Ear to This

When I was little I had horrible ear infections, I can even remember them and to this day it is so painful. As an adult I still have tubes in my ears and doctors have told me many times that if it were not for the tubed that I would have had severe hearing loss. Just something to think about. I had them placed at around 4 or five and have them replaced a few times. Not that big of a deal I think I am in the OR for a total of like 30 minutes at most. There is really no recovery time either.

My son has had 13 ear infections and 3 tubes put in, he is only 2 1/2. He is such a smart boy and the tubes did help while they are working and not plugged up. Ear infections can cause delay in speach and developement, we had him tested he was great, the doctor said it was cause i kept on him. It is very important that the ear is not plugged up so he hear correctly. I would suggest to see the ENT they will explain and recommend deffirent options for you. hope this helps

My daughter had a lot of ear problems when she was little and she was not in daycare. We used warmed garlic oil on cotton and put it in the ear at the first signs of discomfort. I would say that this treatment helped her about 95% of the time. She is now almost 16 and her sister is 14 and they still get the garlic ear treatment when needed. Good luck!

Our daughter suffered from repeat ear infections up until she was 2 years old. We did do the ear tubes and it worked out great. I have also since learned that the shampoo we were using is linked to a higher increase of ear infections as well as her dry scally scalp. Be careful what shampoo you are using. Don't use anything with Quaternium-15, it is a preservative found in many cosmetics and industrial substances that releases formaldehyde.
If you have any questions feel free to email me back.
____@____.com

A.
www.myfamilyathome.com

S.- I can not tell you what a difference the tubes have made for my sons. I have twin boys that have been in daycare since they were 11 weeks. After 6 ear infections, we went to the ENT and had the surgery done. It was amazing how quickly they started talking once it was done. Before they couldn't hear well enough to mock sounds. It was worth it. The surgery was over and done with in less than a 1/2 hour. The worst part about the whole thing is keeping them from eating and drinking before surgury. Try to get it done 1st thing in the morning. (Ours was at 3:00) I went to Dr. John Maddalozzo from Children's Memorial Hospital; he works on the 1st and 3rd Thurs. in the Ingalls Family Care Center in Tinley Park ###-###-####. The surgery can be done downtown or in the Westchester Hospital. Also, my sister went to Dr. Marra from Century Ear, Nose & Throat in Orland Park ###-###-#### and was very happy with him too. Good luck, you will be so happy with the results. There is no recovery, the boys could go to daycare the next day and we have been ear infection free now for 3 months.

There are so many different opinions and circumstances with this issue. I too had the exact same problem with my son all last winter. He was about 13 months when they started. The only reason we knew was because I took him for his well baby visit. Our pediatrician said his ears were r ed inside. She monitored them for about a month then asked me to see an ENT because she was worried about him taking too many antibiotics. (He'd taken it for a while to clear really bad eczema as a baby) After 3 months of ENT visits, all of which concluded there was some fluid in his ears that tubes would drain, he suggested tubes. By the time they made their recommendation, it was almost spring. My husband and I opted to see our pediatrician before making a final decision. When she looked at his ears, she said they were doing very well and she let me make the final decision. We opted against and have had not a single problem.

Our biggest concerns were a)there was no pain and b)his speech and hearing was developing fine. At almost two, he says many words, including various colors, shapes and numbers 1-13. I have to keep a close eye on him this year, but based on research I had done regarding recurring ear infections post-tubes, waiting was the best option. It has proved successful so far.

Good luck with everything.

My first son was also prone to lots of ear infections. At the time he was in daycare for 2 days. He would get a little cold, then it would always turn into an ear infection. I didn't like the idea of him needing to be on an antibiotic every 2 -3 months. We took him to an ENT and a little before his first birthday he had tubes put in both ears. The procedure itself was VERY quick. There was just enough time for my husband and I to walk back to the waiting room, open up a magazine and then he was done. He is now 28 months old and has no ear infections since the placement of the tubes. He just needs to wear ear plugs when in the water, which at first were a bit of a pain. But now he asks for them before bathtime. Good luck!

