My Son Is Getting Tubes in His Ears Has Anyone Go Through This?

My son (18 months old) just had tubes put in on Monday and he did wonderful. He was a little groggy and cranky afterward, but once he woke up and was able to eat he was fine. By the end of the night he was running around with his brother and sister. Hope this helps.
L.

No need to worry. My son had this done. He was 6 yrs. old when he had this done. He came through just fine with a little bit of vomiting from the anesthesia. That is very common. He also had his tonsils taken out, adenoids taken out and a "roto rooter" done on his sinuses at the same time. He will be fine although when he first comes out from the anesthesia he will be groggy and he might vomit. The vomiting will end but they may ask you if you want them to give him a suppository to help ease the vomiting and it works quickly. Good luck and I wish you the best!
D.

I am 31 and have been married almost 12 yrs. My husband and I have 3 boys ages 10,7 and 4.

My daughter went throught the same thing when she was 11mths old. It was the best thing that happened to her. She was only back w/the doctors for a total of 10 minutes, it was fast. She is like a new child, happy and healthy. Try not to worry, I think it's harder for us moms to see them go through something like this.

I have kids who had tubes placed. it was the best thing i could have done for them because they both started talking clearer and ear infections went away. it was like i had two new kids. my oldest started to excel in school. my baby was 2 when he had his done. i would recommend it if the child needs them
good luck

My son just had this done 3 weeks ago, for the second time. He is 23 months old now, and the first time he had it done he was 10 months old. This time, they not only replaced his ear tubes (only 1 had fallen out and that was 10 days before the surgery) but they also removed his adenoids.

Your biggest fear is watching them become sedated. You can usually go back into like a holding room and hold him while they put the mask over him. They will put a flavoring on the mask, and they will ask you what flavor he will like. It's hard to see your child go limp like that, but rest assured it will be ok.

Then in the recovery area, he will be very groggy and cranky usually, at least my son was. They really want you to stay until he can hold down a couple sips of juice or something, which they usually will provide.

My son was cranky all the way home. We left the hospital around 9AM, got home around 9:30, and he slept until 12:30 (he got up really early that day for the surgery). WHen he woke up at 12:30 he was back to normal, he just had to sleep off the grogginess of the anesthesia.

I'm sure everything will be fine, but be sure to discuss any of your concerns with a doctor, nurse, or anesthesiologist. Good luck!

Don't be nervous. We had the same thing. They told us it would take like and hour and half and then 20 minutes into they are like, we are done, it was great, he will be coming out of anesthesia in half an hour.

We really got worked up about nothing. I also don't think they use that much or make them really deep under because the only reason they use it on infants is that the infant won't cooperate. Older kids, some docs perform in-house...Adults for sure.

Good Luck! It will be fine!

Piece of cake. my son was only 15mths old when he got his done. it was less than a 5 min procedure. he is normal and no effects

Our son had his first set of tubes at 8 months old. I too was very nervous and very emotional over the entire process. They allowed me to walk him back to the OR and stay by his side until he was put under. It was difficult to watch but it would have been worse not knowing what was happening to my baby boy.

Best of Luck to your little guy, I am sure things will go well.

I think the worse part is the wait before surgery. He'll be in and out of the OR in about 15 minutes. Then you will go back to recovery to give him kisses and hugs. Once he has had some juice and seems to be doing well (vital signs are good etc). They will send you home. I know this routine well, I've done it three times so far in the last two years. Good luck on Friday, he will be fine!!!

My son went through this surgery at about 2 years old. The anesthesia did make him sick and he vomited after the surgery, but other than that he did quite well. It was worth it because my son didn't have the ear infections anymore and therefore wasn't sick as often (hardly ever). I had a friend who opted not to do the surgery and her daughter has some hearing loss due to so many ear infections. Hope this helps. :)

I have gone through this with my daughter twice and we are getting ready to do it again in a couple of weeks. It is a simple procedure and my daughter always does well. The nurses are great and make the kids feel comfortable/welcome. I remember how scared I was the first time she had her tubes...just remember that it is only about 10-15 minutes and then your son will be back in your arms.

My oldest had tubes in her ears, and I'm so glad we did it. It was about a 5-10 minute procedure, and the anesthesia wore off really quickly. In fact, we went straight from the hospital to Bob Evans for smiley face pancakes afterward! (She had to fast before the surgery, and she thought it was a really fun treat to go to Bob Evans in her pajamas.)

my grandaughter had ear infections all the time. Her pediatrican said they don't do ear tubes much anymore. He said they don't work that well. They took her tonsils out and voila no more ear infections. It's been 2 yrs. since she's had them out.

Been there, done that. The child wasn't even a year old when we had it done. Very little to worry about, the medical team will monitor very closely.

The tubes worked their way out of his ears when he was about 5 and we have managed to have only 1 ear infection since and he is now 9.

I know you are getting nervous but believe me you are doing the right thing and preventing hearing loss.

I will keep you in my prayers.

