Tubes

I would definately get the tubes. My daughter had an ear infection for 6 months, once she got the tubes, she never had another one! It was the best decision we ever made. It's very nerve racking sending them in, but well worth it. She hears much better after they were in and never had problems. Good luck!

I will tell you that my 2 year old just got tubes in her ear and she it a totally different kid! She is talking better then we thought and she can actually hear her rather than yelling to get her attention! I also have taken my older daughter to the chiro and that is why she does not have the tubes.

When we had our daughters tubes put in she was a totally different little girl!! She went from a sad (hurting) quiet non-talkative little thing to a bright cheerful person! I believe that she was in so much pain for so long it was her way of dealing with the pain. Yes surgery is scary but it doesnt take long & it is very much worth the scare. Think about how much pain your child is in all the time & compair that to a 1/2 hour of pain to yourrself!!! Very much woth the pain to you!

My daughter had to have tubes shortly after she was a year old. I was not happy with the issue. However, the doctor informed me that she had one to many ear infections. She said that I could hold off but she did not recommend it. My daughter did have the tubes done and has had only one ear infection since they were done in 2003. She had 6 in about 3 to 4 months. My daughter is now five and doing great with the ears. I truly recommend the tubes if the doctor recommends it. If you trust your doctor with your whole heart, like I do, listen and do the tubes. It is a little frustrating at times after surgery for ear plugs but trust me I would rather do the ear plugs instead of medicine everytime you turn around. My daughter would be in and clear of ear infection to go back the following week with another ear infection. It may also help her with talking as with ear infection, she is more than likely not hearing everything correctly. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

Hello J.. You have a tough decision. It would be so scarey if it were one of my children. But, a little relief for you....I'm 32 & had tubes put in when I was 4. I had lost 70% of my hearing due to chronic ear infections. It affected my speach as well. After I had the surgery, according to my parents, I never had an ear infection again. I am living proof that it is a good thing. I'm sure it is extremely frightening when it's your baby, but take comfort in the fact that she will never remember it & it's for her benefit. I was much older than your daughter & don't remember. Sorry you & your husband are faced with such an issue. I have 2 daughters, Maisa who is 4 in July & Tru who will be 2 April 13th. My husband & I are currently trying for a 3rd. He really wants that boy. I would love to have a son, but I believe all my hubby is shooting are girls. Oh well, as long as they are healthy we don't care.....but, I'm scared. I believe I'm "crazy" enough already. You will have to let me know how 3 are. God bless & good luck, D. Schnuelle

Hi J.,
I know what your going through. My son went through the same thing. He had numerous ear infections and the Dr told me that he needed them. I too had the same fears but also knew that my nephew had them and he was fine. So I thought it helped my nephew why not. So I took the chance and boy was i glad I did. I could not describe the differnce when my son had the tubes. He no longer had ear infections and plus his hearing was so much better. I was glad that I did it because if I didn't my son would still have problems hearing and we would still be going to the Dr office for his ear infections. It's up to you but i have heard good and bad things about them. If you would like to talk my email is ____@____.com
Let me know what u decide ok

I understand your apprehension. Talk to your doctor. I have two daughters. My oldest daughter had tubes at age six and it improved her ears greatly. She was getting ear infections like every two or three months. Since the tubes she has only had one or two. She's 11 now.

My youngest was getting ear infections about every four or five months. The ENT said she could go either way for tubes. We decided not to, and then she quit getting them!

It's hard to say. The more info you have the better. I'm sure you've been told that tubes are a very routine and minor surgery. My daughter was running around playing the night of the surgery. But, like I already said, I understand why you're nervous. It's hard to think about sending your baby away on a gurney.

Who is your doctor? Dr. Jane Emmanual with Boystown Pediatrics is who performed my oldest's surgery.

hello there im a mother of a child that has gone through two sets of tubes and i would say do the surgery thing cause it would help with eveything and all after the second set was placed in he can talk better and listen better and all so yeah i would say go ahead and get the surgery done and it would help with ear infections and help her talk better and all.. well if you have any more questions let me know ok..

