My son is now 17 months old and back in Nov 09 on the day b4 Thanksgiving had Tubes put in his ears. He had a hearing test prior to tubes to find a significant amount of fluid in his ears, he was only able to hear at 40 dec. When the average hears at 10 dec. Anyway, every since the tubes were put in we used the Sulfacetamide Sodium drops right after, we used this drop till the bottle was empty, than after that my son started oozing this smelly liquid out his ear, the ears would drain for up to 6 days and than stop, and start back up draining in a week or two. This has continued since December. We were prescribed a stronger drop of Ciprodex and used that for the time needed and than the draining came back. We went to the dr at the end of Dec and in Jan and got more of the drops and used them till finished and was given a spare bottle "just in case". They started back up to draining again every two weeks. We just recently went in and had his hearing checked and he passed. However the Audiologist is concerned about the frequent draining. He asked that if after the hearing test on Feb 18th that I have a culture done. I called today to the ENT and the Dr was not available so I had to talk to the nurse and she ordered another round of the same ear drops.
My son Brock has 3 Occupational Therapists to assist him to get him up to speed, he is delayed some and has some Sensory issues. About 5-6 days ago he started hitting himself and banging his head on things. I told his OT and were aer trying to deal with that issue. My concern is that he has had pressure prior to his ears draining and was hitting his head and now that they are draining the hitting has been non-existant.
If knowing this information, how do I handle this situation?? DO I continue with drops, knowing that they will start draining after drops are done? Do I seek a second opinion?? He is hurting and cannot communicate as he only know 3 words.
No culture has been done. The ENT Dr said "We do not honor the Audiologist's request to have a culture done" "we will handle things the way they do it there, in the order the ENT wants it done"
I did just talk to another nurse to the ENT and she stated that the ENT will request to wait 2-3 months and establish a routine on how often the ears are draining. I told her they drain every two weeks for 3-5 days at a time. Nurse requested we wait and have it all documented over the course of the next 2-3 months!!
There is no use of harsh chemicals in the house used for cleaning, There is no one in the family that smokes in our home, or around my children.
We had a similar situation with my son. I found out that he has a bad allergy to toxins used in cleaning products.
www.livetotalwellness.com/beathome
Maybe this will help you as much as it has helped us. He had tubes 4 times before the age of 3 and now we have not had an ear issue for 2 years!!
Hi A., Did he have a culture done? If so what were the results?
seek a second opinion. Obviously they can check their records to see how many times you have been to see them since the surgery. They are not willing to listen and why should you have to wait another 2-3 months when it has been 5 months already.
First off, find a new Ped ENT. I would even urge you to see a Naturopathic Doctor and have your child tested for food allergies and intolerances, if that hasn't been done already. Allopathic doctors will refuse to test for anything having to do with food unless your child has an anaphylactic shock. You need to see a Naturopathic Doctor to have the testing done.
The continual draining from his ears says to me that, for whatever reason, the fluid keeps building back up in his ears, even with the ear tubes; if it is smelly, I would say that no amount of ear drops is helping to combat his getting some type of an infection in his ears either.
Also, any ENT who doesn't listen to what the Audiologist says is a big tip-off that that ENT has a VERY big ego. I would RUN to find another ENT doctor who will listen to you and your child. If you live in Madison, WI, or nearby, contact me and I will tell you who my daughter used. I also CANNOT see waiting 2-3 months so you can "document" for the doctor. Um, obviously there is a problem, you have more than enough "evidence," your child is obviously in severe discomfort, and the Audiologist is requesting that some additional tests be done. If your doctor is against helping/testing, then it is time to look for someone else.
I went through the entire spiel with allopathic doctors when my daughter was born. 15 ear infections before she was 5 months old. Emergency Room runs late at night or early morning; her infections came on and set in immediately. Countless prescription medications, one right after the other. She'd end one and start another one two days later. First ear tubes when she was 5 months--the youngest child ever to get ear tubes in Madison, WI. Another set of tubes when she was about 1/1.5 years, her third and last pair when she was 2.5/3 years old, along with her adenoids out. Countless medications during all those years. Caught every single childhood cold and illness you could possibly imagine (went to daycare). Then started getting system-wide strep infections. Finally, at the age of 7, she had her tonsils out. The ENT who did the surgery came out to see us; he was as white as a ghost. Not only were her tonsils bigger than he'd thought they would be--they went way back into her throat--but they were FULL of active Strep pus! And she hadn't TESTED postive for strep before the surgery!
