough b/c she was scared and confused and cried for about 20-30 minutes. The ENT warned us that would happen though. By the time we left, she was asking for chicken nuggets and a trip to the park!

I would definitely recommend the procedure. Your little guy will feel much better!

Your life and your childs life will be so much happier once you get tubes. I went through the same exact thing with my daughter. When you go to the ENT they will conduct a hearing test. I bet your son has some hearing loss as a result of the ear infections. This will delay his learning and speach.
Once you get tubes you will not have as many infections. My daughter had a couple of ear infections right after we got tubes. One time we had to go back to the ENT and have the fluid suctioned out. However, I am pleased to say that she has not had an infection since that last incident. Ear tubes saved us!!! I got sleep again. My daughter got sleep again. Her speach and language development greatly improved. Everyone is healthy and no more Rosefin shots!!! Please do not let your fear of the procedure turn you away. I was afraid too. I cried the entire 15 minutes it took for them to put the tubes in. But she was just fine. It is a very quick and common procedure that you will be pleased with in the end!

Hi L., here is my experience. My 18 months old had been fighting ear infections for months, taking antibiotics etc.. when finally the ped referred me to a ENT who really thought the ear tubes could be the answer. She said the hole is really small and there's only a small percentage of cases in which the hole doesn't seal back up really well, like 2% or something like that. I made the appointment with the hospital. Well, I just couldn't sleep at night thinking "anesthesia...hole in the ear...2% etc..." I just didn't feel good about it.
So I decided to seek the opinion of a different doctor and so I did. This doctor performed a hearing test on my child (which turned out to be ok) and prescribed 3 months straight of an antibiotic (which seemed an awfully long time to me), but it worked! The previous ear infections did not heal because there was always a little bit left in the deep of the ears and kept infecting, so the long therapy did well.
This is my story, so I am not advising you not to do what the doctor recommends, but if you don't feel good about the ear tubes yet, keep researching, maybe there is another solution for your case. If there's not, well, as a mom you did what you could, didn't you? Good luck!

Anytime anyone is on an antibiotic, they should take a probiotic to put the good back in their body. Each antibiotic that your darling little one was taking was destroying the good in his body more and more and it wasn't being replaced, so to speak. I would definitely put him on an antibiotic. Our bodies are able to fight a lot of what is dished out to us if we know how to boost our immune system and help it fight.

I too would recommend a chiropractor, but definitely get a probiotic from a local health food store. I like the Jarrow Brand...my personal favorite.

Before I stopped going to the doctor, almost 8 years ago, for illnesses (we rarely get sick anyway), I became sick with Strep...really bad. Went to the doctor, got an antibiotic and finished it, then a week or two later, got strep again, went to the doctor and got a different antibiotic, then finished it and again a week or two later, went to the doctor, again tested postive for strep....etc. You see the pattern. I got strep 4 times in a 2 month period. I didn't take the antibiotic the 4th time. Guess what I did? I went to my local health food store and explained to the naturopath what happened. She handed me something called Beta Glucan (NOW brand...it has 100mg of Beta Glucan and 160mg of Maitake Mushrooms). I took only 1 capsule a day and 2 days later, no sore throat, no strep. I went ahead and took for a few more days....about a week and gone. It didn't come back.

There are many ways to boost the immune system. I still keep Beta Glucan in the house. We've used for pneumonia, strep of course, etc. My kids use this too. I've used just probiotics for getting rid of strep too...wonderful, wonderful stuff. Good luck!

