OK...new problem...I have questions for those that have had

[Sanny]

We figured the baby was going to need them eventually, but we hoped to wait and have it done at the same time that he goes in for his next surgery which is on June 2nd so that he wouldn't have to be put under anesthesia twice. We saw the ENT doctor today because he is in the midst of his fourth ear infection and he is only three months old. He gets an ear infection...goes on antibiotics...finishes them and then within a week or so has another. We have to rotate types of antibiotics so now he has to take a smelly yukky one that he hates 3X a day and it isn't good for him to constantly be on one. He is super cranky right now and the ENT doctor said today his ears are full of fluid and pressure and he really shouldn't wait until June so he will probably get them next week :no: another hospital visit. She went over the procedure and explained it all to us but I was really tired and didn't ask enough questions about every day things to know about at home so I am wondering if anyone else that has been through this has any tips, tricks or advice to share.

They don't look like tubes, by the way, they look like teeny, tiny barbie size white donuts.

(can you tell I'm sleep deprived?)

 

[journey]

Okay, I had tubes put in my ears as a youngster and I have never had an ear infection since, but that was back in the late 70's early 80's.

My niece who is 9 has had a set put in when she was 10 months old and they came out when she was 3, then they put another set in when she was 6, she lost those last year and is doing great, has not had an ear infections since.

There is no tips or tricks with tubes, they just go into the ear drum. when they come out, I will warn you, they look yucky! Covered with possibly dried blood and ear wax. They do not cause hearing loss as far as I know. I do have a small amount of hearing loss in my right ear from my eardrum rupturing when I was 3 or 4. They put the tubes in when I was 5 or so.

Good luck and hope this helps!

 

[runamuk]

Please do not take this the wrong way K?..........are you certain he isn't allergic to milk, wheat, soy, etc? I never required tubes and grew up with ear infections as part of life...I swear I lived on antibiotics and antihistimines.....

My mother smoked in the house and we had wood heat..two huge contributors......I also was allergic to milk.....my own children have had a combined total of 3 ear infections between them...........we often have had wood heat and we both smoke......HOWEVER we smoke outside only never in our house.......

I would get very serious about looking at allergies..tubes aren't a big todo BUT they wont really solve the problem if it is allergy related.....

JMO

 

[RENMACMINIS]

My nephew had chronic ear infections also. They put tubes in his ears about 2 years ago, he will be 4 in august. they just came out a couple of months ago. They looked like little white/clear beads, they came out in a ball of ear wax. While they were in he could not get any water in his ears at all and had to wear ear plugs while getting a bath or going swimming. If he did get any water in them they gave her special drops to put in his ears. Feel free to ask me any questions you have and I will ask her them. you can email or PM me if you dont want to post them here..

Sherry

 

[CLC Stables]

Hello GET THEM DONE. I am 25 and when I was younger I had NOT ONE...........BUT FOUR sets of tubes. I was born with a heart condition and had surgery at 7 days old. Then as I got older I couldn't hear period. Mom could run the vacuum right by my crib and I wouldn't even wake up or notice. I had horrible ear infections and had the same thing as your son, medicine and they never went away.

I am now 25 and hear fine (yes I have one ruptured ear drum that is repairable) but I don't think I have ever had another ear infection since I was 4 and had the last set removed. So I say that is pretty good.

Get the surgeries done while he is young, much easier that way (maybe not on you, but on him).

Just speaking from experience...................I don't remember much, and I kinda like it that way.

 

[kaykay]

runamuck hit the nail on the head here!!! ALLERGIES!! my daughter had so many colds and ear infections as a baby that they tested her for cystic fibrosis (longest day of my life!!) she had tubes put in her ears 3 times but they kept falling out. My dad kept telling me that she was probably allergic to the baby formula but I kept listening to the drs. Turns out dad was right. She was allergic to corn syrup and dairy. We put her on a soy based baby formula and she never got another ear infection. By age 5 she had outgrown both allergies. You do see more allergies in infants that are bottle fed. After we finally figured it out i was so wishing i had listened to my dad sooner.

Sending prayers that hes better soon!!