P. R

My daughter is 2 and has been under anesthesia around 1o times including once for ear tubes. Out of every time the tubes was the easiest procedure. That doesn't make it any easier seeing your child go through something like this. Stay strong and good luck!

It's a very simple easy quick procedure. My middle child had them put in almost 2 years ago when she was 15 months old. We had it done at Community North. We arrived at 6am with her still in her PJs, hung out in waiting room until 6:30am. Then went to pre-op/post-op room with her. The nurse and doc came in, handed her a small ball to play with and distract her while they took vitals. She stayed in her PJs for the entire thing. At 6:50am the nurse carried her out of the room to the OR -- with her pacifier in her mouth and hanging onto her blankie and still in her PJs. At 7:05, the doctor returned to our room to tell us he was done, everything went perfectly and she was waking up. At 7:10am, the nurse carried her back in -- pacifier in mouth and carrying blankie. I held her for a few minutes while she continued to wake up, then nursed her for about 15 minutes since she was hungry (no food since night before). At 7:35am they were satisfied that she wasn't going to throwup (common reaction to the anesthesia) and we left. We were back home at 8am. By 9am she was tearing through the house chasing her big brother like nothing had happened.

She had 10 ear infections before the tubes. She's had 2 of them since they were in. It was the best thing we could've done for her health-wise. They use a mask for the anesthesia and there's no IVs or shots or anything like that. The kids stay in their normal clothes, too. It's pretty non-invasive and non-threatening for them.

My son had to have tubes in his ears 3 days before his first birthday. It was scary at first, but the procedure is so fast, it's almost unbelievable. When they administered the anesthesia, I actually held him and held the mask on his face. Then they showed me the waiting area and I went to the restroom right away so I could be available as soon as he was finished. By the time I used the restroom, washed my hands and was opening the door, they were calling our name to speak with the doctor. I was shocked. The procedure was already over! We had a couple of check ups afterwards and then at his one year check up from the procedure, they checked the tubes and they were already falling out, so right in the office the doctor removed the tubes, which was painless, scary for my son, but painless. Most of the time they just fall out on their own. He has only had 3 ear infections since the surgery and he will be 4 in August. It is very nerve wrecking to think your child is having a surgery at such a young age, and scary to think about anesthesia, but it was well worth the results that we have seen. Hope this will help ease your mind, and the best of luck to you and your son.

It took away for my son to wake up, both times he has had tubes in, but by afternoon the first (more minor surgery) he was up playing! And I would go back a 3rd and 4th time to have this surgery done---it is by far 100% better than the doc. apts, and antibiotics and such. :) I didn't even notice his language was starting to slow down until he got tubes again and he started saying more and bigger words all of a sudden! If he's only getting tubes you probably won't even have time to drink a drink while waiting for the procedure. It's very quick and easy. Best of luck.

E.,

I have had two kids that needed tubes. Beleive me, you want the anesthesia! Our first had this done in the doctors office (15 years ago) and they put her on a board and used a giant piece of velcro to hold her down, then did the same with her head. They numbed her ears with litocane and an electrode, and this took several minutes per ear. She screamed for 45 minutes until the whole thing was over. The tubes solved her problem, but our second child needed tubes and they put her out, it was a much better experience for everyone.

He will be fine. You will not regret this procedure!
M.

My son, who is now five, had his first set of ear tubs at 14 months. 2nd set one year later. 3rd set one year later. Ear tubes are definitely the best thing to rid your son of the painful ear infections. Very simple surgery, but also very frightening for the parents. The anesthesia is the scariest part. It is quite upsetting to watch your baby be put under. They will usually allow only one person to be present while your baby is put under and it happens as they are about to be wheeled into the OR. I suggest that you try to maintain composure in order to ease your son's fears. Get down close to him, give him kisses, touch him, and talk to him while the anesthesiologist places the mask over his nose and mouth for him to inhale. It seems to take forever but in reality it only takes seconds. It is never easy to watch, regarless of how many times you have seen it. I cried after each time, it's hard not to. But, your baby is fine and I promise that ear tubes will make a world of difference. They typically remain in place for 6 months to a year. Hopefully one set will do the trick on allowing his ears to drain properly. We have had to have three, but things seems to be functioning perfectly now and he lost his third set of tubes about a year ago. If you need any support, don't hesitate to contact me. You are doing what is best for him, you will be glad you did! B.

we went through tubes and a t&a together when my sone was 2 1/2.  things went very well, he did have to have a breathing treatment when he awoke because he was having stridor.  that is when they are making this high pitched whistle when they breathe.  i dont know if that was more from the t&a or anesthsia but after breathing treatment his oxygen level wnet up and he did great. he had also had surgery at 12 months and ahd no problems at all after that round of anesthsia.  i also have a daughter that had major surgery at 7 months and she also recovered well through the anesthsia.  my son after 1 day you would not of known that he even had surgery.  young ones bounce back vbery quickly.  hope all goes well. 

hi, my son had cochlar implants put it and i no two people who had to get tubes for there ear. the surgery ive hear is no big deal. its the anthesia that is hard.looking back they are fine. but it was one of the longs times in my life. after it is over. you won't understand why you worred so much. but i was a nerves wreck. i had anxiety attack and everything. but everything works out fine.

