Tubes in the Ears

Hello. My son had tubes put in his ears and we has had no problems as a matter of fact he had this done when he was 2 and he is now 4. He has not had an ear infection since then. This was the best thing that i think we could have done for him. Good luck!

My son was 3 when he had tubes put in. The thing I remember the most was how sensitive to sound he was after it was over. For about two weeks he couldn't handle anything that was loud. Fun thing was the stuff he seemed to hear for the first time. As in the fridge running!

I would be scared too. I wouldn't allow that for my child.
You should check into herbal therapy. There is a doctor who's name escapes me now, but she was having ear problems, and began putting lavendar in her ears, at the top of the ear, on the inside, and she said that it took awhile, but eventually her problem went completely away. I saw that on the tele, but have used oils and herbs with much success.
My husband had his adnoids removed, and had tubes in his ears, and to this day has lots of trouble with his ears.
I wouldn't let a doctor in this state, or any other, for that matter, touch me. No way!
Again, I'm going to post this link because I think everyone should know about it, because we are treating illnesses we wouldn't have without this, so here goes:
www.chemtrailshallofshame.com . You can find a wealth of info on things that are being discovered due to what is put in our air, water, and food. You can rid your body of this stuff with bentonite, and psyllium.

Good luck.

You will be so glad when she gets them. My 2 yr old has them and has for a year. He talks better and runs better than my 5 yr did. I wished they would have been more ascertive with getting tubes for the oldest boy. It is a fast and easy process. Scary for sure but just because we are Mom's.

My son had tubes put in about 3 weeks ago. He was 10 months old. I cried when they took him back, but by the time i got sat down in the waiting room they were calling me to come back because he was done. It went really well. Your ENT may or may not tell you that children are usually very cranky when they are coming out of surgery due to the meds and being sleepy. As adults we know how to deal with those side effects but children do not so they just cry. You may also want to take a sippy cup with juice or water so she can sip on it after surgery to make sure that she is going to be able to keep it down. Hope everything goes well.!!

Hi, M.,

Please don't worry about your baby getting brain damage. Putting tubes in the ears is a VERY simple procedure and will definitely benefit your baby! I am a medical student going to USA and I would be happy to share with you what I know. Here's how it will work:

When you look into a person's ears, the tympanic membrane (eardrum) is a round, clear structure that looks alot like a bubble from bubble wrap. On the other side of the membrane, you can make out the very tiny bones that your body uses to amplify sounds that come into your ear canal (so you can hear even the tiniest noises more easily). Behind the eardrum is fluid that not only protects those structures, but is also used in helping your body maintain balance. Sometimes your ears don't keep this fluid in check and it can build up, putting pressure on the eardrum and causing it to bulge. Not only is it uncomfortable, but it can affect your body's senses of balance and hearing. Now imagine looking at that eardrum and pretending to cut it into 1/4s...much like drawing a cross on the eardrum. The tubes will be placed in the bottom, rear quadrant of the eardrums (towards the back of the head), far enough away to keep from hitting any of the tiny bones or other important structures that I mentioned earlier. This procedure is done all of the time. I know that you are worried. I have a 7-year-old myself (she's my only one as well), but I assure you that your baby will be just fine. Good luck and I hope that this helps! : )

J.

My oldest son is now 14 almost 15 in May, he had 1 set of tubes, my youngest son had 3 sets of tubes,he is now 8, they had no trouble with their tubes being put in I think your child will be ok. I have never heard of any problems with this procedure, but like with any surgery their is risks. The GOOD outweighs the BAD.I hope I helped ease your mind.

My son turned 14 months old this month and he is scheduled for tubes April 9th. I am very excited. He was in the ER Sunday morning with a fever of 105..again. It's because of his ears! I'm ready for this procedure so he will walk better and not have to be on medicine all the time or be in pain! There are always pros and cons. But with tubes, I see more good things to come than bad. We have already had tubes put into his tear ducts for clogged ducts. They were in for 6 weeks and then removed. Everyone thought it was crazy but I went with what I felt was best for my son. And I'm glad I did. His eyes are better now. I hope you do what you feel is best, as her mother. Good Luck.

