Tubes in Ears

smile50208 · July 2013

I keep telling myself that this is very common in kids.

That being said, we go tomorrow morning for a consult with an ENT for DS. He has had several ear infections that just won't go away. Even after the infection does finally clear up, there is still fluid in his ear. The pediatrician said she would be very surprised if he doesn't get tubes.

Anyone already gone through this already? What questions should I ask? DS had to have his belly button fixed when he was 2 or 3 months so he has been under the anesthesia so I am not as freaked out about that part.

Of course, T&P and other positive vibes are appreciated!

Rabitt313 · July 2013

I don't have answers to your questions, but I just wanted to mention thati our ENT appt is next week for basically the same thing. DS has had one long ear infection/fluid in his ears for the past 6 months. I had them as a kid, so we're 99% sure DS will need them. I'm going to try and post pone it until after he turns one, I heard you have to fast them before the surgery and I'd like to be done breast feeding when I do that.

Positive sparkly dust for both our kiddos!

iluvchris27 · July 2013

Hudson got his tubes put in 2 months ago after 7 ear infections, hands down it was the best decision we ever made. Our ENT acted like it was no big deal and explained the whole procedure to us and told us we would be shocked at how much different he was afterwards. The morning of I was a nervous wreck, the procedure only took 10 minutes and the longest part of the whole thing was actually waiting in pre-op. Once it was over LO was very very upset, mainly because he was hungry but I also think he was scared when he woke up and we weren't there. He slept pretty much off and on all day long and we could start to tell a huge difference immediately. He's always been a happy baby but this has made a huge difference in him.

Good Luck!!

mamahawk12 · July 2013

My oldest got tubes when he was about 11 months old. He had an ear infection that wouldn't go away for 5 months. We had the tubes put in and he has had ONE ear infection in the last two years. They have been a total life changer.

The most important thing to ask, in my opinion, is your doctors approach to taking them out. Some will leave them in and wait for them to fall out. Some will only leave in for a year, then remove them... and everywhere in between. Do your research and find out which approach you are most comfortable with. My son is having his surgically removed in August (assuming they don't fall out on their own between now and then... unlikely.)

Buona Fortuna · July 2013

Tubes are pretty common- in adults a lot of times it's done without general anesthesia and they do solve a lot of ear problems.

In my experience (I'm a physician assistant)- once the ENT gets a referral from the pedi/general practitioner, they assume the kiddo needs tubes and you're set up for surgery. When I first started I assumed that the ENT actually had more of a process to decide who gets tubes and who doesn't but I've never referred a child for recurrent ear infections who did not end up getting tubes placed.

And most of the time, they fall out on their own in less than a year unless more permanent tubes are purposely placed.

That being said, I think any time your baby needs a procedure it's panic inducing. My thoughts are with you!

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