What to do when you forget to put in ear plugs with tubes??

rylee1

What happens when you wash their hair without their ear plugs in?!  I can't believe I forgot!!!  He was running around like crazy and I got them out of the case and never put them in.  Luckily he actually sat still while I rinsed his hair but I didn't realize until I was getting him out of the tub that I had forgotten them.  Is there something I should do?

MrsJMB

DD has tubes and I wash her hair every night without ear plugs.  I just make sure to dry her off really well after we get her out.

utfan92

I was only told to use plugs the first 2 weeks after she got tubes put in when bathing. Now we have been told to only use plugs if she is getting in lakes or ocean water. Pools and bath water don't require plugs as far as I know.

Court0026

From my understanding, the plugs should be in anytime there is a chance water could get in.  O's ENT said it would be painful for them if water got in (which is why I am confused about pp saying 2 weeks after surgery only for baths).  Sounds like you are good if your LO is acting normal now! 

ougrad1

Emerson has had them for 14 month and dr told us not to worry about putting the plugs in unless she was completely under water like, when she was swimming.

BabyS2008

I'm sure he'll be ok! I never put ear plugs in DS' ears when I wash his hair, and I do it every night!! I am careful not to get water in his ears though.

Snooks

I did lots of research on this because we decided not to get the ear plugs when DD got her tubes (She'd have never kept them in anyway).  Everything I read and even the doctor said it's more for dirty water getting in and possibly causing bacteria to grow,  the research shows water getting in is not a problem, but most doctors still go with the old advice of using the plugs.  We've had the tubes since November and never once have we used ear plugs, of course we don't pour water in her ears and if any gets in we dry them off when she gets out.  She has had 3 ear infections with the tubes but all have been caused by illness (pneumonia and bronchitis), but I also read they are only needed if swimming in dirty water like a lake, pond, or ocean. 

rylee1

Thanks everyone!  I've never heard that you really don't need the ear plugs and I had tubes in twice as a child!!  Luckily my son actually doesn't mind the ear plugs at all...we use the Putty Buddies and he lets me put them no problem so we'll probably continue to use them since summer is quickly approaching and I'm sure we'll be swimming a lot.  But it was nice to have piece of mind since I was soooo worried about forgetting!

618mom22boys

I was also told no ear plugs unless swimming with DS1.  And born guy hated that, he is deaf in one ear and has a slight hearing loss in the other.  So when he went swimming he couldn't hear anything.