I have 5 children and all had to have tubes in their ears. One of mine had to have two sets because the first set failed, but then they put in a new set and took out his adenoids and he was ear infection free after that. I was scared also, but it made a world of difference in their lives. They went from pain and suffering to painfree in one day. My son's hearing had been affected by his ear infections and he was able to hear again after getting his tubes, even with the first set (until they plugged up and failed). They are now all grownups, the youngest two are 21 and it was worth it. Both my husband and I suffered from horrible ear infections as children and our children all inherited the same tendencies. There is always a "worst-case " scenerio. Just don't put too much weight on the unusual exceptions. I could walk outside today and a car could leave the road and hit me.....yes, that sometimes happens, but that is not the expected outcome of walking outside. We have to put some trust in a loving and caring God. Make a list of the pro's and con's of getting the tubes put in, and pray about it. You will make the right decision for your daughter.

Don't worry so much. It is a simple procedure. I haven't seen any articles about it and brain damage, and I can't imagine how it happened. They don't even use "anesthesia" per say. They give them a "baby coctail" that makes them really loopy! They don't "go under" like you would for other surgeries. I get the same way on ANY type of pain medication, although I don't remember what's in it.

The biggest thing I'd prepare for is when the medication wears off. They get very scared and disoriented when it does and some kids scream like they're dying, some cry a whole bunch, and some throw huge temper tantrums. We had one who had temper tantrums and another who cried his head off. Other than that, you have to keep their heads dry and wear earplugs when swimmig for a while, and that's about it.

I know it's nerve racking to think about your child getting "cut on" even when it's a little procedure. You're perfectly normal to worry some. Best wishes.

Hello

My 4-yr-old had tubes put in her ears when she was 8 months old. It was the BEST thing we did. She kept them in a lot longer than anticipated, she currently doesn't have them. BUT, she hasn't needed to have them put back in per her doctor. The surgery was quick, and she had NO ill effects and recovery was non-existent. You would have never known she had a surgery except for a little dried blood in her ear canal. The doctor said her ears were so much worse than they thought and just filled with infection. I am completely a tube supporter, having it be such a success for my daughter.

My daughter had tubes in her ears around the same age. She was pefectly fine. She began talking and hearing much better. I googled your doctor online and I am pasting the website I found for him. You can look and see reviews and ratings and his stats. Here is the website. http://www.healthgrades.com/directory_search/physician/pr...

The only thing that happened to my daughter was that her ears did drain and a little blood was there. Keep in mind that they are making an incision in their ear so the healing is going to have some drainage with blood. Nothing to worry about it is common. I highly recomend tubes. My brother never got them and ended up going to many speech classes and even had trouble writing and spelling all due to his hearing. My daughter is now 3 and NEVER stops talking and can already trace letters and numbers. She recognizes all of the letters of the alphabet and can count to 20. Hopefully that is some good hope for you.

Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.
Let me know how she does.

T.

Hi M.,

Don't worry!! My son was only 10 months went her had his tubes put in.My gues is you are going through ear infection after infection!! Tubes are better and she will be so much better afterwards! The proceedure only takes like 20 mins. total then she will be in recovery.I do have only one warning that is after it is over beware and ready for her to vomit from the meds they use to put her to sleep it is normal but they sometimes don't tell you and it is better to be ready!She will also be ready to drink something,I had his bottle handy.As long as you trust your doctor there is no need for extra worry...Hope this helps H.

My son is 21 months old and is on his 3rd set of tubes already. We have had two different doctors perform the procedure and both have done an excellent job. My son came through each procedure without any complications. Just make sure your doctor is certified and has experienced and can answer all of your questions. The hard part is all the goo that comes out of his ears. It can get pretty gross. Sorry, I haven't heard anything on your Dr. We are in Oklahoma City and Dr. Mark Woods was the first doctor we saw at the Otological Center(he stopped taking our insurance so we had to change doctors) Dr. Sigmon is who we see now, he is at Baptist Medical Center and I really like him. Good luck and your baby will be just fine. I will keep you in my prayers for a successful procedure.