Hi E., it looks like you have had some great advice from moms, I just wanted to reasurre you from a medical aspect. I am an audiologist that works in an ENT office so I see many kiddos every day who needs tubes. The scarriest part of the whole thing is the sedation, the actually surgery is very simple and only takes a minimal amount of time. You will be so relieved afterward as your little one will feel much better. One advice is to make sure to use water prevention following the surgery, whether it be cotton or putty or wax plugs it is very important to keep water out of the ears, espeically with the summer months coming and swimming.

I hope all goes well but do not worry.

My oldest had tubes at 7 months, I'll pass on the advice given to me...
First of all, it will take them longer to prep for surgery than it will take for the actual procedure. We were with him until they took him to the OR - from that point on, it was 20 minutes until they wheeled him back out to us.

Second, when they come out of anesthesia, they may be really angry b/c they don't understand why they feel as they do. My little guy almost jumped out of my arms a couple of times - thankfully, his dad was there too.

Third - they'll send you home with instructions and ear drops - make sure you're clear on the instructions. I wasn't and I ended up having to call the hospital at 3 am b/c I found dried blood on his sheet (it was drainage, perfectly normal).

Finally, our ENT recommended custom fit ear plugs. They cost about $45 and usually last about 6 months. Since having the tubes, and using the plugs, my oldest has not had an ear infection, and it has been two years and two months.

Good luck! I hope this helps!

My 20 month old nephew just had this done yesterday. He woke up from anesthesia great and you would have never known he had surgery. He was in a good mood all day! Hope everything goes great on Friday!!

My daughter had tubes put in on 12/3. I was freaking out, but when it was done your like that's it. You sit in the waiting room for like 5 mins they come out and tell you they are done the longest wait is them moving the child that's about 15 more mins. I recommend that you go to wal mart and get the orange ear plugs that you can mold in the childs ears. She has had 2 ear infections since the tubes but nothing like the other ones. It won't cure your child but it will make them soooooooooo much better. Good luck I'm sure everything will be fine.

Have you ever considered a chiropractor?? They can do manual manipulations that will help alleviate the problem. Our son has been adjusted since he was 5 days old. A friend of ours daughter was having problems also and we recommended our chiropractor, she has not had problems since! Our pediatricians office was even in a study with OSU on manipulation versus tubes. This office does not recommend tubes. Just a thought! The one ear infection our son did have, he was adjusted and stopped crying immediately! We were so impressed!

Hi E.,
In February my todler and my baby got tubes one right after the other. I had the same worries you do because, after all, they did keep calling it surgery. Well, have no fear. I think these kids are put under the lightest dose of anesthesia possible because the entire procedure takes ten minutes. Out ENT told us that the only reason they put kids under is simply to keep them still. He also said the "surgery" is so minor it is done in office for adults. The tubes have been a blessing for us! No ear infections since we got the tubes for both kids!!! Good luck and enjoy a happier child with tubes!:)

2 of my 3 kids have had tubes. It is so quick. While there's always risk with anesthesia, it is well worth it. Mine came out kinda rough, but later in the day you would have never known they'd had surgery! Good luck!

Don't be nervous, it's a total piece of cake. My daughter had them done the month after her 2nd birthday, so only 5 months older than your son. Not only did she have tubes put in, but also had her adenoids removed at the same time. Even with the surgery involved, the whole procedure was done in 20 minutes, and by 6 that evening she was playing again. So, just the tubes will probably have him playing within a couple of hours, once the anesthesia wears off. They may not even have to put him under. I think my little brother was just given something to dope him up a little, rather than being put all the way out.

Our daughter had it done at 14 months after ear infections resulted from every little sniffle. She had constant fluid in her ears. Since then (10 weeks ago) she did develop one ear infection after a two week cold. The good news is that her speech has significantly increased and for the most part she is much better.

After coming out of the surgery she did cling to me the rest of the day and whine. Her surgeon said that this was a response to the anesthesia and not to worry. The next day she was good as new.

Good luck. The surgery itself only lasts a few minutes.

My son had tubes put in when he was 18 months old. He'd had too many ear infections and he was losing his hearing because of it. He'd failed the hearing test and the Dr. told us that he hears as if he is stuck under water. This was also preventing our son from really talking. He couldn't understand us. I was very nervous about it, I'd never had to go through that and I couldn't go in there with him. However, it didn't take very long at all and after 5 months of speech therapy he was talking just fine and passed his hearing test! I think he has only had 1 ear infection since.
I was nervous and scared, but the Dr's knew what they were doing and it was the best thing for my son. If he hadn't had it done, he might possibly be deaf - thankfully we caught it and got it taken care of. He was up and running around the very next day. You would have never known he'd just had surgery! Hang in there, it will be okay - and don't forget to pray...it always helps.

