2-Year Old May Have to Get Tubes Pur in His Ears!

My son did the constant ear infection thing also when he was about a year old. I had heard wonderful things about chiropractic helping. I tried it for about 6 months to no avail. I finally gave in to the ear tubes and he never ahd another infection again. he is now 7 years old.

Great advice before tubes.
I had chronic ear infections as an infant/toddler; they wanted to do tubes, but they took out my tonsils & adnoids out at age 2, which improved the situation tremendously & didn't need tubes. My daughter (age 2) also has had chronic ear infections. She just had her tonsils out a month ago for sleep apnea which went well(huge tonsils must run in my family!) but here's what I found to be helpful to PREVENT the ear infections:
My mom told me she used to give me antihistimine/benedryl before I laid down to sleep if I had any congestion/cold symptoms. What this does is dries up the 'yuck' so it doesn't go back and settle in the ears, since some of us have an anatomy that is prone to that happening.
While my kids are rarely sick, I did that for my daughter for the last year anytime that she was a bit stuffy, and she's NEVER had an ear infection! HOWEVER, last week, she was congested and it didn't cross my mind to do this, and she did wake up w/ an ear infection :0( I felt terrible, I could've prevented it!
Just so you know, I am NOT a medicine advocate, but there are some things that are better than giving them rounds and rounds of antibiotics, and I think antihistimine every once awhile is one of them :0)
Hope this works for you, too, as he should grow out of the ear infections later on in life and hopefully won't have to go thru the tubes route.

Tubes are soooo common anymore!! My daughter had her first set at 20 months and her second set just done three weeks ago and she will be 4. I think you to need know that tubes do not necessarily stop ear infections totally. She had six ear infections with her first set, but there were not as severe as what she had in the past. Before her tubes she had ear infections every other week for 3 months. Good luck.

Our daughter needed tubes when she was about 18 months. Of course, she was in a daycare until she was almost 2. While I really didn't like hearing that she was going to need it, I knew it was necessary. The surgery to put the tubes in maybe lasted about 10-15 minutes, and I cried the whole time.

As much as I didn't like that we had to do it, it was really a blessing. They gave us a bottle of Ciprodex (antibiotic drops) that we'd use if we saw fluid coming out of her ears. A few drops a couple times a day for a couple days, and all was well. And if we thought she got too much water in her ears during a bath, we might put in a drop or two. Or if we were all having a bad allergy attack, a couple drops here and there. THe dr. told us it wouldn't hurt her if we did that to be on the safe side.

The tubes stayed in for a couple years. She's also hardly had any ear infections since.

For what it's worth and good luck!

Hi D.,

Bless your little one. Ear infections are no fun. Our two yo ended up with tubes after having 4-5 ear infections within a couple of months of each other. Every time we had to go with a stronger antibiotic and eventully got to the point where we weren't even going to think about the low dose option. Tubes were our best option and we had a great experience. They put him under to insert the tubes but he was fine later in the day after all the meds wore off. It was true in our case what everyone says, "you'll have a different child." He could hear clearer based on what we could tell, his health improved greatly and I can honestly say that he hasn't been sick since last August. I would certainly look into them to see if they would be a good fit for you little guy. Best of luck!

My son had tubes at 2-1/2 and only had one ear infection after that. If the doctor recommends, do it. You do have to put ear plugs in their ears for bath and swimming. If your son swims in lake water (probably not at 2), our pediatrition does not recommend tubes, since they will probably have ear infections due to that.

D.

I know this can be scary for you as a mother, but it was the best thing I have ever done. My kids were on antibiotics all the time and soon they become immune to them.
Both my kids had surgery the same day for tubes and Adenoids and they were both up and running about in a few hours.

I started my kids on vitamins and they are never sick anymore. I can certainly recommend the ones we use if you want to contact me.
____@____.com

Good luck
Here's to your health and your family's health!!

