My 4yr old is having his adenoids removed and tubes put in - how do you tell them?

Question

I have read different postings mentioning the surgery of putting tubes in and having the adenoids removed and I seem to see alot of "ear infections" for the reason. My son has 40DB hearing loss and I have him scheduled for surgery next Friday - I am wanting to know if any of you out there have had the adenoids removed even when there was not consistent ear infections. My ENT said that most kids that have alot of ear infections have nerve damage and that most kids that get tubes in thier ears don't really have alot of infections. Of course I am scared out of my mind for my son.... Please let me know your thoughts and how also did you tell them what was going on before surgery? I don't want him to not know what's happening to him. Thanks so much!

Answer 1

ouchy gonna hurt.

Answer 2

Hi, my son will be 3 next month. He went into surgery march this year. He got his tonsils and adenoids removed,and the ear tubes putted in. Since he was so little I didn't have to tell him about the procedure but in the salon I heard other patients and all they say to the kids is that they were going to be OK.That is was going to be so fast that by the time they wake up it was over. Well keep in mind that the recovery is paint full and he wont be able to eat well. It takes about a week so be very patience he'll need all your love and care u can give him. Good luck.

Answer 3

It sounds like they want to remove the adenoids to create a healthier environment in the throat and head. Also sounds like your son has persistent fluid in his middle ears if he has a 40dB hearing loss. If the hearing loss is due to fluid entirely the purpose of the tubes is to drain the fluid and restore his hearing. There can be middle ear fluid without the presence of infection, however, the fluid can present a significant hearing loss and this is not good in kids that are developing speech and language skills. We have found kids that have had significant middle ear problems have delayed speech and language skills. If they can't hear things well and consistently, then they cannot produce correct sounds and have correct use of language skills. Your doctor will help you with discussing this procedure with your son. The health care professionals are good with dealing with kids your age.

I would recommend that you have some custom made "swim plugs" made for his ears to use for shampooing and bathing to keep water out of his ears following the tube placement. It will be important to keep his ears dry as long as the tubes are in the ears.

As he gets older the Eustachian Tube will mature and will work more efficiently. Sounds like he just needs help getting the system healthier until that time.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

My daughter had to have her tonsils & adenoids removed at age three, and tubes put in. She was deaf in both ears due to the fact that her ears wouldn't drain. I told her she was going to the dr and was gonna take a nap and when she woke up mom and dad would be there. (she did have some hearing but could only hear if you screamed in her right ear)---My daughter seemed to be okay with all of this, until it was time for them to take her back to the operating room--she then screamed her head off cuz mom and dad weren't going with her, so they ended up having to give her the anestesia while she sat on my lap--afterwards, she was so happy at everything she was hearing for the first time that, if there was any pain from the surgery--we never knew it. The surgery was the best thing for my daughter, she can now hear, she doesn't have any nerve damage to her ears, but because for 3 yrs she couldn't hear, her speech was delayed, after the surgery she had 2 yrs intense speech therapy, and sees a speech therapist while attending regualr classes at school (she is now 10yrs). We did have to have tubes put in every year until she was 6 (tubes fall out, they are not permanent). She is doing wonderful with her speech and is in 5th grade now, and top of her class, and is in the Academically Talented program at her school.

Answer 5

My daughter was 5 and 6 when we went though a year of ear infections with other stuff also. She had 3 sets of tubes put in and on the last they took out her tonsils also and she is 22 now and rarely get sick. You should get a book that shows the ear in detail and tell him that his ear is hurt and the doctor is going to fix it. He will give him some medicine to sleep and when he wakes up the ears will be getting better, but also he needs to be prepared for some discomfort. Make sure you have his favorite things with him in the hospital when he wakes up it is just out patient but you are there a while and he will need his stuff to help him feel better. Just tell him the truth at his level of understanding and it will be fine. Kids always do better with the whole truth.

Answer 6

My son had tubes put in his ear when he was 18 months and when he was two he had his adenoids remove. They don't normally remove adenoids in kids that young but my son had a breath problem and they had to. He only had two ear infection since then and he has no problem with his breathing or his ears. Just tell him that they are going to fix his ears and make him hear better.

Answer 7

My son had his tonsils & adnoids removed after he had tubes put in so it had nothing to do with his ear infections. He will be ok, you will too, I know it is scary but it will be over before you know it. I would just tell him you have to go to the doctors and they have to check his ears, they will give him something to drink to relax him before they take him back to the operating room so he won't be upset when they take him for the surgery. My son is 7 and has had 4 surgeries, starting at 11 months, he has been fine each time. Good luck.

Answer 8

Yeah I had my adnoids removed, after they had burst and caused some major damage that had to be corrected by surgyer. I was practically born with ear in fections. Tell him that they will give him a shot that will make him very sleepy...tell him not to try to fight being sleep but to just fall asleep. When he wakes up his sinuses (nose) might feel funny maybe even hurt a little bit but it will go a way in a day or two and then he will stop having as many ear infections and will be able to hear better which will be a very good thing.

Answer 9

Just be honest with them. Tell him that there is something wrong and that you need to go see the doctor and he will have to do something called surgery. Tell him everything he wants to know. You will be surprised at how well he will handle it. The best thing to do is reassure him that he is going to be OK. That what is happening makes you a little worried and that its OK to be worried to. Ask the doctor to go through the steps of surgery with both of you. The best thing to do is inform him whats going to happen and how and when. The worst thing is for him to go into it not knowing anything. The important thing is that you guys go through this together and not alone. My son had water in his ear from birth and has had to go through a few surgeries to drain it. He had tubes in his ear for months. And he did great. He was 4 at the time. Now he is 6 and tells the story proudly. I was very insistent on letting him know everything. Its really hard on you i know but it feels better when you can talk to each other. Everything is going to be fine. you will get through this together. Good luck.

Answer 10

I am hear to tell you that my son had his adenoids removed when he was 4 years old also. I made the day all about him. I bought him new pajamas, balloons, and a toy to bribe him into staying calm. After the surgery he ate ice creme watch cartoons all day and had mommy by his side. He did okay for a 4 yr old.

Just make it about him. And don't let him see you nervous or he will be too.

Answer 11

My daughter had the same things done at a younger age. We just told her that instead of her having to take medicine every day for an ear infecttion and having her ears hurt all the time that we were going to take he to the doctor, they would help her fall asleep and when she woke up her ears wouldnt hurrt and she wouldnt be able to snore anymore.. she liked that idea and went along easily with the plan. Make sure your child has met the doctors and other staff before you go in, that way they are comfortable with everything and have no feelings of being scared!