He would cry incessantly. At first, you thought it was just colic. But bottles, binkies and TLC didn’t work.
Two days later, you took him to the doctor. It was then that you learned that your son had an ear infection. You thought this was a one-time thing, but it wasn’t.
As time went on, the infections continued -- and so did the doctor visits. He got them over and over again. Antibiotic after antibiotic worked for a while, but sooner or later the infection always came back.
Two years later, he’s still getting them -- and your doctor has suggested something that none of your other friends’ children have had. That suggestion is ear tubes. What do you do?
It's a common dilemma for new parents and parents of toddlers, and ear infections are a common thing. As many as half of all babies will experience an ear infection before they turn one. And about two-thirds of kids will experience an ear infection by the age of three.
Medically referred to as acute otitis media, an ear infection affects the middle portion of the ear. Experts say that respiratory infections can trigger this condition. Viral infections like cold and flu can trigger them.
For some children, ear infections are recurrent. This is when doctors may recommend ear tubes.
According to the Mayo Clinic, ear tubes are small cylinders that are surgically placed in the eardrum to reduce the risk of further ear infections.
There are several reasons why doctors may recommend ear tubes. One common reason is that a child may experience fluid buildup (effusion) behind the eardrum itself. This can happen when fluid stays in the ear after the infection has passed. However, it also can happen when general blockage is present in the Eustachian tubes. Ear tubes help to ventilate this area and keep fluid from building up in general.
Ear tubes can prevent hearing loss because ear infections with fluid buildup can affect a child’s ability to progress in the way of speech and communication. Not only can this make the child crabby, but it also can affect the way he or she interprets and forms words. Ear tubes can help with all of these factors.
Further, these issues can interfere with a child’s school or daycare experience. His or her learning may be delayed, And he or she might act out due to not feeling well in general. Ear tubes can help to restore a sense of normalcy in a child’s life when it comes to these problems.
Ear tubes may be recommended when ear infections do not respond to medications, and tubes may help to protect the eardrum itself to prevent tearing and reduce the risk of hearing loss from fluid buildup.
As a parent, you’re undoubtedly focused on one question: Is this procedure safe?
The answer is yes. Experts say that ear tubes are very safe -- and very common. More than half a million of these surgeries are performed annually, making it the most common childhood surgery performed with anesthesia.
The procedure itself is quick and painless. In fact, it usually takes just 15 minutes.
What scares parents is that the procedure itself requires anesthesia. While putting a child under anesthesia can seem terrifying, it’s done for an important reason. Anesthesia keeps the child from feeling any pain associated with the procedure.
After placing the child under anesthesia, the surgeon will make a very small incision in the child’s eardrum. He or she will then remove fluids in the middle of the ear and place the tube in the eardrum. In a matter of minutes, the procedure is complete.
Best of all, ear tubes often fall out on their own. This usually happens about six to 12 months after ear tube surgery. However, if tubes do not fall out naturally, then your child’s doctor may need to remove them.
It’s important to know that a child may still get infections once ear tubes are put in. While ear tubes lessen the chance of this occurring, it is still possible.
Further, there are some risks associated with any surgery in general. The first risk is the anesthesia itself. Though this risk is very low in healthy children, the Mayo Clinic says that anesthesia can lead to allergic reactions, trouble breathing, heart issues, and nausea or vomiting following the procedure.
There also can be risks associated with the ear tubes themselves. These can include: bleeding, infection, abnormal fluid drainage, blocked tubes, scarring of the eardrum, weakening of the eardrum, ear tubes falling out before they’re supposed to, ear tubes not falling out at all and the eardrum staying open once tubes are no longer in the ear.
If you do decide to go through with this procedure, experts say that it’s important to prepare the child beforehand. In other words, don’t wait until the day of surgery to tell the child what’s going to happen. In a childlike way, teach your little one why this surgery is necessary and how it will lead to fewer infections and less pain. Tell the child about what anesthesia is to reduce fear on the day of surgery. And make sure your child knows that you’ll be somewhere nearby. To further reduce fear, you can even let your child bring a toy -- or pick out a new toy as a perk before the procedure itself.
It’s also important to plan for follow-up care after the surgery. The child’s doctor should request a visit between two and four weeks after surgery. In this visit, he or she will make sure that the tubes are working correctly. He or she may ask you to put drops in the child’s ears. And if your child has experienced hearing problems due to prior infections, a hearing test will be ordered to see if the surgery has improved hearing. Further, the child may need to wear protective earplugs in water. This includes swimming and taking a bath or shower.
Be on the lookout for surgery-related infections. Specifically, you’ll want to look for discharge in the ear. If it’s yellow, bloody, or brown and lasts more than seven days, the Mayo Clinic says that you should contact your doctor. Contact the doctor if your child is in pain often or if you notice anything different or off about his or her hearing or balance after the surgery.
The good news is that ear tube surgery comes with positive results. Not only is the risk of ear infections reduced, but also hearing usually becomes normal again and often improves. Speech can also improve. And a child’s once-disruptive behavior and irregular sleep patterns may be alleviated.