~T~

Hi E.,

My daughter has had tubes... twice. The first time at age 2 and the second time at age 3.5. She did great both times. I will say she woke up crying which they say is normal I think maybe because they're a little disoriented. I would suggest taking some Motrin with you. She cried all the way home and when we got home I gave her Motrin. Within 20 minutes she was fine. After that you never would have known she had anything done.

I think the scariest part for me was when they actually put her under. They did let me carry her in to the operating room and hold her while they put her out. They used a mask over her face which she didn't like at all. You'll be amazed at what a quick surgery this is... 20 minutes max!! Good luck to you... I think this is another one that's harder on us than them! I hope you have the same results we have had... It's all been worth it!

E. I see that we are going through the same thing right now cause my son is 20 months old too and they have to put tubes in his ears cause he had a infection fro the longest and it driving me crazy, cause I don't know what the out come would be and I am concern about the Anesthesia too and if he would be in any pain. didn't they give you a per Anesthesia appointment??

My grandson had tubes put in his ears on Feb. 14th when he was just 9 mos old. He did an awesome job! By the time my daughter got him home from the hospital, he wanted breakfast and ate 3 pieces of French Toast sticks from Burger King and some hash browns. I think it all depends on the child and most importantly how the people around him act. It has been 2 months and he has had not one ear infection compared to being on a new medicine every other week. It is scary but in the long run you will be very happy to have had this done! Good Luck!!

We have had it done to two of our children and it was the best thing for them. They probably had one ear infection each after putting them in. Such a relief. It's quite normal to be nervous. The procedure only lasted about 10 minutes and they were quite normal the rest of the day.

My daughter had it done at 12mos. old. I was nervous as well. We barely sat down in the waiting room and the doctor came out to say that it was all over. I get nausated with anesthesia so I was worried about her but she did great. She had to eat light for the first day. I was surprised that she was at almost normal activity level.
Good luck, I hope that it goes well for your son.

My now 4 1/2 yr old son had tubes put in right after he turned 1. He came out of the anesthesia just fine. He ate a bottle shortly after waking up and we were sent home. He had no reactions to the anesthesia even when it wore off later in the day. He no longer has tubes in, nor has he had anymore ear infections since the tubes were put in nearly 4 years ago.

My daughter had tubes put in her ears at about 30 months. I agree that it was very nerve racking, but it turned out to be not as bad as I had imagined. The anesthesia was scary, I'll admit. However, they way they did it at Children's in Dayton was that they had me give her 2 tsps of Motrin that was basically 'laced' (for lack of better term) with mild anesthesia. This made my daughter very goofy, which eased the mood. She was laughing and smiling and being goofy. It made it easier when they had her lay down on the bed and started to take her away. She knew what was happening, but it didn't affect her the way it would have otherwise. The whole procedure took about 12 mins. Then I waited another 20 mins before I could see her. She was pretty goofy the rest of the day. When we got home, I made her lay down to try to sleep some of it off, but all in all, she was fine. By the next day, she was completely back to normal. It's been almost a year and the tubes haven't fallen out yet, and she hasn't had anymore ear infections. She has to wear ear plugs in the bath tub, but she is used to it by now.
I hope all goes well with your son!

E.,
I have been through this with my oldest son. The hardest part is knowing your child will be sedated (your fear). The procedure itself is very common and takes little time, but trusting your child to the hands of others is HUGE. My son was 20 months old when the procedure took place and it was easy and a success. The only challenge was the ear plugs. However, after a time I was very careful to poor water directly over his head and not while he was sideways (in the tub)so we eased off on the earplugs and head band. As my son was only 20 months and I had a 1 month old as well, we didn't worry about swimming. His tubes fell out when he was three. They didn't hurt him, but they did bleed.

We weren't allowed to be back in the room with him, but I would ask if you could be there. Maybe it would ease your anxiety to hold his hand while the anesthesiologist works.

Good luck and I'll say a prayer for your family.
S. - mother of 4; stay at home

My children are now 10 and 7...the first one had tubes at 18mos and the second one at 15mos and again when almost 3. I don't think there is anything anyone can say that will make a mom relax and feel 100% okay with having their child put under anesthetic....let's face it, they are our babies and we worry! However, within weeks of the first one my husband and I were so relieved and wondering why we hadn't had the procedure done sooner! The repeated ear infections are far worse than the procedure itself. You will be absolutely amazed at how quickly it is over. When they came and got us after the first set, I was scared because it was so quick, I thought something was wrong. It really is that quick, they are only out a few minutes. The hardest part of recovery is coming out of anesthesia; they can be cranky! :) I hope that helps a little. Know there is another mom out here who feels for you and will be thinking about you on Friday! Take care!
C.