M. coffin

My daughter just turned three in March and she hardly ever got sick up until the beggining of the year. She started getting ear infections one after the other. Sometimes both ears at once. Like may others we tried antibiotics over and over again, and they finally recommended I take her to an ENT. I did and she has been great ever since. Her attitiude and dispostion have changed so much. She had hers done on a Wednesday morning, and was the flower girl in my brother n laws wedding the following Saturday!

I totally understand your concerns. I went through it with 2 of my kids. I finally consented with the first at about 2 because she was constantly sick. It helped not another infection after that. With my 2nd I waited and she ended up with some hearing problems. I waited because they took her adnoids too. If I had to do it again I would do things differently. She ended up with the permanent ones. Things have improved greatly for her, but she still gets them, but not near as many. I'd advise you not to wait. My 2nd would not talk either and after the surgery we couldn't shut her up. Be prepaired for everyday sounds scaring her. Even a car running would get to mine. Good luck. As her mother you will always do what is best for her.

J.
My oldest son got tubes but in his ears when he was a 1 1/2 old. I had the same problem that he was having ear infections every month and I wouldn't know about them until I took him to the doctor for his check-up and she would say "by the way he has an ear infection." We never knew because they were that serious.
I completely recommend the tubes because after my son got them he didn't have another ear infection while he had them in his ears and after they came out he only had a few but it was very little and far between. He is now 9 years old and I can't remember the last time he had an ear infection.
Plus I had tubes when I was growing up and they helped me a lot too.
You can expect to be very careful when ever she takes a bath you will have to have ear plugs in her ears or if she goes swimming or anything around water. It is a pain to remember every single time but you get in the habit and it will be worth it in the end. I really hope that this helps you. Surgery only takes about 30 minutes to 1 1/2 just depends on the child. They are able to go home that same day and there is hardly any pain.
Good Luck and I hope that it works out for you like it did for me.
S.

Hi J.!
I am licensed daycare provider in Lincoln. While, none of my three children needed tubes in their ears, several of the daycare children that I care for have.

About a year ago, I had a little girl in my care who was going on two years of age. She did not speak except for some mumbling sounds. She too, had many ear infections. I discussed my concerns with her mother regarding her speech, since many other children her age begin saying a few words. Another thing we noticed was that unless she was looking at us, she did not respond when calling her name. We tested how loud we needed to say her name before she turned around and it was quite loud. She responded to my husbands voice at a bit lower level and his voice tone is very low.

This child's mother took her to a specialist and she had 100% loss of hearing in one ear and an 80% loss in the other due to the fluid build up. They opted to have the tubes put in and within the week, she was responding to sound and began saying words like "mom", "milk", "sister" and many more. By the end of the month, she said small sentences and would talk to herself non-stop. Whenever she heard a new sound, her eyes would light up and she would be so excited.

Recently, we encountered another child with similar issues and they too opted for tubes after seeing a specialist. He also has made great strides in his speech and development. He was 13 months when the tubes were placed in his ears.

I'm sure the thought of tubes is scary. However, your doctor should be able to explain all of the pros and cons so that you can make an informed decision.

Good Luck!

My daughter is 9 yrs old now but when she was 9 months old she had ear infections ALL the time. We had tubes put in her ears and they fell out about a year later but she didn't have another ear infection until she was 6 years old and hasn't had one since. I'd suggest you have them put in your daughters ears. Having had a few ear infections myself I know how painful they are and I would imagine the pain feels worse to an infant/toddler.
Best Wishes
S.

The biggest adjustment is the constant presence of ear plugs which can be difficult to insert initially but will quickly become part of your regular routine. My daughter (now 8) had chronic ear infections and her first set of tubes when in at 7 months! She eventually had tubes 3 times and her tonsils and adenoids removed. While the surgery aspect of our baby's is difficult - I remember the change in her being so positive it overrode any misgivings I might have orignally felt! In addition, I became aware of the pain she was in due to pressure. Just knowing she wouldn't have to endure this any longer made it all worthwhile.
I recently came across her infant ear plugs so felt compelled to respond to you. I will include you and your daughter in my prayers and am hopeful that your outcome is as positive as ours was!
p.s. - our procedures were all at BoysTown National Research Hosp. and they are VERY well equipped to deal with this type of situation. I highly recommend them for peds.! Good luck!