 

[wdancer777]

Whether the infections are from allergies or whatever, don't hesitate to put tubes in! Chronic ear infections can cause hearing loss. My daughter had her first set in at 9 months, and the 2nd at 1 1/2, almost immediatly after the second set her speech improved 100%. My niece had a DR who hesitated to put tubes in until she was over a year old, she does have a slight hearing loss from the infections. The procedure is simple and quick, taking about 10-15 minutes from start to finish.

 

[Sanny]

Thanks for all the support and info everyone.

Please do not take this the wrong way K?..........are you certain he isn't allergic to milk, wheat, soy, etc? I never required tubes and grew up with ear infections as part of life...I swear I lived on antibiotics and antihistimines.....

We are pretty sure he doesn't have any allergies. Since he was born he's been having weekly check ups and they've been monitoring everything so closely.

99.9 % of babies born with any sort of cleft issues also have ear problems since the ears, nose and throat all work together so it comes hand in hand. We were warned about the likelyhood of it before he was even born. I want to be really pro-active because "back in the day" a lot of kids with cleft issues also had hearing loss or even went deaf because of constant ear troubles and parents not taking seriously.

I think one problem is that he has a lot of hair and needs to have his hair washed and it is hard to keep the water away from his ears. I don't want to cut it because it is so cute and people comment on it all the time. It is blonde and super soft and is always crazy and going in all directions. All our kids have been born with lots of hair but his was the longest and thickest. Even if it was cut, he'd still need a bath and his head washed.

 

[wade3504]

I had tubes put in when I was younger after always having really bad ear infections. I had lost 30% of my hearing from the infections and after the tubes were put in my ears were fine. They fell out at one point and I had them put back but I don't have them anymore. I did have to wear ear plugs when swimming but not when bathing.

Amanda

 

[Laura]

We figured the baby was going to need them eventually, but we hoped to wait and have it done at the same time that he goes in for his next surgery which is on June 2nd so that he wouldn't have to be put under anesthesia twice. We saw the ENT doctor today because he is in the midst of his fourth ear infection and he is only three months old. He gets an ear infection...goes on antibiotics...finishes them and then within a week or so has another. We have to rotate types of antibiotics so now he has to take a smelly yukky one that he hates 3X a day and it isn't good for him to constantly be on one. He is super cranky right now and the ENT doctor said today his ears are full of fluid and pressure and he really shouldn't wait until June so he will probably get them next week :no: another hospital visit. She went over the procedure and explained it all to us but I was really tired and didn't ask enough questions about every day things to know about at home so I am wondering if anyone else that has been through this has any tips, tricks or advice to share.

They don't look like tubes, by the way, they look like teeny, tiny barbie size white donuts.

(can you tell I'm sleep deprived?)

Has anyone mentioned the posibility of getting him off of all dairy related products, or you too if you're nursing? Mia had frequent ear infections until she (me actually) was taken off of dairy and they cleared right up, along with the spitting up and gassiness. Just an idea, but it was a simple fix for us. I hope he feels better soon....

 

[journey]

I did have to wear ear plugs when swimming but not when bathing.

Amanda

I also want to second this, I had to wear the ear plugs while swimming, but not in the bath. Same for my neice.

 

[RENMACMINIS]

Sanny if you get it done ask your doctor about making a set of ear plugs for your child. They put something almost like a play doh or a clay in the childs ear to get a mold then they use that to make your child a custom set of ear plugs that fit him and keep all the water out. My sister had them made they cost her about 45 dollars but it was well worth to not have to worry about him getting water in his ears. My nephew has some hearing loss and speech problems due to the fact he had all of those ear infections. His was not allergies (he was tested). He just had a chronic ear infection problem. The reason they told him he had to wear the ear plugs when he was taking a bath was b/c he was so young and he was also hard to get sit still to wash his hair. His speech improved it seemed overnight once he got the tubes put in. Him and my youngest daughter are 19 days apart, with my daughter being the oldest and she speaks 100 times clearer then he does. You can understand every word she says but with my nephew you really have to pay attention to understand what he is saying.