ear infections please help

April - posted on 01/12/2011

my son had tubes put in back in November at 10 months old. He had a constant ear infection for over 2 months and several before that one. The surgery was quick and since then he has only had one infection. That really was because he had a virus and was so stuffy that all the junk in his head got infected, but the tubes did their job and the fluid ran out of his ear (scary scene but after going to the doc they told me it was normal and ok). He's been so much better ear infection wise since they were put in and I don't regret it for a minute. Also my ENT told us after 3 days he didn't care if he got water in his ears or not. I personally worry so I normally put ear plugs in during baths but they don't bug him and he is too young to swim.

Kristen - posted on 12/22/2010

They pull on their ears alot of the time and run a fever. Sometimes you don't know and they just have a fever, and the doctor checks it and they have one. So my suggestion is if they have a fever for more than a day to take them to the doctor b/c you never know with babies and at the very least it puts you mind to ease.

Caroline - posted on 12/22/2010

How do you know when they have a ear infection? becose i suspect my son have it too.

Kristen - posted on 12/22/2010

my son was having ear infections every other week and they tried everything before they did tubes and nothing helped. Once he got tubes 2 months ago he has been a completely different baby and so much happy. I recommend tubes to anyone whose baby is having ear infections it was totally worth it

Alisa - posted on 12/21/2010

I have 2 kids with tubes (just so you know if one child gets ear infections like this its something that could happen to your other children, i didnt know about that) But they have changed in the 5 years in between. My 11 month old got them at 7 months he had one every month. I totally recommend them! With him being this old they might only stay in for a year. The whole water thing, you can put them in a bath and when you go swimming you just have to put plugs in their ears, that is the only "bad" thing about them. But its worth just putting the plugs in them then to have so much pain and medicine for how ever long it takes them to grow out of the ear infections! with my two sense the tubes they have not had one ear infection. The surgery is scary, only because you are a mom! I cryed like a baby! But for my son it only took 15 mins and I had him back in my arms. He was so cranky until the sedation meds wore off, but that same day he started crawling he was so happy! completely diff baby! I would do it all over again! The only hard part was me being a mom and didnt want to let my baby go.

April - posted on 12/21/2010

My daughter had ear infections like crazy. Three weeks ago, she had tubes put in her ears. She is a new baby! She's walking better, talking better, eating better, and sleeping better!! I wish we would have had this done much sooner. She turned 11 months on Saturday. She was cranky and cried for the first 30 minutes or so after the surgery, but it didn't take her long to feel better. Within two hours she was laughing and playing. I reccommend it for any child with chronic ear infections.

Jodie - posted on 12/19/2010

my little sister had that we were at the doctors at least once a week then told one appointment if she did not got gromets that day she would most likely be deaf for life !!!! 15years later happy healthy 17 yrs... it changes so fast from a few infections to deafness!!!!!

Nicole - posted on 12/18/2010

My kids never got tubes, but i did when i was 5. they don't hurt and i went swimming everyday! There is special ear plugs you can buy that work great! Then the tubes just fall out so no need to go into the doctors office to get them taken out. If my kids needed them i would do it in a heart beat!!! I didn't have ANY bad experiences with them......

Leigh - posted on 12/18/2010

My 11 month old just got tubes in his ears last month. It was a simple procedure and he feels so much better. He was getting ear infections or sick every other week. He has been healthy ever since. There is a connection between language delays and chronic ear infections. Babies can have a decrease in hearing and so do not pick up language as quickly when they have ear infections. It is worth getting the tubes.

Kim - posted on 12/18/2010

Not breastfeeding increases risk of ear infections, using antibiotics causes rebound ear infections, vaccines cause immune compromise which lead to ear incections, dairy and other common allergens, etc., but the biggest issue is that baby could have a misalignment (or subluxation) in the spine, which leads to fluid pooling in the ears, which can lead to ear infection. If you have a dr. that does NOT follow current recommendations and prescribes antibiotics anyway, it may get rid of the current infection but a few weeks later another one occurs. A chiropractor will be able to gently adjust your child's neck to allow the fluid to flow where it belongs, instead of pooling in the ear canals to get infected in the first place. Look around for a chiropractor you like and has experience with children (most will), and recommendations from friends in your area are always helpful. Good luck! I would try everything before I resorted to surgery which could always go wrong and lead to bigger problems down the road.