Hi S.,
My son had an ear infection in both ears when he was two and we did not knoew it. He was tolerant of the pain it seems. It was about six months before we were aware of the infection. By that point he was only hearing 20% out of each ear. We discovered this when he had his hearing tested. Fortunately, a week of antibiotics cleared it up and we have not had any major problems since. You might ask about the antibiotics for your son. From friends whose children have had the tubes put in, I have only heard positive results and experiences.

C.

Hi there-

My son, who is now 3 1/2, also has been in daycare since 6 months and had chronic ear infections. Around the time he was about 1, we too decided to go forward with ear tubes as the alternative was not an option. Allowing ear infections to continue too long could cause hearing loss and it certainly poses problems on two working parents in terms of missed days, etc.

We saw a specialist out of Glenview, who performed the quick proceedure at Lutheran General Hospital. My son, knock on wood, has had no problems since (not one ear infection) and the tubes are still in place. His occurence of other colds decreased as well.

Hope this was helpful. Good luck!

Hi. My daughter also had a ton of ear infections. Never thought anything of it, until she finally started talking (late) and we could never understand her. This went on for quite a while before we realized there was a bigger problem. Looking back I feel horrible, her hearing was tested before the tubes were put in, (almost a year ago..age 3)and it was well below normal. Now it is up to where it should be, and she has never had another ear infection again. No problems at all with the tubes or surgery. They will be coming out in '07, she is in a speech class, and has improved significantly(EVERYONE has remarked about how much better she is talking..now that she can hear!!) She had water in both of her middle ears. I would definately go to a specialist.
Good luck!
A.

Want to let you know thta I have a daughter that is now 7 and she had tubes in her ears because of the samething that your child is going through. If you let it go to long your child will end up with scar tissue because of it. So if I were you I would take your child to the ENT and see what they suggest to do.

R.

I have a long history of allergies and had tubes put into my ears when I was young. I wonder if I would have needed them had I not been fed dairy products, which are thought to thicken mucous. I would check out books such as "Is This Your Child" by Doris Rapp, MD before getting tubes inserted. Easier and cheaper if you can modify your son's diet and get good results.
Amy

I have had ear infections my entire life, and have lost some of my hearing in my left ear (the problem has always been worse in my left ear, so I'm suspecting that was the cause). My mother had the option to have tubes done when I was small, but was told I was "borderline" so she decided not to have it done. I was taught to "pop" my ears when the pressure grew in them to increase the airflow. I also feel like I constantly have fluid in my ears - part of this may be due to the allergies I suffer, however.

Honestly, I wish my mom had gone ahead and done it. I have insurance starting soon again, with my husband's new job, and one of the things I'm going to ask about is if it is too late for me to have this procedure done. I remember having an ear infection in my early teens where I was in tears and clutching my left ear from it hurting so much!

I had the same problem with my now 5 year old. Doctors wanted to do the surgery very very early and we were too scared to put him through it so young (just a little younger than yours). We had very good luck with a chiropractor with a pediatric focus. After months of constant fluid in his ears, near constant infections, countless rounds of antibiotics, etc...he was finally fluid free after a handful of adjustments. Before you think of the image of a chiro "cracking" your little guy's back, it's very different with little ones, very gentle manipulation, more like a massage than anything else. My guy loved going to see Dr. Steph and would jump right up on the table and lay down, ready to go. If you live in the city, I highly reccommend Dr. Stephanie Maj of Community Chiropractic 773/528-8485. Her office is on Southport just north of Belmont. She has families that come all the way from Indiana. An added bonus is that we saw a dramatic improvement in Josh's behavior after getting adjusted too! Tell her Josh Silets sent you! Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Silva,

I am a bit behind reading my mamasource emails, so I'm sure you have already gotten some good advice but thought I would throw my 2cents in as that my daughter had 11 ear infections in about an 11 1/2 mos period. She got the tubes at 18 mos old & has only had 1 infection since she is now 29 1/2 mos old. I highly reccommend them!!
K.