Get the tubes done. I had them as a child and they stopped my constant ear infections. The surgery is barely a surgery and takes no time at all. Your daughter will be fine. Let go of your worry and just concentrate on how much better your child will feel when she doesn't have to deal with ear infections all her life.

I had cronic ear infections when I was little. They hurt so bad. Breaking my ankle hurt less. I would put the tubes in. The infections may be affecting her hearing. My niece didn't talk until she was 22 months and my youngest son didn't talk until after he was two. I wouldn't worry about the talking but I'd do something about the infections. Good Luck!!!!

My little girl had tubes in February. She is 15 mo old now and to be honest, still gets ear infections all the time! The tubes, the dr told me, are only to allow the fluid to drain so it doesn't pool inside the ear. Which can cause hearing loss. Also it is so they can perscribe ear drops to clear up any further ear infections instead of putting the child on oral antibiotics all the time which can cause them to become immune to them. If you think your daughter might be expriencing problems with talking due to not hearing well, I would say definitely get the tubes! The surgury itself was quick and my daughter was better later that day. Good luck!

yes yes yes is all I can say to getting tubes done. My youngest daughter who just turned 3 in january was born with cronic ear infections. It felt like every two weeks we were in the Dr office or going to the ER with a high feaver. Finally at 10 months old I was given no more choice of medicines and had to get tubes put in her ear. not only did she start some babbling/cooing, she stood up a week later and began to walk! She is now 3 years old, with no problems at all. We had them removed in november of 06. She had wax build up in front of the tube, so it was either give oils to dulute the wax and hope the tubes were out or put her under for the removal and fix them if they were not out. They were out. The surgery is only 10-15 minutes. I know she was not gone long. So, again, my suggestion is YES with the tubes! They worked fab. in my daughter.

My 5 year old had lots of ear infections when she was younger and I wish I would have gotten tubes sooner. Since it was delayed not due to my actions, but to the doctors actions she has a lot of speech problems now. She is in speech therapy now and is doing a lot better. I would of course go through with it it's for the best.

Id go with the tubes, I have 2 girls one needed tubes the other not, anyway that could be why she don't talk. she may have a hard time hearing, also I have a good friend whos son just turned a year in Feb was not walking, after they puy tubes in he started "running!" but it is your child and you can only decide.

My son had many ear infections when he was little. His Dr. suggested waiting until he was two before we decided on putting tubes in his ears. I guess when they turn two their ears take a diffrent form and less ear infections can result from this. Needless to say when he turned two the ear infections stayed away!

Talk to your Dr. about this.

Good Luck
K.
ND

Hi
My son is 22 months old now and how tubes put in his about 10 months ago. He never had an ear infection but he ear canals are so tiny that fluid was always behind his ear drums and the ENT felt that it was affecting his hearing. This surgery was actually very short, like 15 minutes, and it was very easy. We had no problems after. He had major surgery when he was 5 months old, a largyngeal cleft-allowed fluid to leak into lungs, so this surgery seemed like nothing compared to the previous one. He does have to go back every four months to check tubes but we have never had a problem with them. My baby was away from me for less than an hour. If your child has issues with ears that could be a big reason for being non-vocal..Ear infections are painful and like I said there were no complications from our little guy's surgery. I am glad we didi it. ( He finaly passsed his hearing test after the tubes were put in.)

My middle son had lots of ear infections. as much as you feel bad for your poor 19month old having to get sergery again, its prob a good idea. Does your doctor check your daughters tonsils? they found out that it was my sons Tonsils that kept him getting ear infections.. once removed, the ear infections subsided then he eventually grew out of them. Some children according to my doctor just are prone to ear infections by the angle or shape of their ears. You are always intitled to another opinion from different doctors even on medicaid if I remember correctly. Hope that helps.

My daughter had tubes at 9 months. It was such a simple procedure, took less than 10 minutes, and she was a new baby later that day. It will help your daughter's speech as well. Lauren failed her hearing test, and they equated her hearing to us putting our fingers in our ears. If they can't hear well enough, they won't speak, either.

I would go for it. Another alternative you might try is chiropractic. I started taking Lauren to a chiropractor to help with allergies and chronic rhinitis, and she's a new baby. She's been off antibiotics for 42 days now!