Hi, i have two daughters 1 and half and 3 and half.
when my first duaghter had series of ear infections, i refused to put tubes in her ears and we did all kinds of antibiotics and even shots. after so many times, we finally listened to my friends and doctor's advices and decided to do a surgery. it was around when she was one year and half old. the surgery was very quick and after the surgery, she haven't gotten any ear infection any more. it was great! i know how painful the ear infection is. i felt very sorry to my daughter that i waited too long before i made that decision. i should had done it to her sooner. i absolutely recommend the ear tube option.

My daughter's recurring ear infections (and asthma)have stopped since I found and reversed the root cause which was yeast overgrowth in her gut.

A chiropractor (with nutrition and/or muscle response testing) or Integrative Medicine doctor can help you determine if that is the cause. A traditional MD or pediatrition may deny the connection.

I always back off dairy when a cold, ear/sinus infection or mucus is present and it always helps.

A good probiotic is very helpful in restoring gut health and improving immune function.

P.

My son had probably 12 ear infections before he was 18 months old. He got tubes in his ears at age 2. He never had an ear infection again. Tubes will save you money and will save the pain that your child goes through with the ear infections.

Like everyone else, it is the best thing. My 6 year old had his done when he was 6 1/2 mos old. He had 3 ear infections the previous month and because he did not have his prevnar vaccine, he developed meningitis. Ear infections can lead up to meningitis if not treated properly. If you had the vaccine, you should be ok. My son did not get the vaccine because there was a shortage at the time. The ear infection developed into Mastoiditis and then into bacterial meningitis. They did the surgery to put tubes in his ears when he had meningitis...to relieve the pressure and ear infections. Scary? Yes, but we were scared about everything he was going through with meningitis. He has not had another ear infection since. The tubes do fall out, and like some people they do need to reinsert the tubes again if necessary. My son have not had the tubes reinserted as the dr said it was not necessary. He outgrew the ear infections. Not to scare you or anyone, but my son is severe debilitated from meningitis because of ear infections and the antibiotics did not take care of them. So, don't blow off ear infections, see an ENT to take care of it. I hate for a GP to just prescribe an antibiotic when there are other methods to treat ear infections, especially chronic ear infections, like tubes. Good luck.

my son is on his second set of ear tubes. he was born with scar tissue behind his ear drums in both ears. the doc told us to put a space helmet on then dunk our head under water & we would know what it was like for him as far as his hearing went. we didn't discover this until he was 4 & the day after the surgery he was talking almot normal. HI HI was how he said french frie before the surgery. he also had to have his tonsils & adnoids removed & his sinuses cortorized because of a condition his doc said was chronic sinus disease, it's basically a severe sinus infection that rarely goes away & the slightest thing can trigger it. the worst was jan of last year when he developed absesses in all 4 sinus cavities & had to go on 3 months worth of adult strength antibiotics & have surgery to have them drained. not to be too graphic but he constantly had green goo coming out of his nose, it was really gross & i felt so bad for him cause he got picked on alot & it wasn't something he could really help. if you live near zionsville/lebanon/indianapolis indiana, his doc is dr. elliot & is awesome! he's an ENT specialist & he actually listens to what you have to say instead of blowing you off & just giving his opinion. good luck & god be with you.

Our 2 year old just got ear tubes a couple months ago. This is her 3rd anesthesia. If it is the anesthesia you are worried about, don't be concerned. The procedure only takes a few minutes and recovery is brief. We were able to go home 1/2-1 hour after the procedure and Kaylyn was fine after her nap. Kaylyn had to have tubes after only 1 ear infection this year b/c the doctor didn't want her to have antibiotics. She got a horrible bacterial infection in her intestines from an antibiotic called Clostridium Difficle (C. Diff). I was more scared to put her on an antibiotic than do the ear tubes. Neither her peditrician or her ENT would give her an antibiotic b/c of her history of C. Diff. Kaylyn also had a minor speech delay and the ENT said chronic ear infections and fluid in the ears can affect speech and cause hearing loss. When I heard that I definately wanted the tubes b/c it wasn't worth risking speech or hearing problems. I hope this helps. The maintance isn't as bad as I thought either. We just put cotton balls with vasoline in her ears when we wash her hair and I don't worry about it when she swims in her little pool. Good luck!!!!

both of my girls has tubes in their ears....it really does help! The first time my 10 year old had it done she was very young......younger than your child.

our first daughter had 13 ear infections between 6 months and a year. Got the tubes at 13 months and she only had one ear infection since in her entire LIFE after that. (she is now 28) (we had to rotate between 3 different and increasingly stronger antibiotics...as soon as she was off the antibiotics, she would get another ear infection.)