My daughter had ear infections all the time as a baby and toddler. I mentioned this while at my chiropractor he informed me that sometimes children get ear infections because there neck and back are out of line he suggested to bring her in so I did he found that there was something out of line in her neck he adjusted her and she never had another ear infection again she is now 11 and still doing great. My girlfriend had the tube thing done with her son and he still gets ear infections. My niece's daughter was going to have the tubes put in but for one last thing before surgery they changed her milk and put her on Oberweis Milk it is locally farmed and no hormones added, her ears cleared up no surgery needed. I would try anything natural before surgery.

My now 9 year old daughter was in the same situation. When she was in day care as a baby/toddler she would get ear infections about once a month. She was about a year old when we decided to get the ear tubes put in--we ended up doing it again because the first set fell out. A noticable improvement was almost immediate. She had speech delays that lasted until she was about 6 years old ... the doctor attributed it to her lack of hearing as a toddler. I would definately do it again if I had to do it all over.

Hope this helps, please contact me if you would like further info, or if you want to talk about it.

N.

Well this has happened to me. My 3 year old was 2 when the tubes were placed in his ears. It did work, no lie, but it was painful for me to let my baby go to the room alone during the surgery. They may ask you to place the wax for the ears, when bathing him, so water will not enter his ears, The tubes come out on their own. However, he does need to see the ent every 2-3 months to make sure everything was ok. The procedure is not long. Ear infections will be gone. The Dr. suggested this procedure after 12 infections in 1 year.

My daughter started having problems around that age and the ENT said he would not put tubes in b/c she was too little and they grow so much and it would be a hassle. Since then her ear drum has ruptured 3 times and now we are going to see a specialist from Children's Memorial. I would advise seing ENT pediatric specialist to see what they would like to do. My old ENT said we would treat every rupture very aggressively, but they would not prevent it from happening and my fear is she will lose some hearing in her left ear from all this. I would see a pediatric specialist, sometimes ENT's who do not specialize in pediatrics, dont see things through the eyes of a child, they see things in an adult way, and sometimes pediatricians are not up to date on what specialists are now doing, my pediatrician was not, b/c he suggested tubes, but I was told she was too small and since her body will grow so much, so quickly, the tubes would be too small to quick and they would always have to be replaced.
I dont know if this has helped at all.
M.

My daughter had her first ear infection when she turned one and basically had constant ear infections for the next seven months. She was given almost every antibiotic available. When she was about 18 months I went to see an ENT and had ear tubes put in. The procedure is short, but I thought I was the worst mom for doing this to my daughter. It took a few months for her ears to drain (the tubes were clogged a few times), but she has never had a problem since.

I was concerned about her constant ear infections not only because of all the antibiotics, but also her ears always being clogged and her hearing being distorted. For my daughter, ear tubes were a blessing.

Good luck with your decision.

My oldest (now 5), had the same problem. He started getting ear infections at age 1 when his father started coming around (his father is not my husband). I could never understand why every time he would have a visit at his father's he would come home with ear infections. We soon found out it was because his father smoked in the house with my son. After doctors persistently telling him he had to stop smoking aroung my son, he stopped coming around. The ear infections also stopped. When he was in day care a little over a year ago, it started again. He actually became immune to Amoxicillin, they tried other antibiotics but his body tolorated the medication, once he was done with it, the ear infection always came back. They had suggested tubs. When he was taken out of day care, they stopped again. My son never had the tubes put in. Some children are just more prone to pick them up from places. I would ask the day care what their method of cleanning is. Maybe they are not doing enough.

I have to say though, at age 5, I had tubes put in my ears (I am now 27). It never affected me in a bad way, my ears are fine now. I also had my tonsils taken out at the same time. I would ask your doctor if that may be an option.

Good luck, I know that ear infections are horrible to go through, especially at such a young age.