DO IT! My 2 1/2 year old had them in January, and it was the best thing we have ever done! He had an double ear infection every 2 weeks since September. As soon as the antibiotics wore off, he was right back with symptoms. I was worried, and didn't want him to undergo any type of surgery, my husband flat out refused. But each time our son was in so much pain, and we had to pump him full of antibiotics again and again, we finally went to the ENT because enough was enough. We actually saw the tubes, which are smaller than an earring back, and the procedure itself was less then 5 minutes! When we went to Children's on the day of the surgery, the waiting room was packed. They called us in, did some vitals on him, checked his temp, gave him some motrin, and gave him a little hospital gown. He was brought back to the pre-op room, and was given his choice of toys to pick for being a big boy. I walked back in the operating room with him, held his hand while they gave him the mask, and honestly this was the hardest part. He was really scared because he didn't understand, and I was holding back tears because I knew he didn't know what was happening. He fell asleep so fast, and I walked back to my husband crying..... the kicker, by the time I walked to the recovery room, the doctor was waiting for me, she was done, and he did great! They wheeled him back, and he was sleeping for a while. He did react a little weird from the anesthesia, he was groggy, and cranky, and didn't really know what he wanted, so he cried and screamed until it started to wear off. We were in our car about 20 minutes after he woke up..... and about an hour after the anesthesia wore off, he was running around jumping off the furniture. Now he has a much better appetite, and we have been ear infection free ever since. He has gotten a few colds, but none leading to any infections...... He is doing great, and I don't worry at all about his ears! He does have to wear ear plugs when he takes a bath for precautions... but again he is doing great!

My started with the ear infections right around the same age and they didn't stop. He would be rushed to the children's hospital at 2 in the morning because he's burning up and lethargic. He would go on antibiotics and no less then two days after completing the medication he would be back with another ear infection. It was a never ending cycle and it was expensive and exhausting. Like your sons pediatrician, my sons doctor suggested the tubes as well. From what I understand, this is a fairly straight forward procedure and can have positive results but like you, I was very nervous at the thought of my son having surgery and of the tubes in his ears. I chose to not pursue the tubes and instead chose to put him on vitamins for awhile to see if it helped. I started giving him a liquid multi-vitamin as well as echanacia, vitamin c, and zinc. I swear to you that once he started on the vitamins his ear infections dwindled away. Once we started the vitamins, which was meant to boost his immune system to help fight the infections, I found that he didn't have another ear infection for about 2 months. He had that one ear infection 2 months after starting him on the vitamins and that was the last time he had one. If I were you I would try and start your son on vitamins and give it a few weeks to see if you notice a difference. If you don't then you may want to meet with the ENT to discuss putting tubes in his ears. Had the vitamins not worked for my son I would have proceeded with the tubes. I am not into homiopathic medicine or a naturalist by any means. I just felt like in order for me to feel comfortable with making a decision like putting tubes in my sons ears then I needed to make sure I was doing whatever I could beforehand. The vitamins just seemed like the most obvious course for my son.

Good Luck!

Hi! I do not have experience with MY child having ear tubes, but I do have experience with my younger brother having them...I don't have anything against ear tubes. At most they are only a pain in the butt because you have to avoid getting water in the ears while they are in place--that may even have changed since then, due to technology. I believe that they are a much better alternative to heavy and constant antibiotics...My understanding is that constant and heavy antibiotics are not good for the immune system and if taken too often, they can cause problems later, such as when an antibiotic is needed, it may not work because the body became adapt to the antibiotic...Freqeunt ear infections in children are due to the eustachian tube being short and less angled than in adults, and as the child gets bigger/older the eustachian tube becomes longer and more angled, preventing ear infections. In children, bacteria in the throat and nose can travel up the eustachian tube into the ear...Not exactly sure how they work, but the tubes do prevent ear infections...If my son had a major problem with ear infections, i would DEFINATELY opt for the tubes. --Hope this helps!

Hi L.. My little girl (now three) also had extremely persistent ear infections from the time that she was 6 months old. We took our physician's advice and saw a great ENT. She has now had two sets of tubes (they must be replaced from time-to-time) and hasn't had an ear infection in almost a year. I think that tubes are a great LAST resort.

Please let me also offer you some advice that I wish I had gotten prior to her surgery. Always use rubber ear plugs (you can purchase great ones from an ENT's office)when your child is in water, and blow dry her ears (don't let them get too hot) after bath-time. We tried this after my little girl's first ear infection with tubes and saw a HUGE improvement. Many people also suggest chiropractic therapy as a means of dealing with ear infections.