E.,

Not to scare you, but my son started at 18 months and by the time he was about 7, had had 5 sets of tubes. That's not the norm, by the way. Each time was different and mostly uneventful for him, but terrifying for us. As he got older, the only thing he hated and was afraid of was the mask. The last time we went to the Children's satellite up around 275 & 71. That place was AWESOME! They have a room separated by a sliding window next to the OR that the parents can be in while they put the child to sleep, to ease their fears. Once they knew he was afraid of the mask they just held it above his face and wafted it over his mouth and nose until he went to sleep. 10 minutes later he was finished, awake, and ready to go!

My heart goes out to you - we never want to see our child go through this. We'd change places with them in a minute.

Good luck! He (and you) will be fine.

G.

E.,

I know it's scary to have your child undergo this procedure. Our son went through it just before his first birthday. The procedure is incredibly quick. It seemed that our son had only been gone moments, when they returned with him. As for the anesthesia, he came out of it crying and fussy (of course, he hadn't eaten and that was part of the problem), but they said that was pretty normal. If you have any doubts about the procedure....our son responded wonderfully to the tubes and has had few colds since (he's now 2 1/2) He has had a couple ear infections, where the tubes become clogged but they were handled by eardrops vs. antibiotics.

So, yes, its scary but honestly, it will be over before you realize it.

Good luck!

My daughter has had anesthesia 4 times and has done well each time. When she had her tubes they just put her under a little gas type anesthesia. She was pretty grumpy when she first woke up but came around within the hour and was back to normal by the afternoon. I'm certainly not wanting to down play anesthesia because there are always risks associated w/ it, but a vast majority of the time kids to great.

My daughter hasn't had tubes, but I did as a child, twice. I have had lots of friends who's children have had tubes put in. They haven't had any problems. It's never easy to watch your child have something done to them that hurts, even if it's the best thing for them. But, it's a "simple" procedure and done as an outpatient. Your son will be great through this. And the exciting thing is that his ear infections should deminish and he'll have improved speech and hearing. Plus, he'll feel better! Good luck!

My son had tubes at 10 months and they work wonders. He was able to sit up straight that day. They use a mild amount of anesthesia and it won't take him long at all to wake up. Andrew was in and out in 10 minutes. I fed him a bottle and we went home. Don't worry. It will be fine.

My son had it done twice in a two year period of time. the second time he was the age of your son. Yes, the thought of anesthesia is always a little scary, but they of course are very careful and only give a tiny puff of it since the "surgery" is so so quick!!! So yes, be a little scared, say a prayer, and let the doctors put in the tubes!! He'll be much better with those tubes in.

I went through that with my son at 8 months and almost did it with my daughter at 20 months, but waited, because when kids turn 2 they should grow out of it. It worked out for her, but my son was one constant ear infection. It was worrysome due to the anesthesia, but everything was ok. Your son will cry a lot and seem to be unconsolable when coming out of it so just be prepared for that. My daughter just had her tonsils and adenoids removed and we just dealt with the anesthesia issue again, but things went fine. It will be a relief for your son. Good luck!

Have you been seeing a pediatric ENT dr. instead of a dr. that sees all ages? They are less inclined to tube children. If you are, and they've recommended it, don't worry.

I went through this. In fact, a specialist recommended my son get it done at 12 mos. But, I refused due to the potential "complications" they warned me about. I wanted to see if he could possibly outgrow the ear infections.

Well, he didn't outgrow them. After 6 more non-stop ear infection diagnoses and developing an allergy to Amoxycillan from too frequent use, I finally understood that he HAD to get tubes at 18 mos.

The procedure was flawless, and although he was a little groggy & grouchy the first day, he was like nothing ever happened after that. From that day on he has not had ANY ear infections and rarely gets ill - he will be 4 in June. Not to mention, he is an even happier little guy.

I am sure you are making the right decision and that everything should be fine. It is a very common procedure.

As a mother who has a son with tubes in his ears, rest assured that the anesthesia is no big thing. They are litterly under for maybe 15 minutes to a half hour! My son has tubes placed over a year ago and is doing great. His speech is so much better and he is an overall happier kid. The only problem we had after the tubes was the anesthesia made him sick to his stomach, which has happened to everyone in my family who has had surgery. I can not tell you how great it was to put the tubes in his ears!!! Good luck to you and rest assured the procedure is simple!

I wish I didn't have experience with this, but I do. My son has had 4 sets of ear tubes already and he just turned 3. I hope you have better luck with them staying in than we do. One of his is out again. I think they will be good for him as far as the infections go and it is a really simple surgery. The anesthesia is the worst part of it, but they are usually back in the room with you after 10-15 minutes.

Good Luck!

my son got tubes in his ears when he was around 15months. he came right out, heck he was crying when they brought him to me. But speaking from a mother that went thru 1.5 of ear infections, you may want to have his tonsils and adnoids looked at. My son use to get inferction so much that now he has a immune to antibotics. he would get one every two weeks.

Also look at what he is eating. Look aty how much milk or dairy he is eating, human cannot digest cows milk properly and cows milk has a tendacy to leave mucus in our system which then may go to the ear.