S.,
I know that my nephew had the same problem with ear infections. He had the tubes put in and has never had the problem again. He is now 8 and a very healthy young man.
Good luck to you & your family.
Doreen

Hi S.,
I am a mom of three very lovely children and two of them have suffered ear infections. I would definitely seek out an ENT and have your child looked at. Two of my children got tubes and it made a world of difference. I would do it ASAP. We waited too long with our son and he had some hearing loss due to the scar tissue from the infections. I am not sure where you live but we have a wonderful ENT that works out of Mc Henry, Barrington, and Crystal Lake. If you want the name you can e-mail me at my personal e-mail. ____@____.com
Take care and good luck!
C.

Hi S. -

When I read your question...I couldn't help but think what type of bottle are you using to feed your son?? I always used the Dr. Brown bottles...they are more expensive but my son never got ear infections. He's 20 months now and has had two in the past 2 months...but I think a lot of that had to do with the bottles. Their claim to fame is to help reduce colicky babies...however a friend of mine heard Dr. Brown speak and he said that he also felt that this system of reducing air to the milk or formula also helps the ears. If you haven't tried them maybe you can??

On the other hand, I've talked to people who have done the tube thing and they say it helped tremendously.

Good Luck with whatever you do!!!

My son who is now 11 had chronic ear infections starting when he was 6 months old. The doctor did not want to do surgery until we tried antibiotics. We tried them all I swear! At 18 months he had tubes put in. He still had ear infections for almost another year. At the age of 2 1/2 he had another set of tubes put in and his adenoids removed. They could not remove the adenoids before age 2 since they usually grow back if removed too early. It turns out whenever he would get the sniffles his adenoids would swell and they were positioned too close to the opening of his ear canal and they would block it completely hence the never ending ear infections! Since then he has had 2 infections. I highly recommend the surgery if that is what the doctor is suggesting so that you do not have the speech delays. After each surgery we saw a hug ejump in his vocabulary. It was truly amazing! One thing I will tell you so you will be prepared for(which I was not!) is that when they come out of anesthesia some kids fight it so my son was freaking out in my arms and scared the heck out of me!! The nurses said this was normal. Also when his adenoids were removed he had the most god awful breath I have ever smelled!! It occurs when the incisions in the throat are forming scar tissue. Just be prepared for it because it was worse than dog's breath!!! I can highly recommend the Hauser Ross Eye Institute in Dekalb if that is a possibility. They let me gown up and be with my son in the operating room until he fell asleep. This helped both of us because he could see me right up to the moment they put him to sleep. Good Luck!!

Milk is also a culprit. You may not be giving it to him, but the care providers might. I've known several parents who have later learned their care providers were NOT following their instructions.

http://www.notmilk.com/e.html

Antibiotic use can also contribute (if you nurse and have used them or if they have been given to your son).

http://www.mercola.com/2001/jul/28/ear_aches.htm
http://www.mercola.com/2004/mar/17/ear_infections.htm

I would avoid surgery at all costs until all other options are exhausted. Maybe you can find some support groups for parents whose child(ren) have already had the surgery and see how things are going for them now. It might be the right choice, but it certainly is not the ONLY option.

All the best to your son,
J.

Having suffered from ear infections all my life I can tell you, they are NOT FUN. It IS worthwhile taking him to an ENT if this is a cronic problem because the bones in the inner ear are incredibly fragile and it isn't worth risking hearing loss. All those ear infections cause scarring on the eardrum. Think a musical drum, if it had big bumps across it would it resound as well? No. The eardrum is the same way, it can heal after multiple infections but gets scarred each time the drum is punctured. Tubes go thru the drum like a pipe and allow the fluid to pass thru without harming the drum. You will have to be careful about getting water in his ears because the tube works both ways. I don't know what the ENT would say about his age....This is who I use and he is great. Donzelli, Joseph J MD Address: 640 S Washington St # 268, Naperville, IL 60540
Phone: ###-###-####
Good LUCK! H.

I want to admit that I did not read all the other responses so if I repeat anything, sorry! My daughter had ten ear infection before she was 18 months. She experienced hearing loss due to the ear infections. She suffered a speach delay also. Once she had tubes in she began to sleep better, eat better, hear and talk. I would recommend them to anybody. We did also have to have a second set put in and her adnoids and tonsils out but now I have a happy healthy five year old. The surgery is quick- your son will be up and playing within hours of having them. Hope this helps.

