Recurrent ear infections

Cat - posted on 03/02/2010

i would insist on tubes to your pediatrician.You have be persistent b/c if not too many ear infections can cause speech delay and hearing loss.

Michelle - posted on 03/02/2010

If your son keeps getting ear infections then that may mean that the antibiotics arent doing what they need to do and that his infection is a bit advanced. Talk to your doctor about this. Your son may need a myringotomy (tubes). It is a very simple surgical procedure that releases the pressure and infection from behind the ear drum. It will help him get rid of his recurrent ear infections and eventually the tubes will fall out. Like I said, a myringotomy is a very simple procedure and takes about 10-15 minutes total. I am a surgical technologist and have been a part of many myringotomy cases.



Also, if you arent giving your son ALL of his antibiotics as prescribed...this may be a good indication as to why it keeps coming back. Antibiotics are very important and should be taken as they are prescribed. It is important to take ALL of it because you dont want the bacteria that is causing the infection to build up a resistance to it. That is what happens when people dont finish all of their antibiotics. You may begin to feel better in a day or 2...but the infection isnt gone. I hope this helps you.

Denisha - posted on 03/02/2010

My son is 17mths. and going through the same thing. We went through 4 bottles of antibiotic and his dr. said theyw as still infected. We went to an ENT and he said they was not infected there was just fluid that was not draining. He told us to wait 3 months and come back. We have to take him back in a few weeks and see if they look better if not we may have to think about tubes. I had tubes when I was little. It was bad because it hurt so bad if any water got in there and I still have ear infections so im not sure it even helped. I really don't want him to have the tubes unless it is Absolutly neccessary! He is to little to be put to sleep I just can't stand the thoughts. Hopefully they will look better this time. I hope you child gets better soon too. I know how bad an ear ache can hurt!

Erin - posted on 03/02/2010

i personnally don't know alot about babies asnd ear infections, but my sister-in-law has delt with it alot with 2 of her 5 kids, she also had alot of ear infections, she and her oldest were premiesm, which is a contributing factor for them. was your son full term? she herself had tubes, and they almost had to have her sons ears tubed, there is alot of deafness in thier family so she was planning on doing it. also, i started having alot of ear infections as an adult, it turned out to be problems with my teeth, i had it taken care of and haven't had an infection since, that was 5 yrs ago, could her be teething?

Joan - posted on 03/02/2010

hi

both of my kids had this problem.my daughter ended up with tubes because her tubes were flat and the dr could see that her ears would not drain on their own. have you been referred to an ear,nose and throat dr(ent) yet if not i would ask to see one. when we saw one for my daughter,he saidthat he didn't know if the pedi had diagnosed her infections properly so we had to go thru a year with him. during that year she lost 50% of the hearing in one ear.her tubes burst in one ear,etc.. he finally did tubes her hearing is back

good luck

Theresa - posted on 03/02/2010

My son had lots of ear infections too. They would clear up, but thenthe next month he would get another. He ended up getting tubes put in when he was 1 1/2. He never has had an ear infection again. He is now almost 11. The tubes eventually fell out by themselves. The only things that was a pain about hving them was to put ear plugs in whenever he was going to be swimming. We didn't need to put them in for bath, just whenever his ears may be in water. It really wasn't that big of deal. After a few times he got used to them and would leave them alone. At least at that young of an age he didn't swim a whole lot.

Melissa - posted on 03/02/2010

No, he never drinks laying down, but he does use a nuk at bedtime, and I have heard that can increase pressure in the ears. Weaning that is going to be a whole other issue, but we are planning on doing that asap. No, he is never around any smoke and never has been. We are planning on seeing an ENT specialist if this current antibiotic he is on doesn't work.

Michelle - posted on 03/02/2010

when i was a baby my parents said i had that problem. they tried everything they could for me but i was still getting them at least twice a month with horrible fevers. they wanted to put tubes in my ears but my parents where against it. we had to go to an ear and throat specialist and when i was 4 they took my tonsils out. after that i never had problems with ear infections again. i was hardly around sick people it was just the way everything was draining i guess. ive heard some bad stories about tubes in the ears though

Ashley - posted on 03/02/2010

Does he drink laying down? I've heard that giving them a bottle or cup and letting them lay down flat & drink it can cause ear infections...it puts pressure on their ears or something...does anyone smoke around him? I've also heard babies around smoke get more frequent ear infections. Just some ideas. Hope you get it figured out!

Kate CP - posted on 03/02/2010

See a specialist. Since the antibiotics aren't working just throwing more at the problem could cause your son to become immune to them or have an allergic reaction. See a pediatric ENT and talk about your options. Tubes really aren't that bad. After the surgery the kids are back on their feet later the same day.

Jocelyn - posted on 03/02/2010

My daughter had recurrent ear infections up until she was about a year old. We went through all of the antibiotics as well, most gave her horrid side-effects. Sadly, just keep trying until you find one that works. Get an anesthetic ear drop if you can, at least it will take away the pain even if you cant find something to treat the infection quickly. Im torn on ear tubes, we went and saw the specialist his demeanor and how the infections would be treated after the surgery kept us from having it done. We stuck it out and her ear infections have cleared up on their own.



*Edit.. Just remembered something, has your pediatrician treated your child for any illness along with the ear infections? Ours noted that she would have a mild cough or a little bit of stuffy nose and gave us cold medicine to go with the antibiotic.