Try that and also go see a ear nose and throat dr too

GOOLD LUCK

My son had tubes at 11 months and I was so scared about the anesthesia. He did great. This surgery is really fast. I was only in the waiting room for maybe ten minutes. They are under anesthesia for an extremely short time. I totally understand being nervous but, don't worry to much. The benefits to my son have more than outweighed any risks.

Hi E.,
My daughter didn't get tubes but she had her adnoids removed last year at age 3. The doctor allowed me to go back with her into the operating room and hold her hand while they put her under. (It was harder on me than her)
They didn't start an IV until she was under.
When she was ready to wake up they got me before she came out of it...It was a pretty rough awakening. I've heard from other friends that their little ones also have a hard time waking up and will sometimes thrash around. My daughter did this too. Almost like she was dissoriented etc... But, it passed quickly and I was allowed to lay with her on her bed.
My friend's son had tubes a couple of years ago and everything went fine and he was running around the same day. They had to force him to take it easy :)
I had tubes put in my ears as an adult...they are the permanent kind. I was having a-lot of pain when we would fly on vacation and would get fluid behind my eardrums and lose hearing. I found a doctor willing to put tubes put in my ears...It took like 15 minutes. I was in no pain after and now have no pain on airplanes.
I know your son will have different tubes and they will eventually fall out. I believe everything will be fine.
Just comfort him when he is waking up and ask to go back with him if that makes you both more comfortable. I didn't have to even ask my doctor he askes one parent to go back so it's not so scary on the child.
Good luck to you and your son. I will say a prayer for both of you!
T.

Both my girls got tubes when they were 9 and 11 months old and were just fine. They were back to their daily routine less than 4 hours later. Hopefully your child is first thing in the morning becasue he won't be allowed food after midnight. Since the whole procedure is short, you won't be separated long from your child--you should get to come back to recovery with him in about a 1/2 hour from the time they take him back for the tubes. For us, the benefits of tubes outweighed the anesthesia risk by far.
Good lucK!

Getting tubes in his ears is really no big deal. My daughter, Emma is 6 & is on her 2nd set. She is an achondroplastic dwarf & had many infections before the tubes. Anesthesia is a huge concern for dwarfs & she came through both times with NO problems. The only thing I can tell you that was bad about it is the medicine they give them might cause gas or even diarhea. Just watch for that. The procedure itself only takes about 15 -30 minutes. Hope this helps a little.

R.' Ehle proud mom to 3 great kids ages 18 (G) 12 (B) & a 6 year old dwarf daughter.

It's a little scary to have your child under anesthesia. My son was 11 months old when he had tubes put in. The whole process was well worth my concern, though. He's almost 5 now and hasn't had an ear infection since! Good luck!

Our son had a procedure done when he was 18 mos (circumcision re-do) and the anesthesia is definitely the hardest part...while we were in the waiting room, other parents were waiting for their children who were getting tubes. They would come into the waiting room and then get called back to see their child within 15 minutes. My point is that it is tough at first to see your child get put under, but the procedure is very quick. It will be over before you know it.

my 19 month old had tubes put in a week ago yesterday and there was nothing to it! we got there at 6:45 for paperwork they took him at 8 and by 8:15 they were done and we were on our way home by 9. He was a little fussy, took a little nap, then ate some lunch and then took a long nap, and when he got up from that he was completely fine. You would have never known he had anything done. Good luck!

My son had tubes put in his ears at 7 months old. He is now 4 years old and has never had anothr ear infection. (Knocking on wood as I type) The procedure itself took about 5 minutes once he was sleeping. They had me in the recovery area as soon as he started to wake up and he cried for about 15 minutes.

Hey E.,

I understand your concern, I was so scared when mine went under! But it's a totally standard procedure these days and you won't believe the different long-term you'll notice in your kid. Best of luck!

All I have to say is tubes are wonderful! My son got them when he was 12months b/c he had 8 ear infections in 8 months...since then he sleeps and eats like a champ and only 1 ear infections since...he is 20 months now. It was really quick and easy too. We waited in a room together and then they came to take him and he was gone for the most 10 minutes. We came home and that day he took a four hour nap. Try not to worry about it...it is a very common surgery and will definitely help your son.

Boy, do I know what you are going through. One of my daughters was the reason that you have to have ear re-checks. She had to have 12 sets of tubes by the time she was 8. Her problem was that the eustachian (sp?)tubes were small and normal drainage was not happening and it would back up and get infected. There is a danger in anesthesia, in fact, it was the thing that the dr. pointed out continually. It is a very simple process and as long as he is OK with the anesthesia, won't take very long. Hopefully this will be the only set of tubes that he needs. They make a tiny incision in the ear drum and then insert the tube. There are a number of styles that can be used-I know-my daughter had every style. They are so tiny that if one comes out, you probably would not even notice it on the pillow. These tubes really do help. I will warn you that if you notice his pillow getting wet, it is drainage from the ears-no big deal unless he exhibits symptoms of an infection. He may also be sensitive to loud noises as the tubes allow sound to travel. You will need to keep his ears dry-no swimming unless there are good fitting earplugs, cotton balls and a swim cap. When you wash his hair, ear plugs again.
I would like to mention one thing about the anesthesia-if he has to have more sets down the line, you may notice that his hair will thin out. This is something that happens to everyone, but usually one surgery doesn't affect it noticeably and not everyone will mention it about the anesthesia. My daughter is now in her mid thirties and her hair has finally started to thicken up.
The tubes should help with whatever is wrong. Good luck to you and your son.
C. W.

