Okay, so here's the deal... At present, all three kids are on antibiotics for ear infections. We have been dealing with ear infections nonstop and it's to (maybe even past) the point of considering putting tubes in. It just comes down to genes. Ryan had to have tubes put in his ears a bunch of times so I'm pretty sure that it's just the way my kids' ears are. They don't just get sick and get over it, they have to suffer afterwards until the infection goes away. The thing is, I hardly know anything about getting tubes put in. The doctor explained the procedure but I would like some real life experiences to go off of. Carson got his tonsils out two years ago because of sleep apnea but we also hoped that it would help with his ear infections ironically. The recovery was really hard and long. Is having tubes put in similar to that? And then if we do decide to go for it, which kid should we do?
After the tonsillectomy, Carson didn't complain of having an ear ache for about a year. That doesn't mean he didn't have one though. Carson's funny that way, he gets embarrassed if he's hurt so he doesn't tell me until it's really bad or if I ask him about it. Just this last time, I noticed that he kept playing with his ears and acting funny and I could tell he couldn't hear me very well. So I asked him if his ears hurt and he said that they just sounded a little "squishy" but then later on he did tell me that they hurt. I have one of those ear checkers that lets you see inside and there was totally puss and blood. He woke up that night screaming that his ears hurt so the next day we took him in and the doctor said that both his ears were very infected.
Reese hasn't really been a problem so far. I think he's had a couple of ear infections but he has had his fair share of health problems. Like the one time he had a fever of 106 and that week we ended up taking him in at least 7 times to see the doctor. We got a summary from the insurance saying pretty much "did you really go in this many times in one week?"
Gwen, on the other hand... her entire life has been just fighting off infection after infection. Is it safe to have her on antibiotics all the time? Is it safe to put tubes in a eight month old's ears?
I don't know. I need some outside opinions.
6 comments:
I would rather tubes than constant antibiotics. Antibiotics can actually kill your immune system, that might be why she is always sick. They also mess with your digestive system and all kinds of other crazy stuff. So, I vote tubes. Its done so much I think it would be easy to do and not too bad for them to get over. Though, better a rough recovery once and then (hopefully) no more problems than not doing it and continuing to have infections and pain. Thats my two cents!! :) My sis had tubes in her ears a million times. But I'm pretty sure you aren't supposed to go swimming with them...
I commented on facebook, but I wanted to reiterate here. The tube surgery is literally like 5 minutes. I gave one does of tylenol to Evelynn when she got them at 2 years old, and one does for Michael when he got them at 8 months. He has also been on antibiotics for about 6 months solid, and enough was enough. Tubes help so much, and if your kids are constantly getting infections it will save you lots of money and sleepless nights. I can't stress enough, go for the tubes!
Clark had tubes put in at 14 months and it was not bad. they take them away for 5 minutes and then bring them back to you. It is really sad seeing them wake up from anesthesia but he recovered really fast. We went in the morning and by the afternoon he was back to normal. It is a really really easy recovery. It is annoying to put earplugs in for bath time and stuff, but worth it. Way better then being sick all the time!
I was talking to my mother in law about this tonight bc Bryan is showing signs of an ear infection. With her experience, 6 kiddos, tubes were a life saver. Fixed the problem and are just tiny little things. Good luck.
I don't have any personal experience with tubes, but I would say from a Speech Pathologist's stand point to get the tubes (since from what others have said they aren't that bad). Chronic ear infections at a young age (between 0-3 yrs.) can really affect speech development because the child doesn't hear the sounds correctly when their ears are all gunked up.
Oh my gosh my poor nephews and niece!!!! I don't have a child that gets ear infections but I have a mother whose kids ALWAYS did. My brother had so many ear infections his language was slowed (because he couldn't hear anything). Every time it was discussed the risks scared my Mom and the nurses would say 'it's still surgery' and that always made her put it off. He finally got tubes put in at 2 years old but unfortunately the developmental damage was already done. the Dr said he was basically deaf until the tubes were put in and therefore 2 years behind. He went to YEARS of therapy to try and catch up. Even as an adult you can still hear little things that he says weird. My Mom never forgave herself for letting the doctors scare her. So with her subsequent children after 1 or 2 ear infections she ran in and demanded tubes. She said she would never mess with that again and put tubes in her last two kids at 5 and 6 months old! That was 20 years ago so I'm sure it's totally no big deal now with medical advances and stuff. Just from my families experience I vote tubes!
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