GracieLou

[texaswildflower]

If you don't mind, can you share with me a little bit about your experience with C's ear infections and getting the tubes put in?

R has had 2 ear infections in the past two months. Pedi says that if he continues this way, a referral to an ENT Dr and tubes will likely have to happen.

PM me if you don't want to put it all out here. Thanks!

[jamesonontherocks]

I'm going to butt in while you wait a response.
My DD (K) got tubes when she was 9 months old. Essentially from 6 months-9 months was a giant ear infection not being resolved by 3 different antibiotics. She was miserable, she couldn't sleep, we couldn't sleep, and so on. After the 3rd antibiotic the ped and I were talking and she mentioned an ENT for tubes - the so called standard is usually 5 ear infections in a year, but hers 1) were not improving at all and 2)was happening during the summer (usually more ear infections for the winter) and I agreed. Saw the ENT, suggested tubes. A week later, we were at the hospital for the 10 minute procedure (literally by the time I left the OR to go to the waiting room, the recovery room nurse was coming in to tell me she was done). Ear drops for a week or two. Since then NO issues with her ears - with allergies, colds, flying - ears have been awesome.

K is 2.5 now and one of her tubes is out. I'm sure the other will be out in the next 6 months. We will most likely need another set of tubes because she got them so young, but its better than the pain that they deal with, and the possibility of language delays due to not hearing correctly from the fluid built up.

Again, sorry to butt my head it, but I wanted to share. Any questions for me, please ask. I say this to everyone who is hesitant about them: tubes were the best thing we've done for K.

[jamesonontherocks]

And failed antibiotics (in order) were amoxicillin (which we had used in the past with good relief), augmentin, and omnicef.

[GracieLouFreebush]

Sorry, I went to bed way early last night because, ya know, I might have HFM! Actually, I'm now thinking sinus infection.

Anyway, C had an EI at 5 mo. Then, she had an EI at 7 months (mid Feb) and had one every two weeks for twelve weeks right up until her surgery. It went like this: Bring her to the pedi on a Friday, give meds for 10 days, go in for a check up on day 11 (usually a Mon), "tubes look red but that's normal after an EI, no more meds," back to the pedi on day 14 (Friday!) for another round of meds. So I was in the pediatricians office multiple times per month which is a huge PITA especially considering I work FT. And, of course, so painful for C.

She didn't sleep *too* bad, especially when she was on the meds. She also rarely got a fever when she had an EI. She'd get fussier, sleep more restlessly, and tug on her ears after being off meds for a couple days. The doc said she was probably so used to her ears hurting that it was normal for her (which, if you think about it, is sooo sad).

The pedi referred us to an ENT after EI #4. The ENT's around us were so booked up for a consult that she got EI #5 while I waited for someone to contact us. This caused my Mama Bear to come out and, walla!, an appointment opened up (at an office 90 min away but we were desperate). She got EI #6 while we waited for surgery day to approach. Luckily, they can do the surgery while their ears are infected.

She was way happier than I thought she'd be the morning of the surgery. They can't have formula for so many hours before and can't have anything two hours before but she was quite entertained by all the action at the hospital. We went to a children's hospital and they were fantastic. They gave her a nose mist to ease anxiety which made her really relaxed and smiley before taking her away from us. We went to the waiting room, used the restroom, and they were done. It's super fast. She was grumpy waking up and slept a lot that day. Per the anesthesiologist, it's the only surgery they don't do an IV anesthesia for; they just do gas through a tiny face mask. She had a cough so they said it was NBD to slip in an IV if the cough was impeding the gas anesthetic but it didn't come to that.

She's still having drainage. They say 3 days is normal and we're on day 11. They switched her drops to Ciprodex drops yesterday and will look at her during her follow up on Tues. Every time I call, they say that extended drainage is normal in some kids and she got a cold too which may have prolonged it.

She's been sleeping 11-12 hours through the night since the tubes and her walking skills have exploded. Despite the extended drainage, I'm thrilled with the results so far!

Similar to K, C cycled through amoxicillin, augmentin, and omnicef for over three months. I too will not be surprised if she needs a second set of tubes when hers fall out since she got the first set so young (10 mo). Tubes usually stay in 6-12 months.

Sorry for the novel. Everything's fresh in my mind since we just went through it. I'm happy to answer any other questions you might have.

[GracieLouFreebush]

How old is R? She was the youngest baby that morning but the next oldest was only a year. They do a bunch back to back, youngest to oldest so there were a lot of babies in the waiting room that morning.

My manager's son got them when he was 3 or so and it was impacting his language development b/c he couldn't hear. Sound was so muffled for him that he screamed when he first heard a toilet flush post-surgery b/c the sound was so loud compared to pre-surgery! I'm glad C was able to get them so early.

[texaswildflower]

Thank you both for replying. R's infection was completely cleared up by his follow up appointment yesterday. I'm hoping that they will stay away from now on. He just turned 6 months old and the first infection occured right around the time he turned 5 months. Again, thanks for sharing. I appreciate it.

[letsbeawkward]

Gracie, I had a sinus infection while J had HFM.
Maybe we both have adult HFM! ahhhh!