All those ear infections affected her hearing and language learning. She started Speech at the age of 3 through the school district. Then at age 4 they put her in Early Childhood Education. At 5, when she started Kindergarten, I took her to see a Childhood Specialist. My suspicions were confirmed: my daughter has high-functioning Sensory Processing Disorder. I am convinced the vaccines and all the pharmaceutical drugs did NOT help her in any of this and possibly also contributed. This fall she will enter the 5th grade; it is hopeful that this will be her last year of Speech, but we don't know. She is having difficulty with a couple sounds.
My daughter's childhood illnesses (she is 10 now) along with my own health problems has pushed me into using Integration Doctors and Naturopathic Doctors--Alternative medicine. I have to pay for it out of my own pocket, but you know what? My family is the healthiest we have ever been. When I think now about what the allopathic doctors put my daughter and myself through...I just want to cry. The doctors never once tried to find out WHY my daughter was always sick; they just threw medicine on top of medicine. Once we got her tonsils out--she's had 1 ear infection since then. One in three years. She has not had any colds or flus this last school year. We eat organic food and take supplements. And I hate myself as a mom that I didn't know any better. There was no Mom support group for me, and I had no one to direct me to alternative medicine and what they could do for us until two years ago, when I myself, being horribly sick, was kicked out of my clinic because the doctor "didn't know what was wrong with me and that I should go and find someone who could help me."
I did. It's called alternative medicine, and except for specific things, like my yearly GYN exam, or small procedures, which I still see my new allopathic doctor for, I and my family now do all of our "doctoring" under a naturopathic doctor.
I'm not saying that's the route you need to take, but having broken through the barrier between allopathic and alternative medicine, I'm finding that there is a lot one can do without all the fancy-smancy, high-tech, expensive meds and overly costly procedures. It's actually quite freeing, when one starts to make ones own health choices.
You are the parent and have the right get a second opinion. I myself would demand they have a culture done. You know that your son is in pain, and this would in the very least, rule out some of the possible reasons why. It's not like a culture is a very costly or dangerous procedure! There should be absolutely no reason that they are refusing to honor this request. If they are not willing to do the culture I would go to another ENT.
Get a sdecond opinion. If your ENT is not listening to you & your concerns, & if he cannot respect the opinion of an audiologist who ovbiously knows that something is not right, find another doctor. You know there is a problem, find someone who will listen to you & do what it takes to determine what the problem is. Your child should not have to suffer because of the stuborness & pride of an ENT.
Same story as my son...take him to an infectious disease specialist pronto...they can prescribe off label meds that no one else can...I also put Ciprodex in my sons ears after bath, or swimming even when hes clear...even though they tell me not to, and it has seemed to help. I could go into way more detail and have tons of advice as I have been through this so if you want more info ...message me would love to tell you more of our story. It matches up with yours.
I know others have said the same thing, but ear pain can be miserable. I wouldn't even give your ENT another chance. Find one that will listen to your concerns and work to get your little boy healthy, sooner than later. You have to advocate for him.
what did the ENT say what is causing the draining? does he have an ear infection? my daughter had two sets of tubes but no drainage unless she had an ear infection. you need to seek 2nd opinion in regards to this.
constant drainage will cause scarring of the earcanal and eardrum which can cause irreversible hearing loss. him hearing down to 40dbi (moderate hearing loss) at one point is serious.
good luck
So frustrating!!! We're dealing with the same thing! My little guy had tubes in April of 2009 and he has had 7 "infections" since! The ENT just tells us to keep using the drops...but if we go to the pediatrician he prescribes anti-biotics, which I know isn't healthy, but it's the only relief for him, well, short term. Our son also has the draining on a two week on, two week off cycle. Our son also always has a runny nose. Does yours? My little guy was tested for dairy, dust, cat and dog allergies and all were negative. We're going to see a child gastro specialist at the end of the month to see if stomach acid could be going into his ears causing the drainage, and that would also explain his runny noses. Maybe that's a route you want to go down. I guess I don't have advice, I just wanted to let you know that you are NOT alone! My son is 21 months now and just up until about a month ago he was only saying 5 or so words, now he's into the 20s or 30s, it's like it happened overnight. So hang in there!! Feel free to personal message me so we can "compare notes"! :)
sounds like an ear infection. keep getting him on ear drops. make sure you don't get water in his ears. A friend of mine had this problem to She was smoking in the house she started going outside and the problem subsided.
As far as speech it will correct itself in time but you can buy signingtime videos at signingtime.com and at least give them a form of communication and it also increased storms vocabulary. he started saying cookie and more and he is behind on his speech too for the same reason.
