Tubes in My Son's Ears

[Eumenides]

It looks like we are going to have to get tubes placed in my son's ears due to ongoing and chronic ear infections. From what I understand, this is pretty common and helps the children heal. Anyone have any experience with this and tips or advice?

Many thanks,

/t

[Duer 157099]

1. My son had them

No big deal, don't worry.

[here_is_to_hope]

2. I had them 43 years ago.

Same issues, water trapped in my ears. I had them in for a time but everything worked out well.

[madinmaryland]

6. I had them put in 44 years ago. Never had an ear infection after that!

[Brigid]

3. They didn't do that yet when I was little.

I would probably have better hearing now, especially in my right ear, if they did. I had chronic ear infections too.

[Brickbat]

4. My son had them put in several years ago, and they made a huge difference. You just have to make

sure to keep water out of the ears using plugs or silicone and an ear band. If water gets in the ear or if there is an infection, you'll find gunk on the pillow the next day, but it's not a big deal.

The surgery is quick and easy and they come out of it quickly.

[Dappleganger]

5. Yes, we've had multiple children get them.

Our youngest son had his done twice, oldest son once and youngest daughter once. It is a very short procedure and they bounce back quickly. When they grow older the tubes either fall out, or if they have icky ears like our older son did, the ENT pulls it out in their office. Yes, they really do help--as does finding out what causes the gunk in their head (usually allergies). Good luck!

[OhioChick]

7. I had them as an adult....

Took about 5 minutes in the ENT's office. Didn't hurt, no big deal.

They usually fall out on their own, too.

[kimi]

8. One of my kids had them

Quick procedure, and it eliminated his having to be put on antibiotics over and over and over again, which was a great benefit. Chronic use of antibiotics is about as bad as chronic ear infections, IMO.

Your young-un should do fine. :)

[FromNY]

9. Chalk me up as another parent who had them put into my son

My son started to lose his hearing.

Had the little tubes put in, everything back to normal afterwards.

As the other poster said you have to keep water out.

Absolutely was a great thing.

[bluesbassman]

10. I've had The Tubes in my ears since 1975.

Still rockin'! :headbang:

http://youtu.be/fvi44yfdYkA






On a serious note, my wife did daycare for 15 years and she had many kids have tubes put in their ears and it was always a huge benefit for the child . Best wishes for your litte guy. :hi:

[murielm99]

11. My son had them because he had chronic ear

infections. He got them at about four months old. He kept one tube in, but the other fell out of its own accord. He was largely over the infections, so that was all right.

It is not a big deal. It was done in the hospital as an outpatient procedure.

However, do be careful when you wash his hair. You don't want water to go down the tubes. That defeats the purpose of the tubes, and may cause him to get infections anyway. I put cotton balls in his ears and covered them with tape when I washed his hair. There is a type of tape that comes off easily without hurting the skin.

This helped my son. It should help yours, too. Don't worry.

[DFW]

12. I had them for years, and I was an adult

You have to get soft wax earplugs--a LOT of them. If you have tubes, water can get through to the inner ear and
cause some serious infection. Once is enough--be vigilant.

The eardrum is living, growing membrane, so eventually it rejects the tubes, closes, and the tubes fall out by themselves.
They certainly helped me. I've had serious ear problems since I was in infancy, and that was back in the 18th century.

[DFW]

13. By the way, you won't believe where the idea came from

The ENT doc who put mine in told me that the idea for them came from Japan. Their fighter pilots in
World War II kept blacking out during dive bombing runs, Kamikaze pilots losing consciousness due to
their ears not being able to handle the rapid changes in air pressure. This was in part my problem,
too as I fly a LOT (no, not with the imperial Japanese air force). When the tube is in there, there
is no problem with pressure equalization, as the air flows freely.

[driver8]

18. Wow -- that is really interesting.

I should have had tubes when I was a kid -- it seemed like I had a constant ear infection.

[PassingFair]

14. I have to ask...Do you have cats or dogs in your house?

My oldest daughter had chronic ear and sinus infections
due to undiagnosed allergies.

When the last cat died, she stopped getting ear infections.

[davsand]

15. I have had a few pairs put in my ears as an adult.

I have structural problems with my Eustachian tubes, and those drain tubes make a HUGE difference for me. They didn't DO that when I was a kid, and I never had them until I was pregnant with my daughter and came up with the ear infection from hell. They couldn't get it to clear up, and finally, my doc sent me to an ENT who put tubes in that afternoon.

As an adult, I was able to sit there while they made a small incision in my eardrum and put the tubes in. (They do numb it first...) A kid, however, they put to sleep so there is no issue with anybody squirming around or moving. It isn't complicated, nor is it anything that will take more than just a few minutes to do. It will also probably make your kid's life a LOT easier.

I'd suggest some Tylenol for the little guy for a couple of days after--ears do not like being messed with--but much beyond that he'll do fine as long as you keep water out.

I know it is easy to say and impossible to do, but try not to worry--he's gonna be fine.

:hug:




Laura

[Rambis]

16. Was deaf as a kid because of fluid

until I got them that cleared the infections. My son had it done it takes literally five minutes- I was about to get up get a coffee surgeon was out saying he's done.
good luck

[snacker]

17. My granddaughter had them put in...

absolutely no problems whatsoever. I think she was under 2 years old when they were put in and she's almost 5 now. She swims (needs to wear earplugs when swimming in fresh water), but other than that, no restrictions that I'm aware of.

[Wldcard3]

19. My 2 year old son has them

My 2 year old son has them. We had them putin just after his 2nd birthday, because the kid was always sick with ear infections. That was back in July and he has not had a single ear infection and the tubes are still in. They will fall out when his ear canal no longer needs them

[Arkansas Granny]

20. Three of my 4 children had them when they were kids. It greatly reduced

the ear infections and abnormal fluid behind the eardrum. Two of the three never had another ear infection. The other went for 8 years without an infection and was "retubed" with the same good results. I've never known anyone who had any problem with the tubes.