Questions About Ear Tubes

A.-
My little boy (how is now 10) is on his 3 set of tubes-he also sucked his thumb and sometimes this would help with the flow of the fluid through ears. we asked the dr.'s and they said it would not be a problem

I see that you have already received many responses but I felt compelled to write since my son's situation was so similar. My son had tubes put in at 18 months old and I'm so glad we had it done. My son was also very attached to his pacifier (as a matter of fact, I have a picture of him in his hospital scrubs right before the surgery with one in his mouth) and he continued to use it after the surgery without any complications. He did not give his up until he was 2 1/2. Good luck and best wishes. - A.

Two of my daughters had tubes - both at the age of 10 months. One had constant infections and the other had fluid problems with infections also. The one that had mostly fluid issues was a completely different baby after the surgery in a good way. She sucked a bottle in recovery (before surgery, she would only nurse). I imagine sucking a bottle would feel about the same as a pacie. Within two weeks of the surgery, she began to crawl and sleep through the night. It was obvious that the fluid had affected her hearing - that improved immediately. My second child to have the surgery was well (her ears were clear) at the time of the surgery so she did not immediately feel better. She was a bit irritated about having the surgery. However, she did not get another ear infection for at least a year maybe closer to two years. If your child wants his pacie, he will choose to use it. In my experience, tubes were a God send. Good luck!

I don't think I would keep it from him now, but I would definately get it away from him soon - my son is almost 4, and after having ear tubes inserted twice, I can tell you I'm almost a doctor when it comes to this stuff. The suction that the paci will cause inside the ear drum/canal will affect the healing process for the tube. If you must let him suck on something, see if you can break his paci habit now by replacing it temporarily with a cool washcloth. This way, he is still allowing air to get through and not causing a vacuum in his ear. I would get that paci away from him asap. My son was done with his when he was 5 months, thank goodness! Good luck and don't be surprised if you have to do it all over again in a year or so...

I have three children, who have all had to have ear tube surgeries. It will not bother him one bit to have the pacifier after surgery. In fact, it will probably soothe him. After surgery, when waking up from the anesthesia, some children cry and have "fits" from the strange feeling. A pacifier is something familiar and soothing that always helped my little ones during that period and afterwards.

My Daughter had to have three different sets of tubes and was still using a passy the first two times. She went back to surgery sucking it and came out with it in her mouth. It didn't seem to bother her at all. Good luck!

We had tubes 4 different times in a child's ears and they are life savers. Do whatever it takes to console them after surgery. He will be really out of it from being put to sleep. He will feel like a new little guy when he's fully awake afterwards! The passy won't bother him at all.

My son had his anoids and tonsils removed at the same time tubes put in when he was 17 months old. Before the surgury he had grown out of his binki then the hospitalization process and complications caused him to regress back to wanting his binki. The hospital staff gave me hell but it was the only thing that would put him to sleep and I wouldn't let them give him sleep aids cuz of the excess amounts of painkillers they were already giving him. I was by his side 24/7. It was hell but I didn't trust them to give the level of care he needed/wanted, wasn't physically possible for them anyhow. Anyways when we finally were released, I continued to allow binkie ... didn't bother his tubes at all. However, took another 24 months or so to get rid of the binki with tramatizing him. I was concerned about his teeth alignment. I am not a dentist but I have to say yes they started looking like gonna need dental work and I really started freaking out but a year and half later, they've straigtened themselves out. I don't know if that's normal or if I just was fortunate.

I don't believe so..when my daughter was 9 months old, she had tubes put in, and just as soon as they brought her to me from the surgery, she was in my arms, w/ her paci, and was happy! Doctors never said anything about not doing it, and they were there when I gave it to her. We had no problems. It was the best thing we ever did getting tubes in, she had ear infections every 6 weeks till the tubes, and I don't think she's ever had an ear infection since then and she's 10 now.
hope that helps.
J.

I am a pediatric nurse in out patient surgery and we do a LOT of ear tubes here. It is perfectly fine for him to have his pacifier after surgery and should not pose a problem. If concerned, check with your ENT doctor.I think you will be very happy that you took his pacifier with you.

