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Tubes in Ears

Many parents who have children with frequent ear infections will have to face the decision about getting tubes put in their child's ears. Although this practice may sound dangerous or scary, it may be the best option. Untreated ear infections can lead to hearing loss and over time even permanent deafness. Before deciding for or against having tubes implanted in your child's ear, it is best to understand what the procedure is all about.

Tubes are usually placed in the ears of children that have chronic ear infections. Chronic infections are defined by recurring infection, usually one every month or two for at least six months.

The tubes are implanted to allow the fluid to drain from the infected ear. These tubes kept the canal open to allow drainage and to ventilate the inner ear chamber so that the tissue located there can heal and return to normal.

Ear tubes are small metal or plastic tubes that are placed into the ear through a small incision in the eardrum. The incision is made in an area that will not affect future hearing.

The actual procedure only takes a few minutes, but your child is usually kept for observation for an hour or two following the procedure. As opposed to adults, who usually only need a local anesthetic during the procedure; children are usually put under with a general anesthetic for the procedure.

After the procedure, children are usually allowed to resume their daily routine as soon as the next day. Some children may experience a little pain following the procedure and those children are usually given acetaminophen. Children should also be restricted to a liquid diet during the hours following the procedure to reduce the need to chew, which can disrupt the ear canal.

Occasionally, some children may suffer side effects from the procedure. Problems to look for include…
• Ear pain that is not relieved by the acetaminophen.

• Bleeding from the inside of the ear,

• Problems with their hearing.

• The presence of pus in their ears.

If you notice any of these symptoms, you need to alert your child's doctor and most likely schedule an appointment for them to be seen.
After the tubes are in place and your child has recovered from the procedure, there are a few things that you need to be aware of. Water should not be allowed to enter the ear. If your child is showering, bathing or swimming, earplugs should be used to keep water from entering the ear canal. If your child cleans his or her ears with a Q-tip, extra care should be taken to avoid letting the Q-tip enter the ear canal.

Once placed, ear tubes will generally remain in the ear for about a year. After that, they naturally fall out on their own. Once the fall out, the small incision will heal on its own. On rare occasions, the tubes do not fall out unassisted and your child's doctor may have to remove them. If a year has passed since your child's tubes were inserted, it is best to make a follow-up appointment with the doctor just to check things out.

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