Ear Tubes for 6Month Old

They were recommended, but we did NOT get them...for one, they don't "guarantee" that ear infections will not happen, two, you aren't supposed to get water in them (unless that's changed) and three, it's a surgery. No matter how minor, it's still surgery.

My daughter had chronic ear infections until she was about 3 1/2, and then she outgrew them. Hasn't had one in years.

I really, really think you ought to wait. I just don't think it's worth it...and I know several children with tubes that still get ear infections.

My daughter had ear tubes at 9 months. She had a bacterial inner ear infection that simply WOULD NOT go away. They tried 5 different antibiotics and Rocephin shots in a 45 day period and I could take her for a re-check in the morning and by afternoon the ear drums would be bulging. Poor girl had 103-105 fevers fro 30 out of 45 days. They ended up putting them in to get the bacteria out. She had only 1 other infection since then (she is almost 4) and her ear tubes have both fallen out now and ear drums healed perfectly. The scariest part of putting them in a kiddo that young is the anesthesia IMHO. She came through it like a champ though. If I were you, I would hold off for right now because cold season is ending...and see how it goes. Also, if she is drinking out of bottles, get her on cups. If she is nursing, that should have been helping her already so I can't help you out there. I would see how the next 2 months go and whether the Chiro helps. Ours was a necessity. Our daughter didn't have any trouble with the tubes and even took swim lessons in a chlorinated pool without ear plugs with no infections (our ENT said some kids are fine like that and it bothers others or they get infected-- guess we were lucky ones).

Good luck and best wishes!

We did tubes with both of our kids because we didn't want them on so many antibiotics, and they were both in daycare so getting tons of colds that led to ear infections.

I have heard good things about both eliminating dairy and chiropractic, but, honestly, we didn't want to make those changes. The surgery was very low risk, had a great success rate, and seemed to be the most palatable option. It really is super minor surgery.

Good luck.

My son had tubes at 21 months. He never had one ear infection. His speech was delayed and they determined he had fluid in both ears. The procedure was 10 minutes. He is 5 and never stops talking--I love it! If your gut is telling you to wait, then wait. But, I would only wait so long. You don't want your daughter to be in constant pain or on medication all the time.

What most don't realize is that ear infections can be teething related and also genetic. My dh had horrible ears, so did his mom. We did not have problems at such a young age but I did find great help in the chiropractic and cranial sacral massage therapy done by a chiro also helped tremendously.
When they are so young their ear canals are very straight and fluid tends to just sit in them. You can also go to Vitacost.com and try Willow/garlic ear oil.
Make sure that they are not getting a lot of sugar as that will feed an infection as well.

It's not always easy to be a parent. Our daughter is from China and we had no medical records. During the winter she was having many ear infections. Her Dr. wanted to wait to see if the summer months help clear her eyes up. She had a really bad case and was screaming in pain. We called her Dr. that night and he started to make arrangements for surgery. She hasn't had an infection in almost 5 years. My son never really got infections and I really didn't believe in tubes. The difference in Olivia night and day! I wish they would have let her have it done sooner. Thank goodness her hearing wasn't affected from the infections or surgery.

Take care
J.

We felt like tubes saved our lives when my son was 6months. I can't tell you "how many" becuase they were constant. Every time he saw Dr. he had one. Not sure if it would never go away or just one after another. Also, antibiotics gave him yeast infections in his rectum!! Horrible, bleeding sores w/ every poop :(. He was miserable, we were miserable, so we did it. We opted out of adenoids, as the research showed us it was more invasive than just the tubes. Worked wonders, they fell out after about 2 years, and the infections started right back up, so we got set #2.

IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER AGAIN: I would definately try chiropractic first!!!!! I'm not some voodoo medicine freak, obviously because we did the surgery twice. However, he started being adjusted w/ me at the chiropracter at around 3 years old (6months after 2nd tubes set) because of growing pains in his legs. He is only adjusted once a month, and it is very gentle. He says it feels like the Dr. is tickling his back. THEN, I started reading up on benefits of chiropractic on ear infections. This set of tubes didn't last long, and fell out about 8 months after he got them. It was allergy season and I was just waiting for the next ear infection, and HE NEVER GOT ONE. He hasn't had a single infection since we started chiropractic, and it has been 2 years now.

Considering it is inexpensive and WAY less invasive than putting your child under anesthesia, I think it is worth the try. They can be adjusted as early as newborn, so 6 months is fine! Find a reputable chiropracter w/ experience w/ infants & children. Some can be total QUACKS!

Yes try Chiro first. I've had friends who used chiropractic treatments and they swear by them. If it helps then you don't have to worry about the tubes. As your chiropractor about Watermelon extract. My Chiro friend swears by it as well as homeopathic approach.

