- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee boards
I can't advice much but I know my sister got tubes put in her ears when she was little. I know my mom has said that the tubes stopped her re-occuring ear infections and she has no issues now as a 21 year old.
I had tubes when I was really little, I don't even remember it. I have no lasting side effects. My mom was more worried that I would forget how to swim but either I never forgot how or I re-learned before I really have any collective memory. Apparently you can't get water in your ears if you have tubes? I dunno- it all worked out for me just fine :) Best of luck!!
Same as @Mrs.KMM: . My brother had tubes as a child. He had multiple day-surgeries though (around 14) to get them removed or put back in. BUT, he has no problems at 19. He last got them put in a few years ago, but he wasn't completely under "just stoned as f*ck" as he says, but they fell out a year later.
@DaneLady: No, you can't go under water with tubes in your ears. I remember my brother had to VERY careful when he went swimming. Swimming lessons were a challenge...
I had tubes in both ears as a child, maybe around age 3, since I have some memory of it. I remember getting ear infections all the time, and having to go to have repeated hearing testing done. My parents were pretty anti-intervention when I was a child, so it would have needed to be a pretty big problem for them to agree to the surgery. And it solved the problem, and I have no lasting effects. I could swim as a child, and took lessons, but I had to put special wax in my ears to do so. Not really a big deal. And both of them just fell out within about a year, sometime around age 10.
DS had tubes put in at 21 months due to chronic ear infections, antibiotic resistance, and a case of mastoiditis (infection of the mastoid cavity behind the ear) that resulted in emergency surgery and a week in the hospital for IV antibiotics. He has permanent hearing loss from all of the ruptured ear drums, and I am pretty sure that all of those long, painful, sleepless nights for those first 21 months did nothing to help him develop healthy sleeping habits. Sleeping is still a struggle for him more than a decade later. I wish I had pushed for tubes much earlier, despite his pediatrician's hesitance on the issue. Just my .02
FWIW, my nephew (now 22 months) had tubes put in when he was 13 months. He wasn't babbling a lot before the tubes, but within a week of the surgery he was babbling up a storm and saying his first words shortly thereafter. It could be a coincidence, but we firmly believe that the chronic ear infections were compromising his hearing. Once the tubes were in and the infections lessened, he was finally able to hear clearly and his speech grew by leaps and bounds. It was like a new world was opened for him.
I'm an audiologist who works in an Ear Nose and Throat office. Tubes can be a great solution for kids whose infections don't respond to antibiotics. We have multiple kids every day have surgery for tubes. It's a really simple procedure. The only reason the kids have to be put under anesthesia is so they lie perfectly still. Otherwise, like on adults, it can be done in-office. With the critical language development going on from 1-2 years, I would strongly urge you to see a ENT doctor who specializes in children. It is likely that an ear infection is (temporarily) reducing your child's hearing ability and therefore reducing his ability to take in the speech and language around him. If you have any specific questions, please PM me!
Typically PE tubes are not even an option until your LO has had 4+ ear infections in the past year. At that point you will typically be referred to an ENT by your pediatrician.
I don't know from a parent's perspective, but I had tubes put in my ears when I was little and I believe they helped... though I had chronic ear infections to the point where the doctor didn't even have to see me my mom could just call and he'd fill out a prescription... I almost had to have tubes again afterwards because I still had ear infections constantly...
I don't know what they put me on but it was a last ditch effort, it was a stronger antibiotic for an extrended period of time... I don't know if it was me growing or the medicine but I haven't had an ear infection (besides swimmers ear) since.
As for troubles now that I'm 25... My right ear has some random hearing loss and my ear drums are covered in scar tissue. Doctors have commented that they are surprised I can still hear with all of the scar tissue. The hearing in my right ear might stay the way it is (the only way I can describe it is that regular sounds sound like the scratching of a record needle, sometimes it lasts hours sometimes days.. sometimes I can hear pulsing as well) but most of the time it's fine... It just depends.
Good luck and I hope your LO doesn't have to deal with ear infections for much longer!!
@CherryWaves: the wax ear plug stuff was a staple for me at bathtime or swimming. I still shudder at the thought of that stuff!!
I have pretty much the same story as a couple previous posters. Horrible ear infections as a kid. After tubes were put in I remember them not happening at all/as much. Most notably I know my mom always says I had dramatic hearing improvements. For example, she says after I had them put in that I'd ask what the sound of silverware getting moved around was because I hadn't ever heard it before.
@o0olibelulao0o: Oh yes those wax earplugs, ugh.
I don't have any kids but I wanted to say that I had tubes put in my ears when I was little. as an adult, I have crazy good hearing. like, almost too good. so they definitely didn't give me any long lasting harm!
My sister had tubes in her ears when she was 6 years old. The decision was made case it was either that or her going deaf. Her twice a month hospital visits stopped. She only had to worry about wearing ear plugs while swimming.
I am a Speech-Language Pathologist and have to second everything that JeniRae stated. It is very important for your son's hearing to have "clarity". Otherwise. it is comparable to hearing speech while you are underwater. Since your son is at the stage where language is developing, I would strongly recommend tubes. Find a reputable childhood ENT to perform the procedure. Good Luck!
