TTMA ear tubes

[microworm]

The baby, 9 months, is going to the Dr today for what I am 99% sure is another EI. This is his 3rd since the beginning of the year, I believe. Maybe 4th overall, but I can't quite remember. My parents are taking him to the Dr today but I told them to ask about ear tubes. I know there are several M14 kids with tubes. Tell me all about it.

ETA becole meggypoo1 sstwinklinglites

[becole]

I would suggest getting a referral to the ENT and talking to a specialist about the benefits/ risks. Pediatricians tend to think kids don't need tubes longer than after they actually qualify. Our quality of life was so much better overall after tubes. DS never had a fever or actual pain with the EIs once he had tubes. We used the drops and did his checkups and he was much healthier. He also starting talking much more and more clearly (15 months.) it's such a critical time in speech development- I wouldn't hesitate to do tubes after 3 infections. Especially 3 in 3 months.

[NJgirl84]

Same as becole said. That's a lot in a short time and pediatricians tend to want to wait. I wish we had taken DS1 earlier. Even after like 6 in one winter our pediatrician didn't want to refer because it was almost spring. Since we don't need referrals I found someone my coworkers went to and just brought him. It made a huge difference with speech. He actually started walking better too and not falling as much, the ENT said he his ears were so gunky that it could have been throwing off his equilibrium.

[becole]

^^^ that's true about the balance thing as well. I personally think pedis wait to refer because they won't get the repeat visits from the child. It's a conflict of interest. My plan also doesn't require a referral to a specialist and I should have just gone earlier as well. I won't make that mistake again. They said his one ear was red and inflamed on the inside from chronic fluid. No wonder he never slept.

[sstwinklinglites]

Best decision we made. He had tubes put in and adenoids removed last Aug. We just now in March had our first EI post tubes. It was an immediate improvement in his overall health and speech. I didn't have the problem with the pedi wanting to hold back, she referred us after our fourth EI that year, but with our insurance, we don't need a referral anyway. If you can just get him into an ENT, do it.

[meggypoo1]

I forget how many EIs Clara had before the pedi referred us to an ENT. But it definitely sounds like he is a good candidate microworm. We went to meet the ENT and he asked questions and then told us yes she needed tubes. It was going to be a while before we could get in. Pedi actually called the ENT and was dude she needs them ASAP so we were in within a week. Anyway, like others said her speech and health improved so much. She was talking so much more within a month. We have had EIs since but we put the drops in and it's gone within 3 days. Don't even need to go to the pedi. We haven't needed an oral for an EI since tubes!

[microworm]

Thanks everyone.

Well I was right. My mom just texted and said he has a double EI with left side being worse. The left side was the one infected last time and the fluid hadn't cleared as of his 9 month appt.

She also said that she will tell me more about what the Dr said about ear tubes later. This makes me think that the Dr is doing just what was mentioned above, trying to hold off. I don't need a referral so I will make him an ENT appt regardless of the Pedi's opinion.

[ksyknelvr73]

DO THE TUBES.

My May14 kiddo got them when he was 11 months old. He got his first EI at 6 months and literally never stopped getting them (or they just straight up didn't clear after meds) after that point until tubes - we did the 3 rochephin shots and everything (that's the Pedi's last ditch effort before tubes) and it still didn't go away. The surgery was SO quick and easy, and he has had 2 infections since then (in 2 years) and they are easily cleared with the drops they gave us. Best decision ever.

[becole]

Apr 4, 2017 11:21:45 GMT -5 microworm said:

Thanks everyone.

Well I was right. My mom just texted and said he has a double EI with left side being worse. The left side was the one infected last time and the fluid hadn't cleared as of his 9 month appt.

She also said that she will tell me more about what the Dr said about ear tubes later. This makes me think that the Dr is doing just what was mentioned above, trying to hold off. I don't need a referral so I will make him an ENT appt regardless of the Pedi's opinion.

Yeah get him in asap because like others said, it will still be a month + waiting for surgery. Make the surgery appointment for the am because they can't eat before.

Pedis want that $$$ .

[ksyknelvr73]

Apr 4, 2017 11:32:43 GMT -5 becole said:

Apr 4, 2017 11:21:45 GMT -5 microworm said:

Thanks everyone.

Well I was right. My mom just texted and said he has a double EI with left side being worse. The left side was the one infected last time and the fluid hadn't cleared as of his 9 month appt.

She also said that she will tell me more about what the Dr said about ear tubes later. This makes me think that the Dr is doing just what was mentioned above, trying to hold off. I don't need a referral so I will make him an ENT appt regardless of the Pedi's opinion.

Yeah get him in asap because like others said, it will still be a month + waiting for surgery. Make the surgery appointment for the am because they can't eat before.

Pedis want that $$$ .