My son had tubes put in as well and they took him back with him sucking his bink and when they called me to come back when his surgery was done he was sucking it and he was asleep still just coming out of it.

I went through the exact situation and no it did not bother my son. Good luck

Your son will be just fine with his pacie after the tubes are put in. It will not hurt him. As soon as you can, you do need to start trying to wean him from it. Otherwise, he'll want to start Kindergarten with it. My cousin did that. The tubes will make such a difference for him, so the pacie is OK.

I'm an RN and a mother of a 4 year-old son, Garrett. My son had tubes a couple of years ago too. Ask your ENT how they feel about the pacie-some like it-some suggest you avoid it around surgery like that. I think for the most part it will be just fine especially because they are emotionally comforting to the child. Sometimes sucking on something can be uncomfortable to the ears but tubes are virtually not painful at all. The most painful part of the surgery will be for you-letting some stranger take you child down the hall to the O.R. Don't get emotional until after your child is gone from you-that will be too hard on them. The day my son had his tubes I had to realize that this day was about my son-not me-and I had to control my fear and emotions for his sake. (Plus-I used to work in the O.R. so I know how well the kids do back there. Trust me-it'll be much harder on you than your child!!)Good luck!! And your child will do just fine-kids are little troopers!! God Bless!
Kel

It shouldnt bother him. My daughter had to have tubes put in. The only thing it did was make her hearing sensitive because things got louder to her so we had to make sure she wasnt in the room when we vacuumed or there was to be no shouting around her. The only thing he may have to worry about is listening to his own sucking. Hey who knows, it might soothe him more!:->

I am a pediatric nurse at a Children's hospital, and it is not a problem for them to suck the pacifier after surgery. God bless ya'll!

It's fine- my son took one and was able to use it after his surgery. Just know that kids react to anesthesia differently. I didn't expect for my then 17 month old to be so VERY inconsolable! Other kids the same age were totally unaffected. I guess each of us reacts differently!

God Bless,
J.

My opinion of ear tubes is very unconventional. First of all if God designed all of our babies to need a whole in their eardrum then they would have been born with it. The infections are a result of the immune system not functioning at its full potential. Tubes being surgically placed in your babies ear are not going to fix the immune system. If I may assume you've most likely been through several rounds of broad spectrum antibiotics which have proven to be ineffective according to research. This is because most ear infections are viral & antibiotics don't treat viruses. So.. with all that.. What would I suggest? Getting your babies immune system checked. How? The immune system, like every other system in the body is run by the nerve system. The nerve system can be checked by a completely painless technology in our office. I'm not telling you not to get tubes... but I want you know that it's only a temporary fix for the symptom. It doesn't address the cause of the problem. If you would like more info on our testing, call my office ###-###-####. God Bless

A.,

I am not a doctor but between my children we have been through eight sets of tubes. There is no reason for your son not to have a pacifier after the surgery and it will probably really help him when he is coming out of anesthia to feel comforted. We asked the same question our first go around! Although let me warn you it is not a pretty sight when they are waking up, but it will pass within a matter of mintues and they won't remember it. My son became very violent when coming out (six sets of tubes for that son), my one daughter just wanted to go back to sleep after screaming like a mad woman for alittle while (one set) and one daughter just whimpered a little (one set). Good luck and hopefully this will do the trick and your son will feel beter. So many benefits to tubes--hear better, better balance, fewer and less painful ear infections! Good luck!

A.

Hi, i have a friend that has a son with tubes and her pcp told her that sucking would apply pressure, but the ear doctor never mentioned it. Her son had his put in at the age of 8 months and he's still on the bottle. So, i would ask the doctor because every case is unique. I hope this helps...

Hi A.,
My daughter had tubes at 16 months and did great. She doesn't use a paci but I don't remember anyone telling us not to let her have one. It would probably be ok but I would double check with the Dr. first. Something else to be prepared for--inconsolable crying when he wakes up after surgery. My daughter's lasted a good 20-30 min. It was hard, but they say that's just how babies react to the anesthesia. Good luck!