S.

Hi S., I just want to say that Im 33 and I have 2 children and They both have had only 1 ear infection..But I know what your going through because until I was 5 i had constiant ear infections which in return I lost my hearing until the doctors took out my tonsils and adnoise, ans put tubes in my ears...to this day I have great hearing and never had another ear infection....I hope this helps....I would have the tubes put in if I were you.....

D.

Though I did not read each response entirely, I did see that smoking was mentioned in at least one.

I just wanted to give you a 'FYI' that my nephew gets ear infections not only when people smoke around him, but if he even goes in someone's home or car who USUALLY smokes inside. Stopping smoking around him is not enough- he can't be in areas where the smoke lingers AT ALL. (My grandmother stopped smoking in her house for a few weeks, opened the windows, cleaned the carpets, etc in order to babysit him and he STILL got sick and had an ear infection after visiting her house!)

Just wanted to let you be aware of that just in case you have a relative who smokes or he is riding in someone's car, etc. OR if one of the caregivers smokes and holds him with it lingering on her clothing! It may be something you haven't thought of.

Wish I had better info for you, but visiting an ENT sounds like a good idea for a start. I've been around many children who have had tubes put in and some have success, others don't. I think preventing and treating the ear infections is essential though- you don't want him to suffer any hearing loss if it can be prevented.

Good luck!
Amanda

I have been advised that nutritional suppliments can help a great deal in preventing viral and bacterial infections. There is a great sight that addresses ear infections and what you can do to prevent them.

www.live4healthonline.com/Ear_Infections.html

I personally give my 10 month old, for the past 4 months, a multi vitamin by Shaklee and a suppliment called citriboost which has the optiflora in it that is discussed on the site. I will not say my daughter has not gotten sick but she gets better faster when I give her the suppliments. I am not great at giving them everyday but I do notice a differance when I do remember. My daughter attends daycare 4 days a week and very rarely comes home with something. Her immune system is stronger than most kids her age.

My youngest son had this same problem. He had ear infections since he was 2 mths old, most of the time we didn't even know he had them. He has a high tolerance for pain. At a year, we put tubes in and have NEVER been more happy. He started talking shortly after, he was able to hear us, and he's not had an infection since (he's almost 4).

My older son had ear infection problems and they didn't do tubes, and he has more of a speech delay than I believe he would have had if he had gotten tubes. That 1-2 yr old age frame is when they develop their sounds and how to say things...

TO help them with getting surgery, you can ask for a versed cocktail (if he's going thru any stranger anxiety or anything). this makes them really relaxed and they won't cry when they are taken away.

Write if you need more info.

Your story sounds exactly like ours except I have a daughter and we went to see the ENT at 13 months. She had a continuous ear infection for 6 weeks, that only went away (after 4 different oral anitbiotics not working) with 3 rounds of antibiotic shots. Overall she had constant fluid for 4 months that would flare up occasionally but never completely dry up. My daughter got tubes in early March and she hasn't had another infection. Our ENT was wonderful and she had the surgery, outpatient at Christ Hospital.

We went to the hospital in the morning, they took her back into surgery. I ate a doughnut and drank 1/2 cup of coffee and the surgeon was out telling me she was in recovery. We were home by lunch. There's no needles or IV's.

I'm not making light of the surgery. There's risks any time a procedure is done but...the difference in her after was amazing. Who knew that she had never heard the door bell, or the furnace kick on. Her vocubulary trippled in the first couple of weeks because she could hear everything so much clearer.

If you need or want any other info, please feel free to email me. Good Luck!

Hi S..

My son and my nieces and nephews all had the same prob. However my sons pediatrician never suggested ENT, because he claimed my son had to have a certain number of infections, which he did, but well the doc was whacked...anyway..i never took him til he was a month short of his 3rd birthday and that was under strong advisemetn of my sister. My son has a speech delay which he was getting therapy from through Easter Seals, yet noone ever thought the delay could be from his ears.