Exactly. We got VERY lucky in that we were able to get in for surgery in about 2 weeks which is NOT normal, it's usually 4-6 weeks. They gave us the first surgery appt time of the day which I think was at 7:30am b/c he was only 11 months old. I THINK (I could be wrong) that most places try to put the youngest babies/kids first. When he had his tonsils and adenoids out, he was already 2 and his surgery wasn't until 11:30am.

[microworm]

Apr 4, 2017 11:32:43 GMT -5 becole said:

Apr 4, 2017 11:21:45 GMT -5 microworm said:

Thanks everyone.

Well I was right. My mom just texted and said he has a double EI with left side being worse. The left side was the one infected last time and the fluid hadn't cleared as of his 9 month appt.

She also said that she will tell me more about what the Dr said about ear tubes later. This makes me think that the Dr is doing just what was mentioned above, trying to hold off. I don't need a referral so I will make him an ENT appt regardless of the Pedi's opinion.

Yeah get him in asap because like others said, it will still be a month + waiting for surgery. Make the surgery appointment for the am because they can't eat before.

Pedis want that $$$ .

Seriously half of my healthcare FSA is gone and it's only the beginning of April.

Funny I keep hearing an Ad on the radio for same-day ear tubes at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. I just looked into it and you go early in the morning for an eval and then get tubes the same day. But you need a Pedi referral. I'm sure it takes awhile to get an appt anyway. I'll probably go to the same ENT practice that clipped DS1's tongue tie.

[meggypoo1]

Apr 4, 2017 11:45:38 GMT -5 microworm said:

Apr 4, 2017 11:32:43 GMT -5 becole said:

Yeah get him in asap because like others said, it will still be a month + waiting for surgery. Make the surgery appointment for the am because they can't eat before.

Pedis want that $$$ .

Seriously half of my healthcare FSA is gone and it's only the beginning of April.

Funny I keep hearing an Ad on the radio for same-day ear tubes at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. I just looked into it and you go early in the morning for an eval and then get tubes the same day. But you need a Pedi referral. I'm sure it takes awhile to get an appt anyway. I'll probably go to the same ENT practice that clipped DS1's tongue tie.

Side note, a friend is doing her internship at Lurie and I got a little jealous she will be moving to Chicago where a May mom friend is..😔

[microworm]

I was right. My mom just texted me:

"The ped said he doesn't meet the criteria now for ear tubes. Need 4-6 ear infections within 6 months. Also take into consideration young age and time of year - spring - moving out of cold season. She provided the names of local pediatric ENT doctors for you, said you could go for a consult but thinks they wouldn't do it at this time."

[becole]

Apr 4, 2017 13:13:51 GMT -5 microworm said:

I was right. My mom just texted me:

"The ped said he doesn't meet the criteria now for ear tubes. Need 4-6 ear infections within 6 months. Also take into consideration young age and time of year - spring - moving out of cold season. She provided the names of local pediatric ENT doctors for you, said you could go for a consult but thinks they wouldn't do it at this time."

m.luriechildrens.org/more-info/same-day-ear-tube-surgery

Luries own guidelines are more current than your pedis. I was also told 4 in 6 by a pedi when it's actually 3 in 6 months, hearing loss, fluid for more than 3 months (some will do severe hearing loss and speech delays with fluid for one month.)

[NJgirl84]

When I went to the ENT he didn't care it was almost spring. My ENT does like to monitor for a month or so and try some of his methods, then if it still doesn't work he does tubes. So we went in April, by July we were scheduled for August surgery. However, the fluid drained when we went for pre-op so we waited. By Sept. he had another EI and we immediately were put on the schedule again.

[microworm]

Apr 4, 2017 13:55:28 GMT -5 NJgirl84 said:

When I went to the ENT he didn't care it was almost spring. My ENT does like to monitor for a month or so and try some of his methods, then if it still doesn't work he does tubes. So we went in April, by July we were scheduled for August surgery. However, the fluid drained when we went for pre-op so we waited. By Sept. he had another EI and we immediately were put on the schedule again.

What are the other methods your ENT tried?

[NJgirl84]

Apr 5, 2017 7:46:06 GMT -5 microworm said:

Apr 4, 2017 13:55:28 GMT -5 NJgirl84 said:

When I went to the ENT he didn't care it was almost spring. My ENT does like to monitor for a month or so and try some of his methods, then if it still doesn't work he does tubes. So we went in April, by July we were scheduled for August surgery. However, the fluid drained when we went for pre-op so we waited. By Sept. he had another EI and we immediately were put on the schedule again.

What are the other methods your ENT tried?

www.drhowardsmithkidsent.com/treating-colds

We follow this method (mostly). It treats the cold symptoms and helps heal the nasal passages so kids aren't getting congested to the point of it backing up into their ears. DS1 is apparently the rare exception that even with this and tubes he still gets frequent EIs. They are finally starting to slow down as he gets older.

[BurritosAtEveryMeal]

+1 for getting tubes.

DS has only had one EI since tunes went in a year ago. He was having trouble hearing, which delayed speech. I wish we had gotten them sooner but we put it off a few months.