Nicole - posted on 12/18/2010

I used to get ear infections continuously within my first year, and it turns out that I was allergic to cats. My parents gave our cat away and I was fine. Never had another one.

Tamyka - posted on 12/18/2010

My son has had 4 infections since June and our pediatrician just referred us to an ent. He is so miserable when he has these infections I feel so bad for him. My brother had the same problem and had lost slot of his hearing when he was young and we had tubes put it in his ears and he made a full recovery . I hope this helps my little one although I'm super nervous.

R - posted on 12/17/2010

Oh and the water thing it depends on yourent and what kind of tubes they use. Our son was swimming with his head under water and never had a problem. But check with your ent my understanding is there are different types of tubes.

R - posted on 12/17/2010

Our son started getting ear infections around 6 months and had them quite regularly. By his first birthday we were refered to an ent and scheduled to have them out @ 14 months out. From his first birthday to tube day he had non stop ear infections they actually did the procedure while he had an ear infection which is not advised by dr but the ent said this was the only chance we had of getting rid of that infection. (He is allergic to a lot of meds, so he quickly became immune to the ones he wasn't allergic too and was too young for stronger ones.) Part of him getting the tubes was taking a hearing test I was devestated to realize how little he could hear with the fluid in his ears, so much of what you do with babies you accompany with visual cues. I cried after the hearing test. He learned two new words in two days of getting tubes it was amazing.
The procedure of getting tubes wasn't bad at all. He couldn't eat in the morning but for some reason he didn't even notice. The week prior I would hold off on his breakfast in the am until he got cranky so he would be out of that wake up and eat mode. I don't know what it is like when they actually go to sleep my husband went back with him since he is a Daddy's boy. He woke up crying for about 20 minutes as the Dr had told me he would then 30 minutes later he was a happy little boy. Apparently it depends on something with the anestisia if you'll wake up crying. My cousins child did not and when my son had his adenoids out he didn't cry waking up from it because he had more so he was sleeping during the part he would have cried during. Tubes were amazing for us. For my son he had no idea anything happened and his tubes have fallen out and he hasn't had an ear infection. He had his adenoids out because he was getting colds that were becoming sinus infections and coughs in his lungs on a monthly basis. He was almost 2 years 9 months for that procedure and asked to go back the next day. The surgeon and everyone involved in the procedure made it that great for him. So I don't think either procedure will give him a bad memory if he even remembers them.

If I was faced with the same choice I would do it again. However I would also go to a chiropractor. My cousins son is 9 months old and started going and he hasn't had an ear infection since.

Leona - posted on 12/13/2010

i had tubes as a child, they are fine! And i also reccomend a chiropractor, my son still gets an occasional sore ear from teething but it's no longer an infection and he sleeps better at night then too.

Erin - posted on 12/13/2010

I started taking my son to the chiropractor when he was about 6 months and it has done wonders. No more ear infections and very few colds.

Jacquee - posted on 12/11/2010

Its only for a little while that they r like that. I have them, my lil cousins have them. And we all swim and everything. It just takes a little time thats all. :)

Angie - posted on 12/10/2010

I just heard that water is a huge no no. So no swiming and baths you have to make sure not even a drop of water gets in her ears so I was wondering if anyones child has them already?

Jacquee - posted on 12/10/2010

My son is the same way. He gets tubes next month. If it stops the poor baby from hurting so much all the time thats what really matters to us. Good luck hun :)

Shantelle - posted on 12/10/2010

My son gets ear infections when ever he is teething... Tubes are not a bad thing... I use to work at a day care and like 1 in 20 kids had tubes pretty much... It's a one day thing and they are usually fine the next day

Mechelle - posted on 12/10/2010

I don't know much about getting tubes in your child's ears, but I do know that sometimes repeated ear infections are linked to food allergies. You may consider exploring this route too. At least checking into the most common allergy to dairy and wheat.