Now your son may not talk yet enough to see if there is a delay..but please if your doc is saying take him, then do it. My son ended up getting the tubes in his ears...and now only 5 months later, he has caught up in all areas of speech except teh pronouncing of a few letters. (mind you that when Easter Seals ends therapy at age 3, and when they did he was still at a year behind) the procedure for tubes is not huge, my sons were done as outpatient. I only wish the pediatrician told me to take him sooner, or that the speech therapist would have suggested it, my son would have been talking better much sooner.

Wish you the best of luck and please keep posted how it goes.

Oh by the way...not sure how far u watn to travel or how your insurnace is if you have to pick from certain docs...but Dr. Steven Soltes in Oak Lawn, he works out of Advocate Christ Hospital was our ENT, and he is wonderful. He new my son needed the tubes just from trying to talk with him, before he even looked in his ears or checked his medical history.

B.

Hi S.. My son had constant ear infections and they started after he turned one and when he started daycare. They were one right after another! We went to an ENT and they put tubes in his ears. The procedure was very fast. I left him as they were taking him down the hall, walked to the waiting room, sat down and opened a magazine. The doctor was out and tossed me some ear drops and said he was done. I had to wait 5 minutes for my son to wake up. He was fine afterwards. As I said, he was just over 1 year old....he's just over 3 now and hasn't had an ear infection since!!! The tubes are supposed to last a year and it has worked for my son. I'm so thankful for it!

Good Luck!

ADVICE:

1) Don't feed the baby a bottle while he's laying down. In other words don't prop the bottle with a blanket or pillow.

I don't know how much it works but my first pediatrician, 15 yrs ago told me that and I never did it and neither of my 3 have ever had an earache or ear infection.

I am not sure if someone has mentioned this already, but get him off all dairy ASAP and you will probably see a difference!! If he is prone to ear infections, then that could help. My oldest son had tubes put in his ears and it's a fairly easy procedure but I wouldn't do it again with my other children. I would find other ways to treat. Antibiotics are probably not helping and I'd stop in a local health food store and get something there instead.

Silva,
Please look into chiropractic adjustment of your baby's head and neck. Some mom's have never heard of it, and would never consider it because they themselves have never been to a chiropractor. I was in the same boat and was tired of drugging my baby up with antibiotics only to find the same problem come back in a few weeks. I took my daughter at 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and then 24 months to be adjusted by a female chiropractor and she has never had an ear infection since, I now take her once a year (she will be 5 this month). Adjusting a baby's cervical spine is done with light pressure (their bones are still soft)and correct alignment of the neck and head allows the ears to drain properly and alleviate any infections. Tubes in the ears sometimes have to be redone every 6 months and do not solve the problem, plus you are putting your small child under anesthesia several times which also has it's risks and possible complications. Check it out on the internet, there are many sources that will help you be informed. Good Luck.

Hi S.,

I went through the same thing with my son when he was 2 (he is 4 now.) He had constant ear infection and the doctor recommended ear tubes. I took him for his surgery and they put him to sleep. Literally, (you might think I'm exaggerating) but when I left him in the operating room and took the elevetor to the cafeteria the doctor called me back up saying they were done so it took about 3 minutes to do both ears. The tubes fall off by themselves after about a year and he has not had ear infections the way he use to get them. He still gets infection occassionally, so the tubes really helped. Let me know if you have any questions.

Hi S.,

My daughter had the same problem when she was little. She had frequent ear infections, so much so that it seemed like she was constantly on antibiotics. My husband also had problems when he was young and his mom chose not to have tubes put in his ears. To this day, he still has problems with his ears. My daughter had tubes put in her ears when she was 18 months old (she had an ear infection almost every month from about the age of 6 months). Since then, she has one minor ear infection at the age of 2 1/2 (She's now 4).

The decision to send a child so young into surgery is a tough one...I know, I've been there. But, I have to say that my daughter is better for it! I would suggest you take your son to an ENT and let them tell you your options. Just because he sees an ENT doesn't automatically mean they'll say he needs the tubes...the specialist can help you explore all of your options.

