How many ear infections before tubes?

We are currently battling ear infections. How many before tubes where done?

 

We are currently battling ear infections. How many before tubes where done?

 

We only experienced one infection, but had fluid consistently for three months. They were worried the fluid could affect their hearing, thus affect their speech - so we did tubes.

 

There was constant clear fluid in DS's ears. It was very hard to detect-a specialist found it. He was having hearing loss and speech problems which were the signs that his pedi knew that something wasn't right with his ears even though he couldn't see anything in them.

 

None for my DS. But he had constant sinus infections instead and antibiotics did nothing. We had to get the adenoids out to remove the problem altogether and tubes also.

Karen

 

Morgan has had 6-7 ear infections (that have all been cured with antibiotics) in the past year. However, she hasn't had one since the end of August. So, my pedi is looking for frequency. She is going to watch her through the winter and if she gets them with every sniffle we will probably do tubes, but right now there isn't much talk of them. Goodluck!

 

We did not have any ear infections at all. No fluid or anything. However, Zoe failed her hearing test and it was determined Drew had fluid way in the ear. Our doctor (military) was great, and had tubes in their ears within two weeks of the failed hearing test.

 

I think it depends on the MD. Some it's 6 in a year, some if it's constant for 3 mos, then tubes.

Reagan had one after another for 6-7 mos. Every cold she had would result in an ear infection. She's had them for about a year. W/ Miller, his eardrum ruptured Labor Day Weekend, was on 4 rounds of antibiotics and he got tubes Nov 16, so it wasn't as long for him...but that could be b/c of my background, they knew I knew what was going on, etc and I pushed for them.

HTH

 

This is Jessy's third ear infection. The first was a double and the last 2 were in her left ear only. She has had 2 ear infections in a month and a half. Due to a stupid pedi my sister, who had constant ear infections, has 30% hearing loss in both ears(she had speech therapy and talks clearly now). I want to prevent anything like this happening to Jessy. Jessy is already far behind Jazz in the amount that she talks.

 

Bot of mine had 3-4 ear infections within a 3 month period. At 5 months old they got tubes. Two weeks later DD was falling out. Her ears were so badly infected at tthe time of surgery, that the tubes couldn't adhear to "good tissue" in there. They were removed at 9 months, and she has done good up until about 6 weeks ago, they have begun again. So here we are at 13 months and she has had another 3 infections (I think it was just one that never went away) in the last 2 months. Well, We go tomorrow morning to get them replaced. She is hopefully going to do as well as the last time. And hopefully they last this time so she doesn't have to go through it again.

Also wanted to add....we are having some speech difficulties here as well, and the ENT really thinks that this will help. I also thik it is affecting her hearing, and her ability to start walking. I think her equilibrium is all way off. She wants to walk...but just can't keep her balance.

 

My son had 8 infections back to back before his Ped realized that he was actually never getting rid of the fluid in his ears...DUH. anyway, since we go the tubes, no infections since then. My son is now having speech therapy for speech delay that they think was caused by him not hearing very well during the time all of those infections were going on. Makes sense, but I could scream because of it!

Best of luck!

 

Nathan had 1 ear infection. The fluid never cleared after that 1 infection and he had to have them put in at 11mo.

 

Depends on your ped office protocol. Ours is 3 infections in 6 mos or less.

 

my daughter had 21 in a year. a lot I know, but the doctor didn't want to jump the gun. I would have done them sooner if I'd known the relief she would get. It's a tough decision but well worth it. I say the sooner the better.

 

It depends on many things. One thing they look for is frequency. Another is continuity (do they go away completely between round of abx). Also are risk factors (exposure to second-hand smoke, season, daycare participation, etc). Another would be family hx. And, of course, any delays in speech or hearing trouble.

All of these things are taken into consideration and an ENT makes the determination, not a pedi. Your pedi will simply make a decision based on their experience regarding whether or not to refer you. You could be referred and have the ENT say NO to surgery. Or, you could never be referred when, in fact, surgery is the best option.

It's this last sentence that is the reason that we, as the parents, need to be pro-actively involved in their medical decision-making. Having worked a number of years for an ENT, I have seen many cases of children who have suffered too long and needlessly at the hands of a pedi who either couldn't recognize the need for tubes and/or adenoidectomy or who refused to refer out.

Our girls had their tubes placed last May after months of constant ear infections, horrible yeasty diaper rashes from abx, ER visits for abx-resistant infections, allergic reactions to Rocephin from the ER visit, and too much suffering. Fortunately, for my girls, I was able to self-refer and recognize the need before the pedi ever came around to it. Our surgeon's schedule was filled or they would have been put in a month sooner. The pedi didn't truly recognize the need for the surgery until a week before it was done. Thanks goodness I didn't wait for his ok on that one. My girls had had enough, and so had I.

Not every child will be a candidate for surgery. It might be that your child could benefit from something as simple as Singulair or she might need tubes. If you can self-refer and you feel the need for a consult, I would say to schedule the initial visit with a pediatric ENT and see what (s)he has to say.

 

quote:
Originally posted by kiwi247:
my daughter had 21 in a year. a lot I know, but the doctor didn't want to jump the gun.


That's obscene. 21, really?! And, no ENT referral in all that time?! Unacceptable. I'm so sorry you guys had to go through that. So, does she have tubes now?

 

Well, tubes do not STOP ear infections......I thought that they did (my 4 year old had them put in earlier this year...April!?!, I think.)....he did really good for a few months, and then it all started happening again His tubes are still intact, and he has had 4 ear infections in four months (Sept, Oct, Nov, and December), when we were at the ENT last week, I asked "I thought that tubes were going to make all of these infections STOP" the Doctor said that the tubes are for hearing correctly (with no fluid), getting less ear infections is a bonus....but tubes are not put in to cure the infections.

I was as shocked as the next guy.......the younger of the twins (13 1/2 months old) is going to see a different ENT on the 14th due to so many ear infections.

 

Correct - tubes do not prevent ear infections necessarily. The point is to let the fluid drain that used to build up. Maybe your younger twin needs his adenoids out? I would definitely seek a second opinion on why the poor dear has so many infections going on.