Now he needs tubes? *vent*

DS had his first ear infection in February. A week or so later he had an ear check and he had a double ear infection. He was on amoxicillin. They put him on omnicef and scheduled an ear check 2 weeks later. 2 weeks go by. Again double ear infection. His pedi said at his first double ear infection they would start counting down to sending him to an ENT if he had 6 in 6 months or 6 in a year. I can't remember. Its neither here nor there, because at this last appointment his pedi said she would be referring him to the ENT now recommending tubes. :/ I know if they think its best, its whats best. She did say she is noticing fluid in his middle ear doesn't seem to want to drain. She said she can't pin point if these ear infections are new or they just won't go away, but hesitates to give him an injectable because he isn't having fevers or very bad temperament from them. She said if he started acting lethargic or very fussy, or was spiking fevers to bring him in and we would go from there.
Just had to vent. DS's colds in the last 14 months don't even fill one hand. Now he has ear infections back to back or ones that won't go away and they are talking tubes. When it rains, it pours for my little bug. :/
Has anyone else's child had this problem, back to back to back ear infections, or ones that won't go away? Did tubes help? How many infections were their prior to tubes before they were put in? Are they suggesting them too early? Can he get them too early (if they help, why wait I guess.)

I had tubes when I was a kid because I had the same problem. My youngest daughter always has infections without her tubes. She also has hearing loss in one ear and some abnormalities in her development. Her ears are cupped and one has a very small ear canal. She got her tubes put in twice already and now she is about to go for the third time. It's really not that bad of a procedure and it helps her very much to keep the infections to a minimum. Good Luck!

A big risk with ear infections like that is not just the constant antibiotics, but hearing problems. My son had significant hearing loss when he got his tubes at 12 months old, completely resolved by tubes. It was over 3 months of straight ear infections that got him sent for his tubes.

They help. With hearing, and with ear infections. He still had ear infections with his tubes, but it was 6 in a year, instead of 3 months straight. Still too many, but his second set of tubes 17 months later with adenoid removal has mostly taken care of his problem. It's been a year and a half, with maybe one or two? The fact that I can't remember is definitely a good indicator. lol

<blockquote><b>Quoting Mommy of 2 + 1 angel:</b>" I had tubes when I was a kid because I had the same problem. My youngest daughter always has infections ... [snip!] ... third time. It's really not that bad of a procedure and it helps her very much to keep the infections to a minimum. Good Luck!"</blockquote>



Thank you, sorry to hear all that but thanks for sharing your story! I'm just taken aback. Its sudden is all. He may not have even recouped from his first ear infection yet and now its tubes. Meh. I just want an ear infection free week.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Autumn Whisper:</b>" A big risk with ear infections like that is not just the constant antibiotics, but hearing problems. ... [snip!] ... problem. It's been a year and a half, with maybe one or two? The fact that I can't remember is definitely a good indicator. lol"</blockquote>




Yeah, I was thinking about him being on antibiotics so much. That can't be good. I hate to scare up research on what the effect is, but I need to do some digging later.

I had tubes for a while when I was younger. It was constant strep throat and ear infections, as many as 10 times a year. I had tubes in and that helped some. I ended up getting my tonsils and adnoids out and haven't had an ear infection or strep throat since. I don't remember ever having any issues with having tubes in either.

Even if it is separate ear infections or one that has last for this long, tubes may be the best way to go. It is temporary. If it helps, then great! Get as much info as you can about them so you can reassure yourself it won't be that bad. I hate that your LO is going through this though!!

Quoting *Mary Moon*:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Mommy of 2 + 1 angel:</b>" I had tubes when I was a kid because ... [snip!] ... He may not have even recouped from his first ear infection yet and now its tubes. Meh. I just want an ear infection free week."

Just be sure to get it taken care of ASAP because when I was 3 and a half I was being given amoxicillin for ear infections and it didn't help it get better. I developed spinal minengitis and was in the hospital for a while. They said they had 12 hours left to get it under control or I would have died. People don't realize how bad ear infections can actually be.

Oh and if he's laying down and drinking out of a cup or bottle that can cause ear infections also. I don't think it's ever too young to get tubes.

My daughter had one ear infection that lasted three weeks and turned in to double ear infection. She only had one other before that. Amoxicillin was used the first time it worked than. The next time it didnt, she had three different meds before it went away. I found out she didn't have an infection at her ENT doctor appointment but there was still fluid there. My daughter was almost 10 months old and got tubes November 16 2012. She didnt go back for her follow up with the ENT until almost 4 weeks after she got the tubes. Only because I worked the original appointment and couldn't get off work. Two days after that appointment , she got an ear infection. She just had her second ear infection on feb 16 2013, ( 4 months after getting tubes) which turned into double ear infection. She had blood draining out of her ear. We had to take her to ER since it was a Saturday. ENT doctor told us to take her . She had ear drops and oral meds. Which she was given amoxicillin , I requested something different. (Amoxicillin is used way to much ) they changed it to augmentin (still,in the amoxicillin family.) it didn't help. She was on it for three days and started to run a temp, not high but she shouldn't have a temp on antibiotics. I had to take her to see her pedi and that doctor told me her ears were pretty bad and her meds needed to be changed. Which the ENT did change. Her left ear is draining again. It only been a little over a week since she went to the ENT.

I thought with tubes she wouldn't get ear infections so often still but she still does. I don't know if I should of waited and not got them. I think I have taken her to the doctor more now with tubes than before. But I don't know what would of happened if she didnt get the tubes either. I hoped I made sense , sorry if it didnt. She did pass all the hearing checks after she got the tubes.