As for the anesthesia, it is incredibly light and quick. They only gave my little girl gas and pain medication. She was in and out within thirty minutes. She was playing again at home within hours of leaving the hospital. Talk with your anesthetist, if you he does need the surgery. They are wonderful about truly explaining everything that will take place once your little one is taken into the operating room.

I wish you and your son the best of luck! If you all do decide that surgery is the best route, please remember that it really can make a huge difference in children with frequent ear infections.

My son had multiple ear infections and had tubes put in at around 18 mo. It was so fast, he was fine, came home from surgery and stood in our 2 story foyer yelling into the echo. It dawned on me that he could finally hear! I felt so bad and wished I had done them sooner. BTW, the do naturally fall out over time and in Kindergarten, age 5, he had to have another pair put in. I did not even hesitate. The surgery does not even take 15-20 min, I was able to be with him when they put him under. Next thing you know, they are coming to get you for recovery. Just think it will end all his suffering with the ear pain. Best of luck with you and your son.
C. in Alpharetta

My son was put on Zyrtec for ear infections. Worked like a charm!!! No more infections for the 4 years he was on it. Sounds excessive? Not when I consider the pain he was in with the infections. We didn't get as far as tubes but this was wonderful! The downside of it was that if we missed 2 nights in a row, we got an ear infection to beat all infections. Happened 3 times during that 4 years.
Took him off of it on my own (not recommended) when he was about 6 and he's been infections free!
There is some fluid somewhere that isn't getting out....in my case, no water in ears or snotty nose that we could see. But, he was getting them as fast as I could get rid of them before and there was still enough fluid to cause them to come back if I missed 2 doses.
Zyrtec was great about giving coupons in the mail as well, made the prescriptions much cheaper!

K.
Mom of 2- only one drove me nuts with ear infections. The 17yo had his first ear infection (#5 in his life) last month! 10 yo has been ear infection free for 7 years now!

HI L.,
My daughter never had such an ear issue but I do know sometimes there is so much fluid/mucus that it does not drain itself properly. From what I have seen from other families who are on the wholistic side, they have their children tested for food allergies. There is a blood test that tests for 90 different foods. Also, I have seen chiropractic do wonders. I know of someone in E. Cobb/Roswell who is great: Dr. Michael Scimeca. There are other great ones around too. Chiropractic is not a cure all but it supports the body toward homeostasis.
Hope this helps. Crazy how common ear tubes are these days!

The reason antibiotics aren't working is that the majority of ear infections are VIRAL! and when looking in the ears there is no way to tell if its bacterial or viral but dr's do like to push those drugs it is after all what keeps them in business. For an earinfection you can treat them with a warm oil of garlic, mullein. I would also see the chiropractor it really is much easier on both you and your child compared to surgery no matter how 'routine' the surgery is.

Take him to a chiropractor that can do young children. A friend of mine's son had constant ear infections she took him to be adjusted and he never had trouble again. I'm not saying that this will be your case but it will most likely help.

OH wow what a difference the ear tubes made in my grandson and in our lives. He is a happier fun loving tot and I would do it again just to see the smile he has now so often.

By the way we quit smoking in order to continue the ear tube benefits and the extra benefits of just that wow.

good luck

hi L., my son is 2 years old and he started having ear infections at 9 months of age. Once he had the ear tubes inserted which the procedure only takes about 45 minutes at day surgery, the ear infections are gone. The ear tubes are very tiney you want even know that your child have ear tubes. I would highly reccommend taking your son to the ENT, also ask your doctor to have your child screened for hearing, the reason for this my son had so many ear infections that now that he is 2 years of age he have a speech delay that resulted from the ear infections. Wish your son the best!

Hi L.,
Your son and my daughter sound alike. My daughter got tubes at 9 months due to constant ear infections. She was on antibiotics more than she was off of them. After the procedure, she has not had one symptom/sign of an ear infection. She still swims every week in her swim lesson and goes under water and we are still doing well at almost 18 months.
During the procedure, she was under for about 7 minutes. She came right to and never got sick. Later that day, she was running around the house wanting to play. We were so thankful we could get them done as soon as we did. We ahve never looked back.
Take Care!
H.