Best of luck!

B. T.

My daughter had the same problem...we ended up having tubes placed in her ears. It was the best thing we ever did for her. She has not had one ear infection since the tubes and actually hasn't been sick with colds or other infections either. It was a little nerve-racking when the doctor did the procedure, which only took about 5 minutes. They do put the children to sleep. Good luck.
J.

Silva,
My daughter was about 8-9 months when we put tubes in her ears. What a life saver, now we know exactly when she has an infection due to the gross stuff coming out and can treat it with ear drops right away and have it cleared up in just a day or two. I refuse to allow the Dr's to put her on Augmentin anymore due to the major diaper rash she always gets and no matter what we do can not get rid of it and her little bottom would start to bleed. Have spoke to other mothers at daycare that also had the same problem with Augmentin so please be aware when they precribe this medicine for your little one. It does work but the major diarrea and rash is not worth it. If you do have to put your little one this medicine I would talk to your doctor about also going to the pharmacy and buying some lactophylis??? (sorry don't know the real name but if you ask the pharmasist for the pill/capsule with active yogurt cultures they know what it is) We used Dr. Kempker in Wheaton and he also has an office in Bloomingdale and is out of Dupage hospital. My daughter is also in daycare and was getting infections about every other month.
Hope this helps.
K.

S.,

Just thought I would share this info with you about what research is out there about what is really effective for treating ear infections. Be very careful with subjecting your child to surgery. What many children experience is that their body rejects the tubes and then scar tissue develops at the site of insertion. Try Chirpractic first!!! Check out www.icpa4kids.org for more information on how chiropractic can help!
T.

Early Ear Treatment Doesn't Help Children at School, Study Says

A child's early educational development isn't affected by a delay in treating inner-ear infections, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Inserting tubes to drain fluid from the ears of children younger than 3 years old doesn't improve their performance at school by the age of 6, the study by researchers at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh found. The study appears in the Aug. 11, 2005issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Read the entire article here: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=a...

Read additional articles here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retriev...

Natural Ear Drops as Effective as Medicated Drops

Naturopathic eardrops are an effective alternative to traditional medicated drops, say researchers. The study followed 103 youngsters with acute otitis media. All subjects suffered from ear pain and were aged 6 to 18 years.

Half of the subjects were given Otikon eardrops, a naturopathic herbal extract containing garlic, mullein, calendula and St. John's wort in olive oil. The other group received anesthetic drops containing ametocaine and phenazone in glycerin. Drops were administered three times each day. Both groups showed similar improvement in pain scores over three days, as evidenced by visual analog scores. "Otikon, an ear drop formulation of naturopathic origin, is as effective as anesthetic ear drops and was proven appropriate for the management of acute otitis media associated ear pain," conclude the study's authors.

Sarrell EM, Mandelberg A, Cohen HA Efficacy of naturopathic extracts in the management of ear pain associated with acute otitis media Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2001 (Jul); 155 (7): 796-799

Our son had tubes put in his ears the day before his 1st bday party. After numerous ear infections that wouldn't go away, sleepless nights, fevers that prohibited him from going to daycare we were referred to an ENT. Jacob was tested and he had hearing loss which could delay his speech. The day after the surgery I SWEAR we noticed a change in his hearing. I'm not exaggerating. My mom actually commented on it as we thought we were just looking for it! Since then (June 2006) he has had one issue with his ears and we caught it right away since the fluid was draining. No fever, NO anti-biotics, just drops and it cleared up. So, I can say I am very happy with the surgery results.

Oh and the surgery, it was harder on us than on him. He was sitting up as they wheeled him away looking at all the nurses making a fuss over him...I wish I was in that good of shape (I cried). Lol.

Good luck.

Hi, I know what you are going through.. My daughter now 5, had too get tubes she had such a pain tollerance to ear infections, she would not feel them until they actually would rupture.. She now has a hearing issue in one ear. I got tubeds put in when she just turned 3 and she is almost 6..It was a very simple procedure.. I was very worried about it and it turned out to be very easy.....Good Luck to you and your child...