My 5 yr old has had his share of ear infections. He's had 3 in the past 6 months. Before that he's had some every year..don't know exactly how often.I am aware that to many antibiotics are not good for children. I also don't know much about tubes except they have their own advantages and disadvantages. They prevent ear infections. However, they fall out in a year, (I've heard) (and I guess than need to be replaced if child continues to have problems?) You also (I've heard) have to have the child take baths real carefully. (and what about swimming..is that a real pain?). I am trying to decide about tubes. Are they recommended? Are there any other options? How many ear infections did your child have before you decided to have tubes put in their ear? thanks. My child turns 6 this month. Doc says anatomy will change as child grows and infections will be less often..at what age should I see this change?? (the fluid should drain out more easily as a certain part becomes more "steep" instead of "horizontal".
My daughter had repeated ear infections. I had tubes put in her ears at her pediatrician's recommendation. She never had another ear infection. They fall out in a year - they are SUPPOSED to do that.
I bought soft foam ear plugs for her for washing her hair and swimming - the kind that you can mold to the shape of the ear and get a tight fit. It took all of ten seconds to put them in - not a big deal.
My son had tubes at 18 mos . One stayed in 2.5 years and the other 3 years and they didn't have to be replaced (he's 7 now).
With the current ear infection- are you sure the infection is completely gone after the round of antibiotics are finished? My experience was that some will linger even though symptoms may not be present. Be sure to take your son back in when he finishes a round of antibiotics to get an ear check. It's possible it's still present, and a different type of antibiotic may be more effective to completely clear it up.
Anyway, the tubes changed my son's life. He was allergic to common antibiotics, so when he got tubes, he didn't have to take oral antibiotics anymore (kids with tubes get antibiotic drops instead). He went from having a constant ear infection to 1 infection 3 years with the tubes. A child with tubes can swim in chlorine/treated pools (same goes with bath water that's not well water). You just have to stay away from untreated water- like ponds and rivers.
Honestly if it were me, and unless he has seasonal allergies, I would see how it goes over the spring and summer. Viruses and sickness increase the risk of a secondary ear infection, so with spring/summer, kids don't get exposed to as many viruses. However, if it gets too unbearable, reconsider the tubes.
Hope this helps!
As you say, tubes are problematic - they don't "prevent" ear infections although they may reduce the likelihood. However, they do fall out and have all the other issues you mentioned. Some doctors don't even recommend them anymore, feeling that it was an overdone "bandaid" approach.
Have you considered more natural means of strengthening your child's immune system? I have so many friends who've done this - one child was on antibiotics all the time (he was sick for 3 weeks out of 4 for an entire year), and another was supposed to have tubes for the same reasons as yours, but 20 years later she's never been sick again. I haven't been sick myself - I had a lot of ear problems related to colds and allergies, and they are now non-existent. I don't remember the last time I took any medication either prescription or over the counter for any of this.
I do education in this area and would be happy to give you more advice. There is phenomenal work being done on immunity and in reducing inflammation all over the body (ears, intestinal tract, bronchial tubes and everywhere else) with a plant-based peptide. The scientific papers are uniform in their agreement about results. I go to seminars all the time and the evidence keeps building - but over the past 17 years, there have been zero side effects or problems. It might take a few months to kick in (sometimes it's faster in children) but, really… what if??
Usually you hear about ear tubes for kids between the ages of 1 to 3 yrs old.
Most don't need them by 6 yrs old because their anatomy by that age has already grown/changed enough for the ear fluid to drain without additional help.
By 6 yrs old the most frequent surgery that helps with preventing ear infections changes to having the tonsils and adenoids removed.
Our son had tonsils/adenoids out soon as he turned 4 yrs old not because they were infected but because his tonsils had swollen up to become obstructions.
They were huge and almost touched each other across the back of hos mouth.
He snored something awful and had trouble eating and swallowing.
If I were you I'd see about getting a second opinion.
Your child could also have adenoid problems. My kids both had tubes and adenoids removed. My daughter was 14 months old and my son 6 months old for the first set of tubes. He continued to have some issues until they removed his adenoids at 21/2 years and another set of tubes.
Both had very large adenoids and the doctor said that no matter how much antibiotic they had it would never get rid of the infection because of their adenoids. After they had them removed and tubes neither had any ear issues again.
I would encourage you to see an ENT. They can tell you more about this. Before my daughter had her surgery, she was suffering from hearing loss. This was cleared up after her surgery. Best decision we ever made with our kids.
