Some children's ears will pop when they burp, yawn, or chew. This should go away as the eardrum heals. Ear tubes help prevent ear infections by allowing air into the middle ear. Other substances, such as water, may sometimes enter through the tube, but this is rarely a problem. Your surgeon might recommend earplugs for bathing or swimming. It's OK for your child to travel in airplanes after having ear tubes placed. The ear tubes will help even out air pressure inside and outside the ear.
Ear tubes won't prevent all ear infections, but they can make them milder and happen less often. In some cases, the tubes might need to be put in again. In most cases, surgery to remove an ear tube isn't necessary. The tube usually falls out on its own, pushed out as the eardrum heals. A tube generally stays in the ear anywhere from 6 months to 18 months, depending on the type of tube used. If the tube stays in the eardrum beyond 2 to 3 years, though, your doctor might choose to remove it surgically.
This is a very common and safe procedure, although there are risks with any surgery, including infection, bleeding, and problems with anesthesia. Rarely, the hole in the eardrum does not close after the tube comes out, and might need to be fixed surgically.
Your child will be sedated and should not have much, if any, pain. Complications may occur with any surgical procedure. Possible complications of ear tube surgery include:. Although some children have complications after getting ear tubes, they are rarely serious.
Numerous studies have shown improved quality of life outcomes for children after getting tubes. If you can reduce the number of ear infections for your child, you may lower the chances that she will need ear tubes. Certainly, this is not always possible, and even the most attentive and caring parents frequently have children who end up needing ear tubes. Some measures that may possibly make a difference include:. If you think your child has had too many ear infections, ask your pediatrician for a referral to a pediatric ENT specialist to discuss if ear tubes would be appropriate.
A pediatric ENT doctor can also provide a second opinion if you think your pediatrician is recommending tubes unnecessarily. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life.
Ear infections. Paediatr Child Health. Viral-bacterial interactions in acute otitis media. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. Granath A. Curr Otorhinolaryngol Rep. Int J Pediatr. Robinson H, Engelhardt T. Ambulatory anesthetic care in children undergoing myringotomy and tube placement: current perspectives.
Sometimes healthcare providers also remove the adenoids during the same surgery. Why might my child need an ear tube insertion? Your child may need an ear tube insertion if he or she: Has had fluid in the ears for 3 or more months Has had a long-running ear infection Gets ear infections often Has an abnormal shape to his or her ears or mouth Has had certain ear injuries You should also know that: Ear tube insertion should not be done on kids who have had only one ear infection lasting less than 3 months Your child should be evaluated to find out if he or she is at increased risk for speech, language, or learning problems from repeated ear infections.
What are the risks of an ear tube insertion for a child? This may require another procedure to fix it. The tube may come out too early. Or the tube may stay in place too long, requiring the doctor to remove it. How do I get my child ready for an ear tube insertion? Before the procedure: Discuss any medicines or supplements your child is taking.
Ask when your child can eat or drink before the procedure. Your child may not be able to eat or drink from midnight the night before the procedure. Discuss how long the tubes may stay in place and when your child will need follow-up appointments. You and your child will usually need to arrive a few hours before the surgery. What happens during an ear tube insertion for a child? The procedure may include: A specialist in giving medicine during surgery will give your child sleep medicine and watch him or her during surgery.
The ENT will make a very small hole in the eardrum using a small knife scalpel. All children had a history of at least three ear infections within 6 months or at least four within 12 months prior to entering the study.
They had also received the pneumococcal vaccine. The children were then followed for two years. Though the children in the medical management group received more oral antibiotics, the researchers did not find evidence of increased bacterial resistance in their nose and throat samples.
Of the children being managed with oral antibiotics, 54 underwent tube placement during the study—35 because of failure of medical management and 19 at the request of the parent. Of the children assigned to receive ear tubes, the parents of 13 declined surgery. Because of these changes, the team conducted a secondary analysis limited to children who remained in their original treatment groups.
This analysis found a small benefit to the surgical approach: there were an average of 1. Although the two approaches led to a similar number of ear infections, the team did find some advantages to ear tube placement.
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