**Another update 1/30***UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

The visit went very well. Troy was a wonderful patient. The Dr checked his ears, nose and throat. Said his ear drums were still inflammed from his most recent ear infection.

Dr said he is a candidate for surgery (tubes in ears) as he has had 5 ear infections in 6 months.

Now, I am so confused as to what we should/shouldn't do.

Do we have the surgery?

Do we wait?

I am afraid of him having another round of antibiotics. I am afraid of him going under anesthesia. I am afraid if we wait he'll get another ear infection.


For those who have experienced this PLEASE give me your thoughts!!

A coworker said her daughter had this surgery and had to go back 3 more times to have things fixed.

A good friend's daughter had the surgery and she did great and has not had an ear infection in months.

Troy's speech and hearing are NOT effected by the infections and he rarely seems to be in pain.

HELP!!!!!!

***UPDATE 1/23/09 ***
DH and I talked and I decided to speak with Troy's Pediatrician. She said the biggest concern with fluid in his ears is his hearing. She asked if the ENT did a hearing test, which he did not. She recommended that we have a hearing test done before making a decision. She also recommended seeing Dr. Max April (he is a Pediatric ENT) for a second opinion.

We have an appointment on Tuesday.

I DID speak with the nurse of the first ENT we saw. She seemed to push a little to have the surgery. But had valid reason (hearing) for it.

So here we are, still on the fence. I want to see the results of the hearing test.

Thank you ALL so much for you recommendations as well as your thoughts and feedback.


***UPDATE 1/30/09 ***

Sorry I have not updated sooner. Well any reservations I had initially about doing the surgery were thrown out the window last weekend. Troy's temp was up and down on Saturday and again on Sunday, except that Sunday it would not go below 102.5. DH and I took him to Stony Brook ER and guess what? Yup ANOTHER ear infection. That was it. That was our "2nd opinion". I called the ENT the next day and we were able to book the surgery for this coming Monday 2/2.

While I am still nervous about him going under anesthesia (actually having nightmares about it) I know this is going to (hopefully) help him.

Thank you ALL for your thoughts and experiences. I will try and get on here Monday afternoon to update. We have to be at the hospital (Peconin Medical Cntr in Riverhead) at 6:15am.



And please, can you spare a prayer or two for him on Monday! THANKS!!

Message edited 1/30/2009 1:48:16 PM.

Re: Troiy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

My son had them when he was a year old, he had ear an infection 2x a month. He was on several antibiotics and I suggested to my pediatrician that we see an ENT specialist, we did and he suggested surgery...it was immediately he wanted to wait until he was done with current meds to see if it came back..it sure did and we booked the surgery. Waiting is dreadful BUT the actually procedure is 5 -8 mins an ear..1,2,3...done. He was groggy and slept the rest of the day...
To date my son has been ear infection free... going on 6 yrs...hope I was helpful.

Re: Troiy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

Thank you Catt.

I'll be calling Troy's Pediatrician tomorrow to speak with her.

I just want to make the best decision for Troy.

Re: Troiy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

If it were me, I'd give DS the surgery if the ENT recommended it..... it likely will prevent many infections and many courses of antibiotics

Re: Troiy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

I have a great ENT if you need one. Sra had tubes and adenoids and is doing great

Re: Troiy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

My DD had the tubes put in at 20 months. In the winter months she got an ear infection just about every 2 - 3 weeks and would be fine in the summer (don't know the exact # but it was in double digits.) She would only respond to Augmentin which was really tough on her tummy. She even did a round of clydimycan (sp?) which was awful. Nothing worked - so we finally did the tubes. She has them in both ears. The surgery was less than 10 - 15 minutes. She was groggy and out of sorts for the first hour, after that you'd never know she had "surgery"

She hasn't had any ear infections yet this winter. She does have drainage which is treated with drops (would have been an ear infection w/o the tubes.) She also started talking a few weeks after. She only said a few words until she had the surgery. She did have hearing loss from always having fluid in her ear - now after her hearing is perfect.

I can't tell you what to do, but I thought I'd share my positive experience. I didn't want to do it which is why I waited so long, but I'm glad I did.

Message edited 1/22/2009 10:21:02 PM.

Re: Troiy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

My son had them the day after his second birthday. The hardest part was coming out of anestisia....we got home that day and he was running around. He had them for a few years and never had an ear infection. They both fell out and he had to get them put back in right before he started kindergarten...I would do it again in a heartbeat. He went from being sick with high fevers and ear infections every other week to none!!!

Wanted to add my son stopped talking for a little while before the surgery. The doctor said it was because he couldn't hear it was like he was under water. He was talking that day. It was amazing!!!

Message edited 1/22/2009 10:25:23 PM.

Re: Troiy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

DD hasn't needed this but I do know several parents who had to get them for their children and they really made a difference. I don't anyone who had a negative experience.