Hi E.,
Our first son had this very same procedure right before he turned two. The procedure is very quick and they bounce back so fast! He was up playing by that evening. Our son had no problems with the anesthesia either, but as a mother it is hard to know that your child will be put under. You will do just fine and so will your son. You will be amazed at how fast the procedure is and how fast he will be back to his normal self. Our doctor told us that it only takes about 10 minutes to actually put the tubes in, the rest is prep time.
D.

I know the concern you have as I have now been through this surgery with 2 kids 5 times. It is a very safe and quick procedure (lasted less than 10 minutes from start to finish). My daughter had her first set put in at 6 months and those feel out by the time she was 1 so another set and her adnoids were taken out and then those tubes fell out so at 18 months she had T tubes put in. All three times she did very with the anesthesia and by the afternoon you wouldn't have known she even had surgery that morning. My son also has had tubes at 9months and then in March he had his adnoids taken out and T tubes put in and again both times everything went very well and he was back to his normal self by the afternoon.

All kids handle anesthia differently but the surgery is very common and from all the moms I've spoken to things have gone very similar. Just know that when they do come out they are tired and seem unsure of what is going on so they cry some. Good luck and I hope your little one feels better after its over I know how hard it is to keep having ear infections.

My youngest son had this procedure when he was 18 months, so I know exactly what you're feeling. Your concern was mine as well, as my child had never been anesthatized. The office that performed the procedure made my son feel right at home, toys, books, even a small stuffed animal for him to keep with him and take home. As soon as the procedure was finished they came to the waiting area to get me. I was able to sit with him while he came out of the anesthesia and while they made sure he was okay to go home.

And yes, you'll be quite pleased with the decreased number of ear infections. My son is now 5 years old, and I believe that he had 1 mild ear infection after the tubes were placed. They have both fallen out on their own, and still...no ear infections!! YAY!

Are you concerned only about the anesthesia or the entire process? You shouldn't be worried...my daughter had to have surgery when she was 5 and I was more worried about the I.V., pain, etc. I believe they will let you take him into the surgery room yourself so he'll be calm and then they'll put the little gas mask on him so he'll fall asleep before they use the anesthesia-and he'll probably be out in 2-3 seconds! I myself had tubes in my ears when I was 31 and it didn't hurt a bit! Hopefully this helps...I don't think you need to worry (it's actually harder on us than it is on them)!

He may have some structural issues, but you ALSO need to pay attention to his diet. The ears have LOTS of nerves and you need to make sure his diet is FULL of B viatamins which are essential to the nervous system. Cod liver oil - good source of Vitamin A, collloidal silver - natural antibiotic, zinc - immune system and maganese- of which a deficiency has been linked to ear infections.

Use warm olive oil or warm garlic oil to relieve pain. Avoid the tubes if at ALL possible. Try to work at it from a nutritional standpoint first and see if it doesn't help. If NOT, THEN go the tube route. You'll be amazed at what nutritional deficiencies will do to the body....INCLUDING symptomatic of a deficiency as an ear infection.

My son also had tubes in his ears. It was the BEST thing we could do for him. William's problem was less with ear infections but more to do with his not speaking clearly. It made sense; with the fluid his ears were retaining, he could not hear the sounds clearly either.
The anesthesia was not a big deal for him. (And the nurses were smart enough not to have me come in and help. I wouldn't have been much help anyway.)
Getting the tubes really paid off for my son. It made a huge difference for him. I will pray for him that he will have good results, too. And I'll pray for you in the process.
S.

Hi E.,
I was SO nervous when our son got his tubes. It was like night and day. He began speaking more clearly from the moment he woke up after the surgery.
Good Luck!
Blessings and Prayers,
S.

My daughter had had tons of ear infections and was two when they decided she would need the tubes and possibly go deaf without them. They drew her blood and she screamed, it broke my heart. Then the lab broke the vial and called me to come back and get more blood drawn so she could have the procedure. I decided it was a sign from God that she should not have them. The dr said she was going to go deaf. She is 22 now and her hearing is fine. Just wanted to give you another side of the coin.

Hello there, I have a sister that is now 29 and mentally retarted and has had this surgry like 10 times. When she was 28 she had it done again. Things will be fine. You will worry regardless believe me. My son was 3 months old and had to have a hernia surgry and he is a healthy 13 year old. All will go fine!!!! P.S. I read alot of other peoples reponses and I just wanted to say if you get this done over and over be careful. Because my sister has had it done so many times that she has alot of scare tissue and yes her ears drain but now she can't hear because of the scare tissue. She wears a hearing aid. So be careful how many times you do this!!!