My daughter who is now 4 had tubes put in right before her 3rd birthday. Everything went fine. The only problem we had and this was normal was that she screamed for about an hour after surgery from the anesthesia. The doctor who did it said that was normal because kids usually react in one of two ways to the laughing gas they either scream or laugh & act goofy. You have to trust your doctor. The article you read probably had some kind of freak side effect that only effects 1 in 1,000,000,000 kids. Every surgery has its risk but if you trust your doctor that is all that should matter. My daugther has Muscular Dystrophy so I was really scared but she is perfectly fine now and has had no real ear problems since her tubes fell out. Hope this helps.

My daughter had tubes placed in her ears when she was 18 months old (she's now 7). Things went well for us. I've found that the best ear plugs to use (for bathing, swimming, and etc.) are the wax type sold at lg stores (like Wal-mart). They are much cheaper (About $3.00) in comparison to the earplugs sold by your doctor. As far as the surgery goes, I hope things go well. As a mother, I know it is very scary. As a RN, I can tell you that the story of the brain damaged boy is a very, very rare occurrence for this procedure. Please discuss all concerns thoroughly with your doctor before the procedure. Just keep in mind that your child will have little, or no, ear infections after this procedure. You may also see an improvement in your child's vocabulary, as they are able to hear better. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Hi,

My second son had his tubes done when he was 2 &1/2. I was so nervous I was sick to my stomach. They took him back and around 30 minutes later it was done. Adenoids out and tubes in. When we went to the recovery room I could here him before I could see him. He was SCREAMING! I took him and he fell asleep almost instantly and I held him and he was breathing really bad (raspy) and they told me to hit him on the back so it would clear up all the mucus. He woke up about 45 minutes later and we left. We had an hour drive and he stayed awake the whole time. I thought for sure we would use the Tylenol w/codeine. He never needed it. No fever, no hurt, nothing. One little thing. He doesn't like loud noises anymore. If we had the tv up to loud or the phone would ring and he covers his ears and says "too loud". Also, he used to love trains and big trucks and now he cries whenever he hears them and covers his ears. In May will be his one year anniversary and his tubes are still in. He talks better (doesn't listen any better LOL) and doesn't mumble or get ear infection after ear infection after ear infection.

Hope this helps and its ok to be nervous!

K.

My daughter had tubes put in, her adenoids and tonsils removed two years ago all at the same time. She came out just fine. It was harder on me (her surgery) than it was on her. The most important thing is to check into your doctor. I was fortunate that the doctor who did my daughter's tubes also did mine when I was her age, so I knew his work and bed side manner as well. I think the case that you heard about was very unusual. Good luck to you and remember it is important to put your trust in God and he will make everything ok.

Im was in the same boat. I was sexually abused as a child and was told I would never have one. But I had 2 (now 9 and 6). My oldest one was sick from the day she was born, had surgery on her stomach at 2, etc. etc. etc.but she is alot better now. To get the point. Both of my daughters have had 2 sets of tubes in there ears, and the oldest one had her tonsils and adnoids out not long after the 2nd set of tubes went in.

All 4 sets went well. You have to keep them kinda calm for the first couple of days. They can bleed a little espcecially if they have to install them while the child has an infection. They may drain quiet a bit the 1st day if there is alot of fluid in there. But after all that.... they are wonderful. And if they end up with an infection, you use ear drops instead of oral stuff (which I think gets more to the root of the problem. Also, when they are old enough to chew gum and not swallow it. It will help to chew gum. As young children the tube is horizontal in the ear. Therefore setting up and infection is easy because the fluid cant move(chewing gum keeps the fluid moving per our pediatrician). As they get older the tube begins to go vertical and it can drain on its on. Hope this helps.