Also, I personally have had tubes and I'm 53. I got my first set when I was 7 and had them six times in my right ear, 4 in my left and I can tell you that getting tubes hurts MUCH LESS than an ear infection. I got my last tube when I was 26 and pregnant with our second daughter.

The tubes won't stay in forever.

My 11 year old had constant ear infections for three months. I finally called the insurance company and asked to take him to an ENT (the same one we used for my daughter's sinus problems 4 years before) because we weren't getting a referal from the GP. They agreed, he saw the man on a Tuesday and the ENT prior to having the tests completed stated he was leaving on vacation for 3 weeks and was going to put him back on antibiotics for a month until he got back if he thought surgery was necessary. I got back to work to find a message from his office. They put the tubes in that Friday before he left. The child was 14 months old. The tubes did solve the problem. No more ear infections and they came out when he was about 5 on their own. We had 6 month check ups for the next two years and he has only had 1 ear infection since. What a blessing and his hearing has not been damaged, we caught the problem in time. I suggest it. We didn't use a pacifer with any of my children so I doubt a pacifer had anything to do with his ear problems.

My daughter had her first set of tubes put in a few weeks after her first birthday. It was the scariest thing in the world for me, but she did fantastic and I am so glad we did it. In fact, everytime we have had to have one replaced she has done great! She never used a pacifier, but she is a thumb sucker. The only thing you have to remember with tubes is that the inside of the ears can't get wet. I have found that the Mack's wax ear plugs work great. They are bright orange for kids and you can get 6 pairs for under $3 at Wal-Mart. Plus they are reusable a few times, so one box lasts for awhile.

You're right, it is very common. We had this done with my daughter many years ago... in both ears at the same time. She never had another problem again! We made going to the hospital seem like a special trip and had a gift for her when she got home (I believe it was a goldfish). You and your little one will be glad you did it!

Try removing dairy from your son's diet, and get him on a child-safe probiotic. The only dairy you should give him is yogurt with active cultures. If he's been on antibiotics a lot, he probably has a yeast overload, due to the antibiotics killing off the friendly bacteria in his digestive system.

Dairy contributes to chronic ear and sinus problems, because it is a mucous producing food, so it causes congestion. I know ~ I had chronic ear and sinus infections until about a eyar and a half ago when I stopped eating all dairy products (except the live culture yogurt once a day). This has made a huge difference in my life. Wheat is also not helpful, and it's easier to avoid wheat than you might think. It's just a matter of adjusting to a healthier diet, and it only takes about a week or two to get used to it.

If you're interested in reading an outline for a good, healthy diet for life, please send me a private message and I will send it to you. Following this plan might help you avoid the tubes for your son, and it will definitely help you and your family be healthier throughout your lives!

I did not have them done in my son, but two of my really good friends had it done, younger than your son, and said it was the best thing in the world. They both had chronic ear infections and have not had one since. It is a simple procedure and they say well worth it.

I think you are just prone to them by the shape of your ear canals.

Hi D.,
My daughter had tubes put in her ears in March. Since last year she was getting ear infections about every other month. After the surgery she had 2 ear infections but she hasn't had one since. This is a very common procedure and 2 is not that young. While we were at an office visit there was a 10 month old that had tubes in his ears.

Not getting tubes can affect your childs hearing. I have a cousin who wouldn't get tubes for her daughter she lost 10% of her hearing as a result of not having tubes. I cant tell you not to be nervous because as a mother you will be but the procedure only took 10 mins and she was fine. Good luck in your decision.

