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Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
KallieandJustin
member
Tubes...I am a wreck!
KallieandJustin
member
We went to the peditrician today for a follow up ear appointment for my almost 17 month old DS and they have suggested that we go back to an ENT (for the second time) to get tubes. I know that the rational side of me know that kids get tubes all the time and they really help, however those kids aren't mine and I am a complete wreck. It doesn't help that I am pregnant with our second DS and I am getting such mixed opinions from our chiropractor, our peditrician, our family and my gut. My DH is being completely supportive and is as worried about it as I am. I am basically just wanting to hear some of your stories and help put my gut to rest...at least for tonight. I really appreciate any opinions!
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Re: Tubes...I am a wreck!
Kai got tubes at 11 months. I was a HOT.MESS the day of the surgery.... tearing up on the ride to the hospital, blubbering in the "holding area" (before surgery), crying as they brought me to the waiting room. I sat down, logged onto my laptop, literally looked at 3 pictures on peopleofwalmart.com, and the lady is telling me to go back to see him.
In retrospect, it was NOT a big deal. At all. But you can't possibly know that til you go through it. You're going to hear this 10,000 times, but it really is over before you know it. His ENT made me feel better too, saying that he'd be more concerned if I WASNT upset than me being a hot blubbering mess.
The anestesiologist really put my mind to ease before he took him back. He told me that they don't fully put them under for tubes, they just lightly sedate them enough to keep their heads still. He said that the entire thing is 5-10 mins. Kai was totally alert by the time I got back to the recovery room and was playing with toys an hour after the procedure. He even felt well enough to visit daddy at work a few hours later.
PM me if you want to talk more. Good luck.
From a professional standpoint, tubes can work wonders for language development and health while being minimally invasive. Essentially no negative side.
From a parent standpoint, anything poking at my DD is scary. I know that I just have to suck it up when she gets shots, knowing that she will not like it, but is the best thing for her.
I have had a lot of my students get tubes, which almost universally helps their language development and overall happiness (not having ear pain). I also have a lot of friends whose kids have had tubes and they were just as worried as you are. I know it is hard, but hang in there and stick with your mommy instincts, regardless of whether they match what the doctors say.
DD got hers in October and it was seriously the BEST decision we have made!!!! She had several ear infections spread over the summer months and some complications because of that, and we haven't had a single ear infection since! Even though it's the winter "sick" months, she hasn't been sick until a respiratory thing this week. It's been amazing!
I can totally understand your concerns though-I was terrified to have my baby put under general anesthesia. However, it went really smoothly. We hung out and played in the pre-op room, she got to know her nurse, then when it was time her nurse held her facing out and we all walked down the hall together. At the surgical suite they turned, and we kept going straight to the waiting room. 20 minutes later the doctor came and told us that everything went fine and that she was in the recovery room. We walked in and she was a little groggy, but woke up quickly and started eating snacks/water within about 20 more minutes. She took a really long nap that day, and then was back to completely normal.
The amazing part was that my very attached/stranger anxiety baby never even cried. Not once throughout the whole thing. It was such a relief to know that. Hope that helps rest your fears at least a little bit.
I (kind of) know what you're going through - surgery of any kind is scary. Cora had heart surgery when she was six weeks old and I was an absolute mess and seriously thought I was going to plan her funeral. With that said, if she had to have another surgery for tubes it would make me nervous and I'd be a mess. I think it's the fact that our baby is out of our sight, we can't see that they're okay, and it's completely out of our control. Just take peace that these doctors know what they are doing, and you will be better off if you honestly trust them. Ask questions - as many as you need to until you feel "okay". I called Cora's cardiologist and had two notebook pages of questions, notes, and things I wanted explained to me..we were on the phone for 45min - an hour. Granted, heart surgery is a lot more complex and riskier, but you deserve the same treatment, if you want it. YOU are paying them, so if you want something answered or feel uneasy about anything, speak up - they should help you by explaining it and bring some comfort.
Sorry for rambling, T&Ps for you!
Couldn't agree more!! DS got his at 13 months and he should have gotten them sooner. I've been through 3 tube/adenoid surgeries and one tonsillectomy with my kids and tubes are a breeze. Literally takes about 5 minutes and there are RARELY complications.
My guy had them put in yesterday - NO BIG DEAL. I swear. It is so routine and quick. He was away form us for about 15 minutes. He didn't even cry. We came home and he has been the same old normal baby since. It's like nothing happened.
My H and I did lots of research and what we found was that the drive to the hospital to have it done was riskier than the surgery itself....haha.
ETA: IMO, not getting them done woldl be pretty..stupid (for lack of a better word...sorry..I totally understand your worry). Like pp said, it can really mess up their speech and it breaks my heart to think that my DS hasn't really been able to hear us for the past few months since they hear everything as if they are under water.
Go Phils!!
I felt the same way about it when we were told that DS should get tubes. I was most anxious about the anesthesia part and being pregnant didn't help. Ultimately we decided to go for it, because I knew delaying it wouldn't change the situation. The surgery was very easy and over within 15 minutes.
The hardest part was the incosolable crying while coming out of anesthesia. We were told it would happen because he was disoriented and didn't know how to express that, but it was still difficult. The crying was over within 20 minutes and by the time we got home (less than 2 hours after surgery) he was totally himself. You honestly never would have known that he had surgery.
DS had a lot of fluid in his ears and in the weeks since he has had the surgery we have noticed such a change in his speech. I did not think that he was having any hearing issues because he was speaking and understood us, but he literally is learning a new word everyday and his speech is much clearer now.
I will start off by saying they were the absolute best thing we could have done for E. He wasn't walking or talking beforehand. He couldn't hear and had balance problems. Immediately he noticed sounds from the TV, walked on his own in a week, and started talking. The pluses are VERY good.
I was okay the day of his surgery. I went alone with him in case he needed to be out of DC the second day, then DH would have stayed home with him. I got a little teary when they took him back after he has his anesthesia. After that, I waited literally 10 minutes before the ENT doc was back. He told me that the fluid in his ears was so infected, it looked like he had never taken an antibiotic before EVER. He woke up a little freaked out, but after a good nap on the drive home, he was 100% his normal self again. He went to DC the next day.
I talked about the surgery with one of the other doctors that I work with (a neurosurgeon) that had tubes put in his son's ears by the same doc that did E's. He told me that the repeated courses of antibiotics are not good for the developing brain. To him, it was a no brainer to do the surgery.
I'm so glad we did it. E hasn't taken a single antibiotic since the surgery and only needed his drops once. As far as procedures that your LO could have to undergo, it's about the easiest. I'm sure he'll do fine and you'll be amazed at the difference in him once the tubes are in.