I have had to do the tubes with 2 of my 4 children, the oldest and youngest. It is so fast and quick, it took them a total of 15 minutes to do the whole procedure in both ears!!My oldest was 4 when they put them in and that was back in 1994 so this has been a very common procedure going on a long time. My youngest had them put in twice, once at 9 months and then again at 3 years old. He hasn't had any problems since.Just make sure you have a good doctor and tell him your concerns so he can put your mind at ease. It really does help the child.

My son was 14 1/2 months old when he had tubes put in his ears. They had told me at the time that when it was over, he'd wake up screaming, as all kids did. If not, he'd be the first. Well, he was the first one to wake up with a smile on his face. It was more nerve wracking for me & my husband than it was for our son. The only thing was they forgot to give him ear plugs after the procedure. We got those at a follow-up visit and he's been wonderful ever since. He's about to turn 5, still has both tubes and maybe only 1 ear infection a year afterwards. Just be up front and honest with your child's ENT or whomever is going to do the procedure. Most offices are great at calming the parent's fears as well as the child's. Good luck.

Our oldest, who is now three, had ear tube surgery right after her 2nd birthday. She did great during the whole procedure - I was so pleasantly surprised! She had to have them both replaced after only one month though, b/c they got clogged. This last year has been so great not having to deal with her having ear infections. All I can say is I wish we had listened to the dr.'s advice and done the surgery sooner! Hope that all goes well for your little one!

My son was 8 months and 1 day old when he had his tubes put in and he is 2 years 2 months now with the same set. One is out of the canal and we go for our next check-up in July when they possibly will be removed. It was a life saver for us. He had constant ear infections to the point his ear drum burst. He did really well in surgery- in and out. We even went to my neices birthday party that evening. I know it is hard not to worry. I cried when the took him back. But it was the best thing we could have done for him to stop his constant suffering.

My 6 year old little girl had them once when she was 1 year old and again when she was 3 years old. With the second set she also had her adenoids taken out. She had constant ear infections from about 3 months til she was about 4 1/2. The tubes just made the infections a lot more treatable and allowed them to drain. She had a wonderful recovery!
Have you checked with others to see if your doctor has a good reputation? I would check on that, but I would expect nothing, but good changes. I know it is difficult to have your little one go through any kind of procedure or surgery.
I will pray for you both right now.

DRAINAGE: Don't be surprised if there is drainage from the ears. My son got tubes at 17 months. It looked like he blew his nose...but it was coming out his ears all day long. Gross stuff! But the good news is that it's coming out...which is the goal. Before tubes, all that infection was caught up in their ears with no place to go, causing pain. Use the drops your ENT gives you, and if the drainage doesn't seem to lessen after several weeks, tell then ENT and they may try another kind of drop. Our 2nd drop was a hit, and he's been SO much healthier since tubes.

Both my boys have them - in fact my oldest boy is seeing the ENT today for what will probably be his 3rd set of tubes - yuk!

The surgery is EASY - like 10 minutes away from your baby and they bring them back. It works miracles! I highly recommend the proceedure if you are having problems. Mine recovered in a few hours and acted as if nothing happened.

THe only downside is that water is sensitive to them. My boys hate to have their hair washed and don't get their heads wet at the pool - but I'm sure it's not forever!

Both of my babies have had tubes. For the first one I cried because I did not want my baby to go through surgery, but it was the best thing I could have done for him. When they are little they don't even realize that anything happened to them. Believe me you'll be glad that you did it.

My son had tubes put in his ears when he was a little over a year. The procedure went really well! I notice a huge difference, he started talking more, because he could hear better. And still to this day hasn't had an ear infection. It's only natural to be nervous, I was too, but I'm sure everything will be just fine. I'll be praying for you and your little girl.