Good luck!

My daughter had to have tubes put in her ears when she was 3. She also suffered from chronic ear infections and we decided that it would be the best course of action. I also was very afraid of my little one having to have such a big operation, but now that I look back, I should have had her surgery done sooner than we did. My daughter has permanent hearing loss because we waited too long. She's not deaf, but I notice it when I'm calling all the kids in from playing outside and if she's not looking at me she doesn't hear me as well.

I hope that you are able to come to terms with you surgery fears and if it is medically necessary go through with the surgery. Good luck! M. Drake

I have a 18 month old son and when he was 15 months old he got his first ear infection. I had been told by an ear doctor when I was in nursing school that chiropractors can help with ear infections. I took my son to one before we went to the doctor that day and had him adjusted. The next day he was a totally different kid. He was completely back to normal and sleeping through the night. My mom has a good friend that had a son with the same problem you are having. He had chronic ear infections and they were going to put tubes in his ears when she was told about the chiropractor. She took him and he never had another ear infection again. Needless to say he also never got tubes put in his ears. I hope this helps and good luck!!

Hi J.,

My twin boys were 18 months when we decided to go ahead with the tubes. They both were having chronic ear infections and not speaking as well. The surgeries went very smoothly and not soon after began talking. Not only did they begin to talk but they were much happier since they were no longer in pain from the infections. Good luck!

My son had chronic ear infections every other week starting at about 9 months old. I was so streseed out taking him to the doctor and trying to deal with daycare and work. I had a very conservative doctor that told me that we could get tubes but he was sure that when he reached two they would stop. I too was very scared about putting him under and getting the procedure done so I decided to trust my doctor and wait. Sure enough when he turned two he had maybe two more at the most and then they stopped. I know plenty of people who have went ahead and had the tubes put in and the child was fine but you have to do what is in your gut when it comes to this. The only thing that I was worried about in not getting them was possible hearing loss due to all the infections but my son is fine as far as hearing goes. Good luck.

My son was 18 months when he had tubes put in. He also suffered from chronic ear infections. I will say that the hardest thing I ever had to do was deciding to put him through a surgery (although it was minor) it still was I big decision. He is now four years old and has had only 1 ear infection since having the tubes put in. So in my son's case it was the best thing that we could of done for him. Watching him suffer from those nasty ear infections when he was young was a helpless feeling. So I would like to believe that I made the best decision, by having tubes put in his ears. I don't know if I helped you at all, but this was just my experience. Good Luck with whatever you choose to do!!

Hold out as long as you can -- my youngest (will be 2 on the 5th of April) had chronic ear infections, in fact he had an ear infection since the beginning of January and was on antibiotics for almost a whole month. I took him off any other medications he was on and put a vaporizer in his room. He has not been sick since the middle of February!! They do eventually grow out of it!

We even had an appointment with an ENT in Sioux Falls, who wanted to know why I wanted his ears checked -- uh Duh, he's sick all the stinkin' time!! Take her to the ENT but you don't have to have surgery if you don't want to!! You are the mom!

Hugs to you!
T.

I vote for tubes definately!! My son has had 2 sets of tubes. they handle that surgery really well! My son had his tubes put in early in the morning, took a long nap from the anesthesia and was back to his old self by that evening! I think that it would help her hearing because she might not be hearing things very well right now. Another thing, has your daughter had any sinus infections? My son battled with both sinus and ear infections and wasn't talking when he turned two. He had his adnoids out and tubes put in two months after his second birthday and now he talks up a storm! I wouldn't worry about the tubes too much though, getting tubes will be better for all of you!!! Hope this helps!

I know it is scary to think about a procedure like this for your little one but it is not really surgery. They only put the child to sleep while they lay the tube in place so that the child does not move. The child will grow out of the tubes and they fall out. You will have a different child in just a short amount of time after the procedure. However, if you are really afraid of this you should consider checking for allergies. That is what I did. I was so afraid to put my son under so I researched different allergies. I changed his milk to soy and treated him with oral allergy medication, which was prescribed by the physician. My son is now 7 and has not had an ear infection since 15 months old when I made the changes. My sister on the other hand had the tubes put in to my nefiew's ears (who is also 7 now) and she was very happy with the results. Both boys were happy after the changes. The important thing is if you are comfortable with it, go with it. If you are not comfortable with it then search for alternate methods of ending the ear infections. I wish you the best of luck.

