yet another ear infection

id love some advice from parents of kids with tubes...

we just got back from Jack's follow-up with Dr. Mendelsohn (ped ENT) and his left ear has fluid, a lot of fluid. He is going back on Zithromax for 5 days.

At his last appointment 2 months ago, his left ear had questionable fluid but the ENT did not feel it needed antibiotics and we would watch it (aka, our followup today - 2 months later).

we have another appointment for 6 weeks from today.

how long will they let this go on? at what point do they say enough is enough? its the middle of June and his ears are still not clear. After 6 infections from October to April and now another one in June, I think its tube time...

Re: yet another ear infection

im surprised he didnt mention tubes right away. its june...he shouldnt have ear infections anymore. im sorry

Re: yet another ear infection

Posted by IansMommy23

im surprised he didnt mention tubes right away. its june...he shouldnt have ear infections anymore. im sorry

Message edited 6/20/2011 10:20:11 AM.

Re: yet another ear infection

Have you asked the doc about tubes? Maybe it's time for a second opinion?

Re: yet another ear infection

Re: yet another ear infection

It's time!! Im going to assume if these meds dont work...that's what hell recommend.

John's ears just by looking at them even without fluid were not "normal ears" according to drs... this much fluid in June.. not a good sign.

but I will say it was the BEST thing we did for John!! (getting tubes)

Re: yet another ear infection

Posted by Linda1003

It's time!! Im going to assume if these meds dont work...that's what hell recommend.

John's ears just by looking at them even without fluid were not "normal ears" according to drs... this much fluid in June.. not a good sign.

but I will say it was the BEST thing we did for John!! (getting tubes)

Re: yet another ear infection

Posted by maymama

Posted by Linda1003

It's time!! Im going to assume if these meds dont work...that's what hell recommend.

John's ears just by looking at them even without fluid were not "normal ears" according to drs... this much fluid in June.. not a good sign.

but I will say it was the BEST thing we did for John!! (getting tubes)

lin, do they put them under general A for tubes?

Re: yet another ear infection

AJ had them all year long regardless of weather. If she coughed we knew she'd get one a week later.

She'd occassionally get feverish and other times she was fine while she had a raging ear infection (double no less)

Finally got Tubes last january. Best thing EVER! She was 17m.

I have been asking and harping about her hearing since the day she was born. LITERALLY. Pediatricians in NY and TX thought I was crazy.

I had at least 3 sets of tubes and I have middle ear deafness so I had a feeling she may follow. Mostly because my deafness is caused by a defect in my DNA. The one that gives me two different colored eyes. I was warned when I was younger by a geneticist that my trait can be passed down and show up only as a hearing loss or early onset of gray hair and people ignore it. So I was prepared!

I was at the doctors so much her first year it was terrible. Finally in TX I pushed so hard people were beginning to try to talk me OUT of tubes when the facts outweighed any lingering doubts of my doctors. She'd been through 7 types of antibiotics, rotating. Thankfully only one gave her a bad reaction. Tubes were the way to go.

I'd push if I were you. There's really no downside. Its a very quick procedure. The ony concern docs have is putting a child under even for a brief time.

Re: yet another ear infection

Dr. Mendelsohn put tubes in my daughter's ears at 18 months (she is now 3 and the tubes are on the way out). She went a full year with no ear infections. We went to see him after she had 6 from Sept-Nov. Thankfully, it wasn't affecting her hearing or speech. We did it because of the frequency of them. I also found he is on the conservative side and doesn't rush to do it right away. I thought this was great because her twin was also getting a lot, but he decided to watch her and she suddenly stopped, so she didn't get the tubes.

I would think if he gets another one before the next follow-up, then it would be time. In all, I was very happy and we still go to him for follow-up appointments.

Re: yet another ear infection

Poor Jack!

FWIW, when we were @ the hospital for Hunter's surgery, there was a little boy in the crib next to him in pre-op. Once he went it for the surgery, the parents were only in the waiting room for 30 minutes before they got to go back and see him.

Also, I had tubes when I was a kid. I had weekly ear infections prior to the tubes and never got them again once the tubes were in. HTH!