Hi D.,
I have seen incredibly good results with chiropractic care. Not only will it help his ear infections, but when the neurological system is working at its optimum level, the immune system will improve and prevent all those other nasty things that go around. Tubes might alleviate the problem short term, but they can create scar tissue and can cause hearing to decline at an accelerated pace. My pediatrician wanted to put tubes in my oldest daughters ears, and after regular chiropractic care, we only saw one more infection ( a mild one) two years later. In the natural community, this is common knowledge....
If you don't know one, go to upcspine.com and find one in your area. Interview them just like you would a doctor. If they don't understand that chiropractic boosts the immune system, leave. Your in the wrong place. You'll know as soo as. You talk to them. I promise you'll see results!
God bless,
M.
Getting tubes is not a big deal. They are infintesimally tiny and the kids are playing like normal a few hours later. but consider trying a pediatric chiropractor first. My cowokers's child had been on antibiotics for nearly a full year, had the tubes and still had infections. 2 trips to the chiropractor and the child's infections cleared up and stopped. Once he went through a few weeks of every other day he was going once a month, and eventually once every 2-3 months. His mom was astonished - she went to the chiropractor as a last ditch, what-the-heck kind of things and it worked!
Its' worth a try.
I would talk to your doctor. I think - and could be VERY wrong - that 5 is old for them. I would try some other things like - keep a humidifier in his room and if he can tolerate it (when he gets a cold) do a nasal rinse for him to keep thing moving in his head so it doesn't settle in an infection. I'd ask the doctor. Good luck!
If you choose to get tubes, your child would get a set of earplugs that would be worn during bath time and swimming. They should not get water into their ears when they have tubes.
I had 2 sets of tubes. I'm in my 30's. I have really bad ears still. I've had 7 blown ear drums in both ears. Sometimes I don't even feel the pressure until it's too late. Now, as soon as my hearing gets muffled, I go on alert for an infection. Most time, when I go, I already have an infection and close to a burst ear drum.
Before deciding to get tubes, I would suggest keeping a food journal to see if there is a certain food that is causing the ear infections.
It is my experience, and some science that ear infections are related to food allergies. My daughter, when 3y got 3 infections in 6 weeks. I realized that she had started eating a ton of watermelon. I had her stop, and the infections stopped.
My son would get them, along with high fevers at age 1-2y. We talked about getting tubes done. I started a food journal and realized that he was allergic to pears. We removed pears and pear juice from his diet, and he is now almost 13, and has only had a few ear infections in the last 10 years.
http://www.earallergy.com/freedom-from-chronic-ear-infect...
http://www.allergyconnection.com/articles/earinfec.html
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20040622/food-allergi...
When my daughter got tubes (and her adenoids removed), the doc said she could take baths and go swimming in pools. Essentially the water needed to be clean and chlorinated to prevent yucky germs getting in her ears. She could not go in the ocean or lakes , however. And we are on city water. I'm not sure what the story would be with a well.
My daughter has had 3 sets of tubes and praying we don't need another set. I don't like giving medicine if I can avoid it, unfortunately she has my ears and as soon as she gets a cold she gets an ear infection.
Tubes can fall out anywhere from 2 months to 2 years depending on the growth of the child. Ours last just about a year. Then they wait to see how the ear reacts to colds etc, to decide if you need another set.
You cannot get water in the ear, so they either have to wear ear plugs or take baths carefully. Honestly it isn't bad just tell them to tip their head back and dump the water on their head. it is painful if they get water in the ear and they will let you know.
Good luck. Personally I prefer the tubes over medicine.
Yes, if the doc wants you to go see an ENT doc about doing that then do so. If you really don't want to do it then visit with the ENT about other options.
Don't even discuss this anymore with the kiddo doc. An ENT is the expert on ears and the workings of the sinuses, ears, throat, etc...they know it all and especially well.
If you don't get tubes you do run the risk of all that old infection just sitting in the canal and it can cause kiddo to not hear. Once the doc goes in to do tubes he can look around and clean all that old infection debris out. Tubes allow this to drain out so the ear can heal from the inside out. Then it's ready to take care of itself.
If you've only heard about the tubes, and your child's doctor hasn't discussed this option with you, then I'm going to guess that your child is not within the parameters that the tubes are usually recommended. So you don't really have to decide, if the doctor hasn't presented this as an option. If you have questions about ear tubes and whether they are appropriate for your son, I'd suggest calling his doctor and asking about a consultation to discuss this.
Good luck!
If your doctor didn't suggest it, then I would not press the issue. I would try to avoid surgery whenever possible.