I would consider getting a second opinion from another ENT and having them explain the benefits over the risks. If he is not in pain from them and isn't having hearing or speech issues maybe you want to wait a little longer and get more opinions and do some more research if you are on the fence about it (I hate suggesting that b.c I hate pumping kids with antibiotics).


For whatever you decide I know it isn't an easy decision either way

Re: Troiy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

Just sending you guys some

Re: Troiy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

I had ear infections every month as a child. My hearing was also affected. Every time I was supposed to get tubes, I suddenly got better and my ear infections went away for a little while. Eventually, I had tubes put in and it made a tremendous difference. My hearing dramatically improved and I never had another ear infection. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Re: Troiy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

This is a chronic issue in my family, we've all had tubes, and now the Ped is recommending my son get them too. I have to make an ENT appt. and go from there.

Good luck with your choice.

Wanted to add, that having tubes made a HUGE difference for me when I was young, I can still remember being amazed at how much better I could hear after the tubes were put in.

Re: **UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

BUMP for a small update

Re: **UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

i'm a speech therapist AND i also had tubes in my ears twice when i was young.
i can still remember what a difference it made with my hearing!! i remember coming home from the surgery and saying " what is that noise"... turns out it was the refridgerator running! i had NEVER heard it before!
it made such a difference for me... that i remember that from over 25 years ago!
ALSO as a speech therapist, i can say that hearing at a young age makes a huge difference in a child's speech. even if you THINK they're hearing ok, just a slight hearing loss can affect them hearing certain sounds correctly. i had a girl for speech last year who didn't have tubes when she was younger and her speech was very affectd by it.
its a common surgery and really does help... good luck!

Re: **UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

Posted by MsKitty1274

The visit went very well. Troy was a wonderful patient. The Dr checked his ears, nose and throat. Said his ear drums were still inflammed from his most recent ear infection.

Dr said he is a candidate for surgery (tubes in ears) as he has had 5 ear infections in 6 months.

Now, I am so confused as to what we should/shouldn't do.

Do we have the surgery?

Do we wait?

I am afraid of him having another round of antibiotics. I am afraid of him going under anesthesia. I am afraid if we wait he'll get another ear infection.


For those who have experienced this PLEASE give me your thoughts!!

A coworker said her daughter had this surgery and had to go back 3 more times to have things fixed.

A good friend's daughter had the surgery and she did great and has not had an ear infection in months.

Troy's speech and hearing are NOT effected by the infections and he rarely seems to be in pain.

HELP!!!!!!

***UPDATE 1/23/09 ***
DH and I talked and I decided to speak with Troy's Pediatrician. She said the biggest concern with fluid in his ears is his hearing. She asked if the ENT did a hearing test, which he did not. She recommended that we have a hearing test done before making a decision. She also recommended seeing Dr. Max April (he is a Pediatric ENT) for a second opinion.

We have an appointment on Tuesday.

I DID speak with the nurse of the first ENT we saw. She seemed to push a little to have the surgery. But had valid reason (hearing) for it.

So here we are, still on the fence. I want to see the results of the hearing test.

Thank you ALL so much for you recommendations as well as your thoughts and feedback.

Re: **UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

My son used to see Dr. April. He's a fantastic doctor

Re: **UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

I would 100% make sure he had a hearing test first!! I am shocked the ENT didn't do that I would switch ENT's asap!! Specifically to a pediatric one. They should be able to do the hearing test right in the office. Damien had tubes when he was 16 months old, he was getting ear infections 2 to 3x's a month and the fluid wasn't draining which effected his hearing. Damien also went on to get his tonsils and adenoids removed when he was three all with the same ENT whom I absolutely adored. If you are in Suffolk hi sname is Dr Richard Littman (631-928-0188, he is in Port Jeff)
and I highly recommend him.

Re: **UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

Re: **UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

Re: **UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

Re: **UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

My husband had tubes put in his ears when he was a small child, and it really helped him alot.

One of DH's employees was deaf, he grew up really poor, and he told me he suffered so bad with ear infections, they never took him to get the surgery or anything and by the time he was 8 he was completely deaf, It was so sad it broke my heart.

Re: **Another update 1/30***UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

BUMP for antoher update

Re: **Another update 1/30***UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

No advice or experience, just

Re: **Another update 1/30***UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

I think you made the right decision, I would have done the same thing. I know a lot of children that underwent this surgery, due to speech delay bc of hearing problems...now they are doing terrific! Stonybrook is a great hospital so your DS is in great hands!

Re: **Another update 1/30***UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

I am sure everything will be just fine

good luck

Re: **Another update 1/30***UPDATE 1/23**Troy had his appt with the ENT today, I am SO confused and don't know what to do

Praying everything goes well for Monday


Is there anything any of us can do to help?