should my child get ear tubes?

“According to the guideline, children who have very frequent ear infections and who also hold on to fluid – meaning their infections don’t clear up quickly – are candidates for ear tubes. However, the guideline says tubes should not be given to children who have frequent ear infections but who do not have fluid build-up – a major deviation from what typically happens in clinical practice.” – cnn.com

– You don’t have to use ear plugs for water (most people don’t realize this) unless you are going to be swimming at four to six feet under the water (not likely for young children).

• They still get ear infections.  Our kids still had the same amount, they were just easier to treat.
• They have to undergo surgery.  Our youngest son had trouble after waking up and breathing after he was given anesthesia.  He had to stay in the hospital for a full day past the surgery due to breathing issues (we have since learned that he has asthma).
• The tubes fall out and you may need to have them replaced (we had to do this with our second son).  They normally will take their adenoids out during the second surgery, as well.
• Sometimes you can’t get the drops in due to the build-up of drainage.  Our daughter has such terrible drainage with her ear infections that we can’t get the drops to go in past the mucus.
  We have had to do oral antibiotics several times, even with the tubes, when this happens (or the ENT will use a HUGE machine to suction the drainage out, while you hold your baby completely still, because “if your baby moves, even a little, we could puncture the ear drum”  (no pressure there, right?)