Medical research shows that an antibotic will increase the risk of another ear infection by 33%.

Here's what we did and our son stopped having ear infections and the next 2 kids never have had any:

No dairy, including yogurt
No sugar/sugar substitutes
No formula - or change it, if that's what you are using

1/2-1 PB8 each day - dumped into something or into his/her mouth directly.

At the first sign of an earache, we got our kids adjusted by our chiropractor (not all are created equally), added Herbs for Kids Goldenroot/Astragulus and therapuetic dosages of vitamins A&D in oil form. Wah-lah, no more infections!

Now that they are older, we allow some cheese, but NO milk. Ice cream happens, maybe once per month. No candy.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I've helped tons of my friends not do tubes. The ones that got the tubes are ALWAYS the ones who have a dairy addiction and can't stop feeding their kids dairy. Also, formulas have a really sugar content. Look at the first 3 ingredients....corn syrup solids, maltodextrin?

I have been through this with 2 kids. my oldest had 5 ear infections before tubes they did wonders with him. almost immediate results. now with my youngest he got them at 8m had 4 ear infections and i insisted on it trying to avoid speech therapy. didn't work though. He has tubes is still getting ear infections still has fluid, having a wax problem and until a month ago he couldn't hear at all. Now we removed some wax he could hear but I think he is reinfected and i think he has lost hearing again. I have to hollar for a response again. or yell what ever you want to call it. We are doing the ent and all of that jazz. He talks on the equivalance of a 12 m old. He is repeated setback after set back. I don't fool around when it comes to ears. We have done the chiropractor and now are doing no milk. we have him on allergy meds and a mucus reducer. And he is still getting ear infections. With my experience I wouldn't post pone it. Now my oldest hears fine he never had any ear infections after the tubes and It didn't hurt his ear drums. He is a normal adult with some minor speech problems. I will catch a problem word about once every 3 yrs. he is 22 and normal as can be.

My daughter got tubes at 15 months. She had had 9 ear infections in 7 months. We were hesitant, but during the hearing test she had during the diagnostic period she was already showing signs of hearing loss in her right ear. It was the BEST thing we have ever done for her. She has been like a different child. She is walking better (her balance was off dur to the fluid build up), she is talking much more, she is sleeping better at night, happier during the days. We were stunned at the immediate changes in her. Even her daycare lady says she is like a whole new baby-girl.

Good luck in whatever decision you make. Out ENT's got the records from our pediatrician, as well as did multiple tests themselves before we just made the decision. We tried chiropractic care three times, but there was no noticable difference. The tubes were given as an option before then, but we wanted to see all the options/testing first.

its really your call. if your gut thinks you should wait then do just that to see if now that spring is here and all. My son had 3 nasty ear infections back to back all winter and no help with antibiotics either. we saw ENT and we had the tubes put in on april 7th and he was 10 months old. he is doiing so much better. Thats not to say we didn't take precaution about surgery. i am glad we did habe the tubes put in becuase he is better off and i didn't want him to suffer any longer. the surgery itself takes no more than 10 mins and they are completley fine an hour after. we were home in under 2 hrs from check in to check out, suoer fast and great outcome from my experience anyway, good luck in whatevver you choose,

If your gut is telling you to wait, I'd wait. I went through something similar with my son. He is just now 2 and had the tubes put in. Of course each kid is different and we did have a nasty winter with lots of infections but I was glad we waited. we almost had it done when he was 1 but chose to wait. The problem with him was that the fluid never cleared up and we became concerned about him being able to hear and speak properly. Good luck!

I seriously don't understand not wanting to "make those changes"?! Eliminating or limiting dairy is good for every human being, and chiropractic care I will do for life, because as long as I have a spine there will be misalignments that cause nerve damage if left untreated! Chiropractic for the spine and nervous system is like dentistry for the teeth..take care of what you have!

Stick with the chiropractor for at least three months before the tubes decision is made. I've seen it work on all kids but one! And no surgery is "simple" or safer than the chiropractic care youre doing. Good luck!

I would say to make sure that her records are sent over from the pediatrician. Once that is done and make sure it is then, it is time for the ENT do go over her records. I would ask them to do that to see the consensus is with the ear infections and if they still deem it necessary to have tubes put in the ears. I would not compromise her hearing. My best friends son had 30% of his hearing because he had bad ear infections in both ears. It was better after the tubes but he continues to have ear issues because he was born with a deformed ear drum had a lot of fluids in his ears. He also had speech delay and speech impediments because of all his issues.

Hi - My son was two when got his tubes....but they can still get ear infections with tubes...my son is 4 and still has his tubes...he got a terrible ear infection and one of his ear drums ruptured...and his tubes are still in place.....so just beware, if she gets sick after tubes, don't rule out ear infections...I did and was really shocked that this happened.