Should I get tubes in my babies? Do they really help?

Question

My son is almost 11 months and I do everything the doctor says to prevent ear infections. (Cover his ears outside and in the bath, dont lay him flat to drink bottles, no one smokes around him etc.) He still has an almost constant ear infection. The antibiotics clear it up for a week or so but it always comes back and it seems like it never really goes away completely. My doctor said that tubes just cause more trouble than help, but my cousin says her son got them at 4 months and its worked perfect. Does anyone have a child that has/had tubes and would you recommend them? I would really appreciate any advice.

I meant for the headline to be "tubes in my babies ears" lol not my baby

Answer 1

mine had it done about at 8 months and had repeated ear infections that would stay all the time ( started at 3 months and came 1 x a month until she was 6 months then she was always on med and still kept them) I had tubes put in and she is now 1 year ( just turned on the 30) and I have not had anymore. I think they are awesome and would highly recommend them. They did not make a huge change in her behavior till about a month later ( they learn to live with it then they are recovering) I loved them and they are not painful and a quick procedure. Yes they are well worth it and not painful for them and help sooo much with there pain!!

Ps. they do put them to sleep and they do not feel a thing. I have no clue what the women was talking about them not puting the child to sleep!!!

Answer 2

I had tubes put in at 8 years and they helped a lot. It seems that doctors are getting ppl to do it earlier and earlier. I think it your child is in pain and this will help him then yes do it. I don't think that unnecessary procedures are necessary but if hes sick and in pain, this could help him. Also you have to think about hearing loss. Constant ear infections can cause hearing loss. If the tubes will clear up the ear infections then go for it. Also the tubes might not work the first time. Some ppl have them in 2 or 3 times before they work.

Answer 3

My oldest son had them all the time. It's not good for them to stay on antibiotics. They build up a resistance and then if (God forbid) they REALLY need them, they won't work as well. My son had tubes placed in April of 2005. He hasn't had an infection since, and he used to get them at least every other month. I would highly recommend them. We were told if we had waited any longer he could have had permanent hearing loss.

Answer 4

My son never had that problem, but my mother told me that when i was little I contantly had them one year. My doctor refused to put in tubes and told my mom to wait till allergy season was over an it would clear up. Sure enough it did. Maybe your son's ear infections are caused by allergies? My sister who is a pediatric nurse told me also that this increases the chance of hearning problems later on beacsue of the scar tissue created by the tubes. You might want to get a second opinion just to double check your first doc. Good Luck.

Answer 5

My step son has had them but he was allot older...they did seem to cause issues and he still got infections.

you know...i watched a news segment the other night where they were saying that getting all the antibiotics children with chronic ear infections get...are weakening the immune system and making them resistant to the antibiotics and not allowing them to build their own immunity from the infections.I can agree with that..my step son i swear has no immune system lol and is very resistant to antibiotics.
I think with the tubes it verys from child to child and its a 50 - 50 chance getting them.
If you have tried everything and would like to try this...go for it.It's worth a shot.
When i was a kid, my cousin had this same issue, i remember staying with them and him getting the tubes...it worked out great for him too.His infections cleared up and he had almost no issues after that.But,with my stepson..it didn't work out that way.Nor for my niece.

Answer 6

I would try and get to the root of the problem, and stop the antibiotics. I have read many studies that if children (or anyone) receive them frequently they build up an immunity. Why don't you get a second opinion? Is there any way to naturally heal this or are tubes the only answer? I am sorry you are going through this.

Answer 7

My daughter had ear infections frequently that seemed to just magically stop at the age of two. Her brother had a few, not as many....but when he was 1 I took him off of all dairy products and he didnt have another one ...well I think one when he was 4 , but the constant, repetitive types were gone. Both of my kids were in day care, we did smoke around them at the time, my son was breastfed, but my daughter was not. The only difference was the dairy products. At 12 months, he stopped formula (dairy based) and I put soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, or rice milk in his bottle. I used soy cheese, he ate very well, spinach has lots of calcium and red meat has lots of iron, he was a good eater back then and when he was two i re-introduced dairy to him and he has eaten it ever since. When they are so small, the ear canals are small, and dairy produces lots of mucus, clogging the ear canal, stagnating and resulting in an infection. Try it for a month or two and see if it doesnt help before resorting to surgery. Good Luck to you.

Answer 8

My little cousin used to get them all the time. Her mom finally had the tubes put in and she hasnt had an ear infection is like 10 years. Get a 2nd drs opinon.

Answer 9

My younger cousin and both of his nephews both had to get tubes in their ears. My cousins helped and he rarely had infections anymore and he never had to get them replaced. Both of his nephews had them and they worked excellent. One of them did have to get them put in once more when he was older but other than that GREAT. I think you should if you have tried everything and it keeps coming back. Ear infections really hurt and the tubes will bother him at first but it will be so much better

Answer 10

my daughter had alot of infections when she was little. When she started having febril seizures from the fevers caused by the infections, I had tubes put in her ears & never had another prob. My grandson was doing the same thing, he has tubes now too & hasn't had another infection. I recommend them, but to be sure, go to another dr.