Hi M.!
My son, now 7, had tubes put in his ears at aboutyour child's age. My nephew had his tubes 3 times as they kept falling out. The procedure took enough time to allow me to go to the bathroom, & poof they were finished! He had one fall out at home about a year later, I panicked as my nephew had had bad history with his tubes, but we went back to the doctor & she said he was fine and didn't think it needed replacing. When we went for his annual check up the other tube was gone, where I don't know. His doctor said the ears looked good & did not recommend having tubes done again. So far no more ear problems.

About me: I am a 42 yr. old mom, surprised and blessed to have my son. I was diagnosed with MS in 1993 & told I could not have children. Then in 1999, I was told I had been stable long enough, so have a baby. We did!
Good luck on Fri., you will be surprised at the amount of time it takes. 5-10 minutes, or at least that's what took the Little Rock doctor.

Let me start off by saying there are risks in every procedure and i am sure it was the anesthsia that caused brain damage... some people have problems with that... having said that i am a mother to a vibrant 6 year old boy... who was having a problems with his ears at two years of age... i waited and waited not wanting to have the procedure and almost ruined my son's hearing.... he has some scar tissue on his ear drums and thank god it hasn't impaired his learning or i would never forgive myself the damage is minimal and he talks louder than normal... my recommendation is do it, it could mean the difference in your child's hearing and learning believe me you don't want to have the feeling that you caused your child harm....

My daughter had tubes put in at about 18 months old and it really helped a lot. She did get one ear infection after the surgery but the tubes did their job and drained the fluid and it was not even close to the horrible, painful ones that she experienced before the tubes. I have to say it was a very scary experience and I dreaded the surgery and even put it off because I was so terrified that something would go wrong. It doesn't matter how minor or routine the surgery is, when you are a parent and your child is being wheeled out of the room for surgery, your heart is going to break a little bit. She did just great though! She was pretty cranky when the anasthesia wore off but once we left the hospital we went to McDonalds and she ate the most incredible plate of food and never even napped after that....just business as usual for her. Remind yourslef that those cases where something goes wrong are EXTREMELY rare and put them out of your mind. Buy her a special stuffed animal that she can take to the hospital and take some moral support to be with you during the surgery. It is very scary but she will be just fine. Good luck and don't forget keep us updated.

Also, post surgery, the doctors used to recommend ear plugs for them everytime they swim or bathed but our ENT told us that they have quit doing that and you no longer have to fight that battle!! Make sure you ask your doctor just to make sure. I was so happy to hear that because I was really dreading trying to keep those in her ears!

Mine had hers done at 2 years. The first thing you need to know is to have someone with YOU as she has the procedure done. They will first medicate her, this was hard for me because my little one was so "out of it" and that was hard to watch. Everything went very smooth after that....they usually cry when they come out of the anethesia just because of the disorientation but they are not in pain. When we first got home....it is funny to look back on but at the time it was upsetting. My smoke alarms went off (grilled cheese)....she could hear them a little too well....then a B-17 plane went over our house at a couple of hundred feet....she always loved to watch that (they did it from the airport quite often) (she loved the opays(airplanes) but after she could hear it....well she was screaming and the smoke alarm was going off and we went outside only to hear the plane going right overhead. Not a good first day of hearing. Then a week later she tells me she has a rock in her ear? She said a little girl at daycare put it in there...we went to the Doctor and sure enough a small pebble was in her left ear. We scheduled another surgery to get that out two days later....when we got to the hospital on a Wednesday there was a rock in her right ear...the daycare worker told me later she thought the baby was just pulling at her ear because of the tube....not so...she was putting the rocks in her ears I guess she just wasn't that fond of everything being so loud now. But aside from all that post drama getting the tubes was the best thing in the world for her. She immediately started talking in a language we could all understand and no more infections or ear aches.
So relax and know that, just as with any medical procedure, there is usually a small percentage of chance there could be a complication. I decided her being able to hear the world, communicate, and no longer suffer was worth that risk. Your doctor should be able to explain better the miniscule percentage of risk from any surgery.
B.

