Down (with) the Tubes

We’ve been at it for weeks now. Surfing the internet, visiting with doctors, specialists, and chiropractors… reading magazines, books, listening to family members… I have to say this has been the hardest thing to deal with so far. Do you get the tubes or not when your son (or daughter) has repeat ear infections?

I wanted to record our findings… feel free to add comments if you’d like, but our (admittedly temporary) decision has been made, to follow.

• People that got the tubes have mostly success stories to tell aside from a few who had to have new tubes put in, etc.
• Anesthesia is safer than ever.
• Ian seems to get an ear infection with every new pair of teeth.
• We are at the beginning of ear infection “season.”
• Chiropractors are all different, some very skilled, some over-zealous about what they can accomplish; we talked to a very honest, very nice chiropractor who gave kind advice for Ian, and did that for free.
• Some studies suggest developmental issues if there is persistent fluid in the middle ear. Some studies indicate no developmental issues for the “wait and see” approach.
• Not allowing ear infections to clear up CAN cause some hearing loss.
• Ian does, in fact, not have perfect hearing at the moment — in the same way that your stuffed nose may not be able to sniff cinnamon buns as readily as somebody who is not sick. It’s a symptom, and it should be temporary.
• Tubes, like any procedure, have complications including some that may result in hearing loss, and require a water-free environment.
• Ian’s last ear infection caused him enough pain to warrant our concern, but he is fine at the moment.
• A gizmo that measures fluid in the ear using sonar is available and we purchased one.
• While we have a great many opinions, we only have one specialist’s opinion at this time.
• Almost every kid goes through this, to a certain degree, there is no reason to panic.

Based on all of the above, we’re going to take the wait and see approach. Ian’s fine at the moment, frankly we do not want to see Ian in the kind of pain he was in a few weeks ago. If we can’t control the pain he’s in, we will consider tubes again at that time, and likely with greater fervor. They are not off the table, just not something we’re going to jump into at this time.

And now I guess we can start thinking about Christmas! (nervous laugh…)