I was diagnosed with fluid in my ears when I was a child. I had tubes inserted twice, since they apparently fell out the first time and did not accomplish the intended purpose. I did not have any negative repercussions from these surgeries. I must be sure, however, to give all the glory, praise, and honor to God for healing my ears, because He deserves the credit. :)
Not a parent, but I recall my little bro having tubes put in a few times and it helped him a lot for his hearing and speech (he heard lots of talking with 3 siblings). He caught up quickly. My little cousin got them around the age of 4, and my aunt can tell within the week that he's picking up on things much more clearly now and responding much more specifically rather than guessing at what he thought he'd heard/was asked.
We all had ear infection/swimmer's ear issues, but my little brother's was the worst. Even though he was the only one with tubes, we all got custom-molded ear plugs for swimming (and showering/bathing for him) and they were awesome. They came in fun neon colors (or flesh colors for adults), but they float in water incase they came out and were very easy to spot (I used to waterski a lot). I'd look into them if you go the tubes route. Getting them wasn't scary, actually kind of fun...a guy put a little piece of cotton on a string down into your ear, and then filled it with neon goo! Pretty ok as far as 'doctor visits' go for a kid :-)
I can't give any advice on what it is like having a LO that needs tubes but I can say, I was the LO that needed tubes when I was younger. It was the best thing my parents could have done for me. I had chronic ear infections and the medications just weren't working. It wasn't at all traumatic or a negative experience for me. I actually remember it being fun! I remember going to the DR, getting to get to smell some yummy air (the anesthesia was flavored air!), and when I woke up I got a bear to take home! I did have to put wax in my ears when I went in the water for years until the tubes fell out but it was a no big deal thing. I knew it kept my ears from hurting and I was fine with that! And when they fall out, that is it. They just... fall out. No pain.
I actually need to go get some more because I still have chronic ear infections. Unfortunately my ENT said they don't put adults out for it... and I am not okay with that! lol
My advide? Do it. It is much better for you LO in the long run.
Not a parent..but I did casework for a program for children for a few years. A lot of the kids I would see would need tubes after frequent infections. Sometimes I would go into a home and see a child that was behind in their speech development and suffered from chronic ear infections. A lot of times these things go hand in hand, since a child can't clearly hear speech sounds with all the fluid from frequent infections in their ears. After getting tubes, these kids would quickly catch up in speech development!
After seeing this happen to so many kids, I am a big believer in tubes. I think getting them in a child with frequent infections saves a lot of heartache in the long run...not just with the frequent infection aspect, but with hearing, too.
ETA: I didnt' see that previous posters wrote about this, too. So add me in with the PP's that talked about this...clarity is important!
I had ears put in as a baby before 1 year old. I was having ear infections so fequently they recommended it. My parents were really uncomfortable about putting me through the procedure...but the doctors pointed out that they should consider ALL the antibiotics given to treat my ear infections and the affect THOSE were having on me when making their decision.
They decided to do the surgery. They were SO HAPPY they did. I was barely talking (when I should have been) and after the surgery I wouldn't shut up lol. The docs said I'd basically been hearing like I was at the bottom of a pool pre-tubes, but after I was finally hearing properly so I started making sounds/talking because of it.
They fall out natuarally when your ear canals grow, so I think it's a great solution!
I can come to you from the other side. I had 6 sets of tubes in my left ear (2 at once). 5 in my right. I did have hearing loss. Actually 90%. All the scar tissue broke the bones in my left ear. I had surgery to fix that and now my hearing is crazy good.
I will probably need tubes again in the future. I get about 8 a year. And now don't notice I have them until I'm driving and get dizzy.
Thanks for all the replies! I really, really hate to think about the idea of DS having surgery, but I am concerned that he's had so many already! We've held of on antibiotics for this last one, but filled the prescrption just in case we need them.
I'm definitely going to bring it up at his 1 year appointment. I love our pediatrician and really trust him, so hopefully he can hook us up with a referral to a good ENT. I probably should have had tubes, but my mom never knew about them. At least I have time to do the research and look at the options early, before he has any delays.
You must log in to post.
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| MissBoPeep | 94 |
| ndreighton | 77 |
| hisgoosiegirl | 56 |
| beargoose | 55 |
| Mrs.KMM | 46 |
| akp0702 | 42 |
| BetterSherm | 42 |
| MrsBlueSeptember | 41 |
| MrsPom | 37 |
| Beckster329 | 37 |
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| joy2011 | 4 |
| bostongirl27 | 4 |
| roxy821 | 3 |
| Running Elley | 2 |
| DHillwig | 2 |
| flamingred | 1 |
| BirdofaFeather | 1 |
| bunny | 1 |
| hergreenapples | 1 |
| trugem | 1 |
DS has his third double ear infection in 3 months. The first two were treated with antibiotics and his ears were clear at followup checks.
I had chronic ear infections 5+ a year for about 8 years, but never got tubes. My mom didn't even know it was an option until I was starting to outgrow them. I had hearing loss and speech issues because of it.
I don't want to jump to tubes as a solution, but it is definitely going to be a topic of conversation at DS's 1 year appointment, or earlier if he has another one before then.
Does anyone have any experience having tubes put in your LO's ears? How was it brought up, how was the decision made, and what was the outcome?