My son had tubes on Feb. 12th. He is doing great. He has not had an ear infection since he got tubes. He was haveing them constantly, in fact we were going to the doctor every week. It was so nice not to go to the doctor for two months until his one year check up. Hope everything goes good for you and your baby.

Hi M., When my dtr was 2yrs old, she was supposed to have tubes placed in her ears. I kept her from having tubes in her ears by "rubbing her feet" which i learned from a Christian reflexologist by the name of Sharon. We avoided tubes and it was awesome. She had fewer ear infections and it was great. Prior to reflexology, she had many infections. I rubbed her hands also and laid her on her back and rotated her legs gently outward at the hips. It allows the fluid to drain in the lymph system. If you try it, i think you will be happy with the results. If you want any more details, let me know. Thank you. Felicia ###-###-#### cell

Our son had 3 sets of turbes by the time he was 5 and the 1st set at about 6 mos. I was a nervous wreck also before hand. Everything went well and he noticeably felt better (hearing and ear pain) during the evening of each procedure. When he was in recovery he seemed unable to be consoled and would just toss around in your arms and cry really bad. I had heard and the nurses said this is normal because they are so disoriented. After sleeping on the way home, he was perfect! I bet your baby will do the same .. good luck!

Hi M., both my boys had tubes in their ears and there were no complications. As they grow the tubes fall out and generally during their sleep. The tubes are commonly used for small children who have chronic ear infections and it keeps scar tissue from building up to prevent them from hearing loss, which was the case for my first son. The tubes were used on my second son due to chronic sinus congestion that prevented him from hearing. The only thing I had to do different once the tubes were in place, was prevent them from getting wet. At that time there was little on the market for this so I would use cotton balls rolled in vaseline for bath time and swimming. Now I believe they sell a putty that can be placed in their ears for this.

The doctor we used was very good and with any doctor I checked out his credentials and looked to see if he had any complaints filed through the AMA.

This was years and years ago. Their hearing is fine. The boys are now grown and doing well.

There is always risk with any procedure, I don't know what went wrong in the article you read...but this is something very, very rare.

I wish you luck, let us know how he does.
Cheers,
M. M.

My son has had 2 sets of tubes and he is fine. The hardest part for me was letting him go to the back. When they gave him the sedative before going to the back he was so groggy it was sad. He came out crying alot after he woke up. The second set of tubes was when he was 18 months old. He was sleepy and grumpy the rest of the day but the next day he was fine. Don't forget for the following two weeks to put cotton in the ears when he gets wet. After that don't worry about them unless he is going to be in dirty water or he pulls at his ears.

I know a lot of kids that have had this done and they are all ok. I would really question your doctor about this procedure. My little one had his adenoids taken out before he was two and the doctor reassured us and even prayed with us before the surgery. I wouldn't worry, easy to say :o), just talk to your doctor.

Two of my three children had tubes - both at 10 months of age. The procedure lasted a few minutes. The experience was different with each child, but I have no regrets. The first one to get tubes, had lots of fluid. (more problems with fluid than infections) She was such a fussy baby and in pain all of the time. I said to the doctor at the 2 week check up "I don't know what you did with the child I gave you, but I'm keeping this one." She started crawling and sleeping through the night within two weeks of the surgery. I could tell that her hearing had improved significantly because the doorbell, phone and creak of the stairs would awaken her. She got instant relief, so she came out of the surgery happy. My next child to get tubes had constant infections. She was clear the day of the surgery, so she was a bit miffed that we "did that to her". She cried after the surgery and seemed mad at me for several days. She, too started sleeping through the night within two weeks of the surgery. It has been 5 years since my first child had tubes. Neither child has had many ear infections or problems since. Good luck!

My daughter had to have tubes in her ears when she was 16 months. I would suggest that you ask the doctor about how many procedures he/she has done, and then if you have any negative vibes to check with another doctor.