C. B. 35,
2 children, 7 and 3

I am in your same boat. My son has had many ear infections. And we're due to have tubes put in next week. When you go to the dr's office, you'll see how very small these are. It's not like a real TUBE, but a little piece that keeps a small hole in the ear drum, so the fluid can come out- which prevents the ear infections. So just beware about the fluid coming out, because our dr says many parents complain about that. But that's what the tubes are meant to do.
The biggest push to make me decide to do that, is that the dr said, "His hearing is like he's underwater." And that hurt me as a mom, to think that my son hasn't FULLY heard me speak to him.
Another fear is, that many reports have said, that chronic ear infections can lead to a loss of hearing. And I'd hate to have my son lose his hearing, and deprive him of something he once had, and could have kept-- had I made the choice to get tubes.
Sorry, this is long and sounding like I'm trying to scare you. But I'm merely rambling off my own personal thoughts that I've had to deal with, with my own son.
I would suggest you do it. I am, but it is a personal choice. But my husband's a doc, and I trust him when he says it's very invasive. If the kids could sit still, they could do the procedure in the office. But they put the kids under to keep them calm and still.
GOOD LUCK!!

Hi! I had 2 children that needed tubes (one of them 3 times). We had tried antibiotics over and over, but nothing would help, then my son's eardrum burst. If he had tubes placed sooner, that wouldn't have happened. Now he has very mild hearing loss from his eardrum rupturing (that happened twice). I also agree with the other moms when they say it is a mild procedure and you will see a totally different child afterward. I bet she starts talking soon after if you choose to have it done. I would definately have it done, and not wait if the ear infections are frequent and severe. Good luck.

Dear Jodie,
I had the same situation with my daughter only I did not do it, then when she started school she needed speech because she couldn't pronounce her r sound, doctor said that is because she couldn't hear properly, so I wish I had done it when she was small, I ended up doing it when she was 5 instead of a baby and I regrett it because then she ended up having her adnoids and tonsils out too. that is my experience with it I hope it helps

I'd do it in a heartbeat. Of my 3 sons, my oldest had constant ear infections but didn't get tubes til he was almost 5. Looking back, I wish I'd pushed for it. My 2nd son had constant fluid, but no infections. This affected his speech. He had tubes in at 4 and again, I wish we'd done it sooner. Son #3 started having ear infections and after proving it was an issue, we went for the tubes. Once again, quick and easy surgery, and it has been fantastic. His life is so much easier now - the pain is gone, there's not the constant exposure to antibiotics, he sleeps better, this protects him from the speech delays my 2nd son had. As long as there's a reason for it, I'd say it's very beneficial.

J.
I know it is extremely scary to let go your child and know some one else is in control. We fought constant ear infections in my son until last may when we went with tubes as he had been on 4 different antibiotics and our Doc said their wasn't anything else he could have . I was scared to death as we waited a very long time to have him and he is our only one we can have. The procedure took at most ten minutes and i was back in reccoery with him. Within 2-3 days his talking or sounds had greatly improved. My doc explained that when they have constant infections it's like their under water and the sounds they hear are muffled. We could see what he meant after we saw the pre-op hearing test they did. his one ear was so full of fluid. I hope this helps but is scary to know their under. Although my doc said it's a light sedation mainly because they won't lay still.Hope this helps! D.

I highly recomend tubes!!! My 3 year old had tubes tonsils and adnoid surgery before he was 2 and turned into a different child! He has only had maybe 2 ear infections since. My 1 year old nephew just got the tubes in and he was in and out of the hospital within a couple hours. The procedure by itself isn't anything at all. He also had severe ear infections and he can't hear or talk now and he may have to have hearing aids for life. You need to look at the side effects if she doesn't get them. It could cause permenant scarring and if she gets them you could avoid all of that. It is a very simple procedure and well worth her hearing. She will probably start talking up a storm after she gets them because she will be able to hear clearly! Contact me if you want to know more!! A.