ear infections

[momtoemma]

Anyone else here on the boards that is fighting or has struggled with multiple ear infections in their babies? My daughter is 7 months old and is on her 3rd ear infection since late January. I'm not really sure about the number of ear infections as I'm not totally convinced that she has ever actually gotten over the first one. Right now, we are just taking antibiotics (almost continuously since the first diagnosis), but yesterday, the doctor said she wants to refer us to a specialist to see about getting tubes put in her ears. I think it's way too early to talk about tubes. Does anyone here have any experience with this problem or any advice on how to reduce the number or ear infections or how to get her well?

Thanks,
Stephanie

[parkersmama]

I don't know too much about prevention but I agree that it's too early to be talking tubes. My older son had one winter with continuous ear infections. Our pediatrician discussed tubes with us but because I was a little resistant he recommended a maintenance antibiotic (Gantrisin) for us to use every day (low dose) until the weather was consistently warm (April for us). He also recommended that Parker have the flu shot the next fall which he said would possibly help him fight off some infections. It worked really well and he's only had one or two ear infections in the 4 years since we did that. We never did talk about tubes again!

Denise
mom to:
Parker, 9/1/1997
Wesley, 3/9/2000
and #3 (a girl!) due 4/29/2003

[atlbaby]

We went through a period of multiple ear infections (3 in 6 weeks) with Arielle when she was 10.5-12 months, and this was back in Sept/Oct. Our ped said if she got another one within 4-6 weeks we'd have to see a specialist, and I was pretty concerned and thought it was too soon to talk tubes as well. Luckily, she didn't get another one until December, and has been clear since.

But I was pretty convinced that her multiple ear infections over such a short period of time was because the first one didn't get knocked out of her system and it was all the same infection that kept resurfacing. When she got her ear re-checked the first time the infection was still there and our ped said to just finish the antibiotics and it would likely be enough, but I think we should have put her on Augmenten right then and there. Instead, he waited until ear infection #3 to put her on Augmenen.

So perhaps the same thing is going on with your daughter? Hopefully, with Spring coming very soon she will go through a period of no ear infections and your ped will not want you to see a specialist.

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01
#2:) EDD 10/24/03

[sweetbasil]

Stephanie,
DS had one big ear infection lasting from when he was 11 mo. to 14 mo., and after 4 rounds of different (increasingly strong) antibiotics, we went to a specialist and had tubes put it. Apparently the need for tubes is genetic, and I had them as a little girl...fortunately, boys are statistically more likely to need them than girls, as the eustacian tube (I think....) is at a higher angle for girls and boys' are flatter for a longer period of time, allowing congestion to build up and cause infections.

We found that doing the *awful* saltwater routine as directed by our ped. (1c. water, 1/2t salt, dissolved and cooled to room temp, then injected 1- 1 1/2 ml in one nostril, aspirated out multiple times, and repeated on the other side) really helps...we start that any time he gets cold symptoms accompanied by any amount of mucus/congestion, and it seems to head off the colds. Our ped said that it's usually a cold that turns into an ear infection, resulting from that fluid build-up....

FWIW, Kellen became a different kid after the tubes. He's much happier, started talking more *immediately*, and we're just completely pleased. The doctor couldn't believe how much build-up was in his ears when she went in to place the tubes, and said they'd been clogged so long that it was more like glue than fluid. (sorry for that yucky detail, but it only reinforced our having had the procedure done.....)

I met someone in the specialist's office who had a 7mo old daughter who was about to get tubes- her older siblings had each had them 2 & 3 times respectively, so it was in her genes; but I'd probably be a little hesitant about doing it quite that young, if I had a choice....Hopefully the summer will help with her ear infections- DS never had one in the summer, and the warmer weather doesn't encourage colds/bugs like the colder months do.

HTH!