My son had them, but not until he was three. The procedure was very quick, I barely had time to get nervous in the waiting room and he was done! Try to be as calm as possible around your little one; they pick up on our feelings and if you are really nervous, she will be too. Also, pray. There is no better way to keep yourself at peace.

All the best to you and your little one!

M.,
Don't be afraid. Just make sure you have a good DR. in that field. All of my grandkids have had to get them and it was a breeze for them all. You will be happy with the results!
Good Luck,
D. (NaNa)

I think my son was a year or two. I was kind of scared to get this done before he was born, but I went ahead and got it done. but I might need to that again, but it is fairly expensive for us. But While I had the tubes in my ears, WOW. I heard things better then I do now. But I don't know if it is something inhertited with me or not. But after the tubes (fell out, Disappeared,) Can't remember what they did, but after They went away, I Was doing quite well. But now, I think I hear a little better. But I feel ike it is the same, But like i said, That might be due to other members in my family being hard of hearing. It felt weird getting the tubes put in. Might be a little pressure, BUT I had ear wax in one of my ears, and I did not know that was going to hurt. LOL. But after that. If your family doesn't have the problems of hearing troubles it should be a big help.

On the baby, They said you would never have one? I had an aunt that was the same way. and she had 3 babies. Congratulation on your baby. and Best of luck to you.

Hi M.,

I would be scared too! There are so many natural things out there that do not have the terrible side-effects you get from traditional medications and surgery.

I do not know why doctors do not tell parents about things at the health food store. My son will be 3 in May and has never had to have a single medication thanks to natural remedies. My kids had ear infections and the doctors tried to give anti-biotics but it is FACT that MOST ear infections are viral and antibiotics do not do a thing for them. You can get ear drops at any health food store that have herbs in their to take care of the viral ear infections.

Hope this helps!

Our 2nd child had tubes put in when she was about 3 months old. The tubes stayed in about 2 weeks because the fluid was so thick it pulled them out. We had tubes put in a 2nd time, they stayed in until she was about 18 months old and they came out, which is normal. She had another bout of ear infection and the ENT wanted to put "butterfly" tubes in which would have to be surgically removed when the doctor thought it was time. I refused them because a friend of mine had a son that had those inserted and they were in for too long of a time that caused deterioration of his ear drum and had to have skin graphs. He lost some of his hearing.

I thought the tubes were a good thing in the beginning. And they did help...but after the advice to get the 'butterfly' tubes, the best thing we found was believing in God for her ears to be healed. She may have had a earache every once in a while, but no infections. She is now 21 and doing great!

ALWAYS ask question of your doctor and share the concerns you have of the procedure. The only thing I can remember that was a big scare for me was the medicine that was given to our daughter the first time she had tubes. The medication was to cause her not to aspirate during surgery. I believe she was given too much for her age. When she came out of surgery, she was really hard to handle with her arching her back, stiffening her legs, and not being really responsive to her bottle. They tried to assure me that the medicine would wear off and she would be fine. We lived 50 miles from the hospital and I told them we weren't leaving until I knew she was alright. We were admitted in the hospital (out patient basis) until she was acting normal (playing, drinking her bottle, etc.) Out patient basis is any time under 24 hrs. stay in the hospital.

First and foremost, trust in God...He will always direct you in the right decision to make. Good luck!

M.,

I know that it is a simple procedure but is it necessary. Doctors have gotten to where they do this so routinely that they don't explore other options. I took my son to an ENT about a month ago with another severe ear infection. with in 5 minutes he was talking tubes. I politely told him NO and I took my son to an allergist. Now he is fine and he didnt have surgery. I have a friend that wore hearing aids in kindergarten because the tubes did not come out on their own and when they are removed it leaves a hole in the ear drum.
My advice is to explore other options. Then if it is a must, it would be worth the risk.

We put tubes in my son's ears about a year ago and he is 19 months old. The procedure went fine, it is really quick. Just make sure you have a doctor with a good reputation. It was one of the best decisions we made.