Parents of kids with PE Tubes that didn't work so well.

[lilycat88]

Any of you all have kids with PE tubes that didn't work so well? Susanna had her tubes put in at the beginning of April (she was about 9 months old) after we had struggled with 7 ear infections in 8 months. I think she then had 1 infection in June (after a bout of croup) and then she was fine until the beginning of September. She started a new daycare and, as I expected, got sick within a couple of weeks. It's hard to tell what comes first with her...the being sick or the ear infection. Usually, her first ear infection symptom is a cough and she never actually is "sick" before the ear gets bad. Only once or twice has she had a viral illness like a cold that then led to an ear infection. Probably only when she had RSV and then croup. Anyway... we had her at the doctor on September 12th with an ear infection in her left ear. It was draining horribly. She took amoxicillin for 10 days and seemed ok. 14 days later we had her at the doctor for her 15 month checkup and her doctor put her on Omnicef because it still wasn't cleared up. The drum was cloudy and it seemed like it wasn't draining. Her ped said that the tube looked like it was clogged. So, Omnicef for 10 days. Again, she seemed ok. Then, last Friday, she didn't seem herself and her cough was back so we had her into the ped again for a check. Again, the drum was cloudy/dull and this ped (not her normal doc) said she was questioning the position of the tube. So, now, she's back on Omnicef for 10 days. We were able to get an appointment with her ENT for next week and they are going to do a hearing test before her appointment.

If the tube is clogged or otherwise not functioning, what is next? Her poor body is being assulted with antibiotics almost continually and we're practically forcefeeding her yogurt and probiotics. I'm just so discouraged and worried about the long term effects on that ear.

Any feedback is appreciated.

Thanks,
Jamelin

DD Susanna
6/29/04

[kelly ann]

Jamelin-

So sorry you and your little girl are going through the awful ear infection cycle. DS has had ear tubes for a year and a half. He has only had one ear infection and we actually put ear drops in his ear to clear it up.

I am not sure what kind of insurance you have, but we almost always bypass the ped and go right to the ENT when it has anything to do with the ears. However, we are in a PPO. Our ENT has much more experience in this area and is more knowledgeable about different options. Can you call your ENT up and talk on the phone about even putting her on Omnicef. Maybe you can get an "unofficial" second opinion prior to your appt. next week.

Take care.

[lilycat88]

We are in an HMO and have to go through her ped for everything. Usually, it's fine and we love having the $5.00 office visit copay. We haven't had any problems getting the referral to her ENT, they just don't have any appointments until next Tuesday. We had a longstanding follow-up appointment scheduled for later in November but we were able to at least bump it up to next week. I'll try calling her ENT.

Thanks for the reply.

Jamelin
Mom to Susanna born 6/29/2004

[jhaud]

luckily as a parent i have not yet had any experience with ear infections and tubes, however as an audiologist in the schools i see/hear all kinds of things.

with regard to the tubes and whether they are/aren't working... unfortunately there is no guarantee. i've heard of some even coming out within weeks and others remaining in for years, and others who've had numerous sets of tubes. as for Susanna's long term hearing health - I would not be concerned. Although the hearing can be affected and you may even notice changes in her speech (while she has the ear infection), most of the time there is minimal effect on hearing after the eardrum has healed.

good luck at the ENT and with her audiological. (i hope she likes yogurt as much as my dd!)

jennifer

[thomma]

Hi Jamelin-
I feel your frustration! We are going through something similar with DS. His first set of tubes was placed last November at 18 mos.old after 10 ear infections in 9 months. He continued to have ear inf. w/tubes-one inf. took almost 6 weeks to clear up. After 5 months the left tube was clogged and his 2nd set of tubes was placed at the end of May. He continues to have ear infections. He doesn't always have a cold when he gets them and all of his teeth are in. He rarely gets a fever with them. His symptoms are increased irritablity (but he's 2-how do you tell the difference?!), decrease in appetite, waking up earlier and earlier and night wakings. He rarely has drainage that is easy to recognize. He gets a thick coating of wax that you really have to look in his ear to see. (UGH! I'm not a nurse or doctor. I don't know what I'm looking at or for!) Because of this it's very difficult to determine if he has an ear infection.

We are not thrilled with our present ENT and went for a 2nd opinion with a new ENT last week. We'll see...

We've been told by both ENTs and our ped. that some kids continue to have ear infections even with tubes. I just feel so bad for DS. He automatically covers his ears anytime he sees a doctor or nurse. :(

I agonized over the decision to get the tubes and continue to wonder if we made the right decision. At least he can hear with the tubes...he didn't speak/babble at all until they were placed. His speech is still delayed but he's made enough progress to get released from EI last month! :)

I don't know if this is the kind of feedback you were looking for but I feel better getting it off my chest...

good luck-
Kim
t&e 5/03

[mskitty]

I'll share my personal experiences with tubes as an adult. I was one of those kids who practically always had an ear infection as a child. I grew out of the problem when I was about 8. Didn't have an ear infection for 20 years.... :) Three years ago I flew to CA during ragweed season causing me to have ear problems. Three "infections" in 18 months sent me to the ENT to get tubes. It was so awesome when they first went in... I actually heard the A/C turn on and other small noises which I had not heard in quite a while. The tubes work well most days. They are useless on really high pressure days and if you are getting a sinus infection. My first round of tubes lasted 6 and 9 months. My second set is still in place for nearly a year.

I've found that most of my "ear infections" in the past three years were actually inflamation per my ENT (dull, red, etc). That is why a round of antibiotics never seemed to clear up my problem. Three days of prednisone actually clears up my problem. Even a really light dose makes life so much better. My internist and ENT both agree with this treatment. My allergist is skeptical. The OB I saw the other day had never heard of such a thing.

Unfortunately finding what works seems to be a lot of trial and error in the medical field. Good luck in your search for a solution :)

MsKitty

[cleo27]

DD had tubes put in at about 6 months old, in February and has only had one ear infection since. We have not had any problems with the tubes.

That said, she has gotten sick with an upper respiratory infection in May/June that caused some ear drainage, eye drainage and fevers and was on several antibiotics back to back - Omnicef did not work for her. She was just put on Amoxicillan this weekend after 3 weeks of coughing and finally a very high fever.

I would definitely have the tube checked, but maybe they need to try a stronger antibiotic for her?

Good luck and I hope she is feeling better soon.

Hugs,