My daughter had it done. Everything went fine, takes about 1.5 minutes. She was a little cranky after waking up, but that is normal. Don't fret. A co-workers sone had it done last week and he has been more vocal since having it done. He is about 11/2. God Bless!

This is one of the quickest surgurys you will ever expierence.It takes all of 5 mins.I was amazed

I have been going through this for the last 2 years. My boys have recovered very quickly after having anesthesia and ear tubes. They wake up a little fussy. I gave my little one IBProfen on the car ride home for pain. The pain they have is fairly slight... nothing major. My little boy was up, playing, and running around the same afternoon... after the anesthesia completely wore off. They need to take it easy the first day after the tubes are put in... no rough housing or anything to raise their blood pressure. Other than that it's a piece of cake.

Putting tubes in my boys' ears was a really good move. It definitely reduced the ear infections, high fevers, fussiness, and all those late nights staying up with the boys.

No worries. Your little one will be fine!

-S.

I just saw your post today, our son had tubes put in about 3 1/2 years ago, best thing we ever did. He did not have infections, but hearing loss due to fluid. We figuered it out when he wasnt speaking, he was hearing as if he were underwater. I, too, was terrified, but he was fine, and was back with his peers in 3-4 months. I know you hate to see your baby go through this, in all honesty, our son cried for maybe 1/2 hour after, and it wasnt a wail, more like a whiny, whimper. He was great after that first 1/2 hour, and we noticed the difference immediately. The Dr. even said we would never know when they come out, they are so tiny, chances are you will just vac them up. True in our case. He is now a healthy, very verbal, very intelligant, 5 1/2 year old. Your son will do better, and no more pain for him. Good luck and God Bless, A.

I have two boys - 1 and 2 years old and they both needed tubes at around 12 months. You shouldn't have any problems - it is an extremely fast procedure! The two most unnerving parts are 1) watching your son get "loopy" from the medication and 2) watching them wake up (our first was very crabby). I'd suggest having some crackers or a favorite snack ready for him when he wakes up and a favorite toy or stuffed animal close by as well. It is WELL worth the experience. If he experiences an ear infection moving forward you'll see the drainage and know that's what's going on - no more guessing. Couple of drops in his ear and he'll be back to normal. It really reduced the number of infections for both our boys. I'd do it over again without question.

When I was younger I had ear tubes put in (several times). I happened to talk to my mom about it and she agreed that waiting for the anesthesia to kick in is the hardest part - especially the one time I was fighting sleep because I wanted to play with the baby next to me (I was 4 at the time). As long as you feel confident about your doctor, there's nothing to worry about (from the perspective of you and your son).

However, I would talk to your child's doctor about hearing problems if he needs another set - I have mild hearing problems and the audiologist that I saw said she's seeing a pattern of kids, who had several sets of ear tubes put in, have mild problems hearing and notice it around their 20's. But, in my opinion, the tubes are worth the mild hearing problems (as opposed to the risk of not being able to hear at all or having to endure pain from ear infections).

Hi. My daughter just went through that same procedure a few months back. She was 16 months at the time. I was scared myself. My daughter went through the procedure with no problems. It took a very short time of procedure. My daughter came out crying when she woke up. I heard her down the hallway as I approached then she became louder when she saw me. This lasted for almost a half hour. I luckly had my step mom there to help. Within an hour though she settled, and was ready to go. Things settled so well, we went out to breakfast afterwards. Now months later, she has had at least one ear infection however it wasn't as hard and painful for her. Good luck with your son.

My sister just had tubes put in my nieces ears 2 weeks ago. She is 3 years old. The procedure went perfectly. She was only knocked out from the anestesia for about 4 minutes, and she woke up just fine. She has been doing really well ever since. Good luck to you and your son!

Yes, I have 4 out 5 who have had tubes, with 2 of them having 2 sets of tubes, it is a very quick, painless procedure. Depending on where you are having it done, it only takes about an hour from start to finish, you will go back when your child is in recovery and they will usually wake to you and be very groggy and sort of whiney, which is normal, and as soon as they drink something or eat a popsickle they usually go home, mine always ate with no problems after we left the hospital and then went home and took a nice nap and then they were right back to their usual selves. So as moms we are always worrying but this one is pretty simple. Good luck with the ear infections, he will be much happier, and if he does still get infections occassionally he will have reddish, orange drainage which is normal, just a bit scarey at first.

My 15mo old dtr just got tube 2wks ago and it was easier on her than me! The procedure took less than 10 minutes and aside from her not being able to eat in the am, she only cried when they brought her back to the rm and she was comforted quickly by her dad and I. She was under for a very short period of time and had no complications. We gave her tylenol 1 time, but saw no changes in sleeping or eating afterwards. Hope your experience is as easy as ours : )