Children get ear infections partly because the fluid cannot efficiently drain from the nasal passages-sinuses down the throat. The backed up fluid can cause an infection and pressure in the ear drum. Children can grow out of this because the ear canal will grow and eventually the fluid will be able to drain effectively. However, this may be several years down the road. Additionally, this can become worse during the spring, summer and fall with the molds, pollen, cock roach dust and other common allergens. This causes more inflammation in the sinuses, cold symptoms and backed up drainage in the ear drums... thus ear infections. Therefore, ear tubes are an effective way to relieve the pressure and fluid in the ear drums. There is little risk with this procedure. It takes about 20 minutes. A very small hole is put in the ear drum with a lazer. A miniscule tube is put inside the hole to allow the fluid to drain out of the ear canal. This is a very effective way to address ear infections, and they will reduce dramatically after the insertion.

There is a possible problem with the ear tubes becoming clogged and the drainage may build again. Ear drops can loosen the clogged tubes. There is a possibility the tube falls out. This doesn't hurt. Sometimes they natually become dislodged. If the hole closes up, the tube may need to be replaced. If the hold does not close up, this becomes a natural way for the ear to express fluid. If the hole is too large or does not close up by about age 8, then the doctor may want to do a minor surgery to sew up the hole. There is a bit of ear pressure lost behind the ear drum if there is a hole there. This may reduce a little bit of hearing, but not enough to warrant a hearing aid... usually.

You may want to talk to an allergist or Ear, Nose and Throat specialist about these things.

My kids have had ear tubes twice each. They have fallen out, and they had them replaced. One tube fell out, and my son has a hole in his ear. I am careful not to let him near dirty water that could cause ear infections. Other than that there are no problems. The procedure for ear tubes took about 20 minutes. I gave them IBProfen for a day afterwards, and they seemed completely fine. They played and laughed after the procedure as if nothing had happened.

As an adult I was getting 1-4 ear infections a year. The last infection was so bad that despite 10 days of antibiotics, the eardrum was being sucked inward and accumulating skin. I had a tube put in my ear in office w/o any pain meds OMG it hurt so bad! However, the relief from the ear infection was instant after the fluid was sucked out. I haven't had any ear infections since and it has been WONDERFUL! I would try to get my child in to see an ENT doc and an allergist.

As the other moms have said - it is a great thing to help with those recurrent ear infections - my twins had theirs done at 18 months and did well after. It was very short procedure, and they were moving around like normal later that day. I will say that even though summer is coming up, it may not be the case that the ear infections go down. One of the reasons my girls had their tubes was the recurrent ear infections they had from May - June - their surgery was then scheduled that September. Good luck!

Tubes are not at all a problem for the child but often are the answer to the ear infection problem. The tubes help in so many ways to help prevent the infection. I have never been sorry that we had this done for our children. All of the fluid in the ears effects the child's hearing and can have an impact on speech as well. I want to assure you that in my opinion there is nothing to worry about.

I would follow the advice of your doctor. I know of one extreme case of ear infection where the daughter went deaf.

This was about 20 years ago. The mother went to work, the daughter went to the sitter when she knew her daughter had an ear problem. The father was not home at that time to take off from work and go the pediatrician. I no longer have contact with the parents.

From reading your story, I would talk with the doctor and go with the tube. Hearing is precious.

hi D....

my daughter had 13 ear infections in 14 months and she had ear tubes put in when she was 16 months.... it sounds scary right? of course it does. however, it was not. she was under a general anesthesia, which was probably the scary part because you just never know... but, it took all of five minutes to perform the surgery. now, coming OUT from under the anesthesia took about a half hour. she was not a happy camper. not sure if there was some disorientation or confusion or what, but after a half hour they let us leave. they prescribed us with ear drops, which are painless. she went home, took a nap, woke up happy like nothing had ever happened. went to school the next day. she is 6 years old now, going on 7, and has not had an ear infection ever since.

now, the tricky part is being able to keep your child on an empty stomach after midnight. not a problem for a child who is used to it. my son right now who is 14 months has a cyst on the back of his ear, but there is no way to get him to not feed during the night and this is prolonging the surgery scheduling. if you dont have this to worry about, i say look forward to no more ear infections and ask to be scheduled....

good luck D., and dont worry...