Ear tubes for a 10 month old girl?

[diablesseblu]

I suffered mightily for years from very painful ear infections. This was in the days before tubes so that wasn't a treatment option.

After three different bouts of my having an eardrum lanced to relieve pressure (once with no anesthesia), my parents were at wits end. However, my pediatrician and ENT doc were not on the same page about how to proceed.

Thankfully, the ENT surgeon prevailed. He insisted on removing my adenoids and I never had another infection.

I have wondered for years if the increase in repeat ear infections is partially because that the once common "T&A surgery" is rarely done now. I know...most people reading that term today would think of other body parts.

[bjornolf]

I had food allergies, and for some reason, every time I ate one of the foods I was allergic to, I got tonsilitis and sometimes an ear infection. By the time they figured out it was my food allergies and I stopped eating those foods, my tonsils were such a mess that I still got tonsillitis more often than I should have. When they finally took out my tonsils a couple years later, I stopped having problems with my food allergies, and I stopped getting ear infections. It was great! Of course, that doesn't always work that way.

[greybeard]

A word about your daughter's standing and walking. She's done a pretty fabulous job figuring lots of movement things out on her own through now. My man Moshe would say do not be intrusive now. That would mean if you support her in standing, do so in as neutral, soft a way as you can, letting her loose and regain her balance within the safety of keeping her up, on those occasions when letting her fall would not work. Definitely do not interfere with her walking experiences. Absolute worst, is to hold her by the hands with arms extended over her head and encourage a walk by moving one arm forward. Who walks like that? Nobody that's who? Her ability to figure things out just got terribly more complicated and somewhat stultified.

If you watch your daughter through her acquisition of physical skills, how things pop up out of time playing in space, you have some inkling into a major theme in the body of work that the Feldenkrais Method comprises.

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

How is the baby today? Did the second antibiotic do the trick? I sure hope she was happy and perky for Mothers' Day and that you don't have to resort to the tubes.
Love, Ima

[Jeffrey]

My parents, a dentist and an ER nurse, were resistant to having them put in, and I'm glad for it.

They did have the advantage, though, of the ear infections not starting until I was old enough to express that I had pain in my ear. It would have been more difficult for them to be appropriately diligent about it had I been only 10 months and limited to crying without explanation.

Thanks for joining the thread.

We're also resistant but you mention our biggest obstacle... our 10 month old baby appears miserable and cannot express why in words.

[Jeffrey]

A word about your daughter's standing and walking. She's done a pretty fabulous job figuring lots of movement things out on her own through now. My man Moshe would say do not be intrusive now. That would mean if you support her in standing, do so in as neutral, soft a way as you can, letting her loose and regain her balance within the safety of keeping her up, on those occasions when letting her fall would not work. Definitely do not interfere with her walking experiences. Absolute worst, is to hold her by the hands with arms extended over her head and encourage a walk by moving one arm forward. Who walks like that? Nobody that's who? Her ability to figure things out just got terribly more complicated and somewhat stultified.

If you watch your daughter through her acquisition of physical skills, how things pop up out of time playing in space, you have some inkling into a major theme in the body of work that the Feldenkrais Method comprises.

A friend of mine recently inquired about my favorite age. I said now, mainly because of our baby. Living life again, through her & her actions, is amazing.

Observation has become my primary hobby. Everything I've noticed fully supports all of your statements. I would love to hear more about the Feldenkrais Method.

[Jeffrey]

How is the baby today? Did the second antibiotic do the trick? I sure hope she was happy and perky for Mothers' Day and that you don't have to resort to the tubes.
Love, Ima

Thank you very much for asking! Our baby girl does not seem to be significantly improving and the second antibiotic appears to be more of a relief than cure. She still has substantial congestion.

How's your baby girl? I think about her often and loved her kind card.

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

She's a school teacher, in fact. Truth is we've had another setback as of last night. More fever, more cultures, more drains. But, she's able to keep food down now, so she's stronger for the fight.

I certainly have empathy for your little one and her ears. We've gone that route in our family for a couple of generations. Never went as far as the drains. Our conservative pediatrician tried everything he could first and it never became a necessity. There were times when we really gave it very serious consideration, though. It's so hard making decisions for others....especially if they ARE our own little ones we love so very much.

I'm thinking of you and yours. You sound like such a loving person, I 'm confident you'll make the right decision after digesting all the facts.
Love, Ima

[Jeffrey]

She's a school teacher, in fact. Truth is we've had another setback as of last night. More fever, more cultures, more drains. But, she's able to keep food down now, so she's stronger for the fight.

I certainly have empathy for your little one and her ears. We've gone that route in our family for a couple of generations. Never went as far as the drains. Our conservative pediatrician tried everything he could first and it never became a necessity. There were times when we really gave it very serious consideration, though. It's so hard making decisions for others....especially if they ARE our own little ones we love so very much.

I'm thinking of you and yours. You sound like such a loving person, I 'm confident you'll make the right decision after digesting all the facts.
Love, Ima

I predict my 10 month old will be considered my baby girl forever, just like I suspect you consider your girl. Interestingly, my wife was a school teacher and now is a school administrator.

I'm so sorry all of you'll are going through this horrible experience. I think about you'll often and eagerly await the, extremely ovedue, good news. I only wish there was something I could do to help.

Thank you, very much, for all the kind words and thoughts! They're greatly appreciated.

[Indoor66]

Jeffrey, I think you are a very nice man.

[Jeffrey]

Jeffrey, I think you are a very nice man.

Thank you, very much, for the kind words. They're most appreciated.

I also hold you in very high regard!

[Indoor66]

Thank you, very much, for the kind words. They're most appreciated.

I also hold you in very high regard!

Thank you.

[Jeffrey]

Thanks to everyone who participated on this thread. Your assistance has been very helpful.

Just got back from the pediatrician and I'm thrilled to report that our baby girl's ear infection is gone. It seems that she was battling allergies and an ear infection which is why she's still congested. I cannot put into words our level of relief and happiness.

Hope all of you have as good of a day as we are.

[DukieInKansas]

Thanks to everyone who participated on this thread. Your assistance has been very helpful.

Just got back from the pediatrician and I'm thrilled to report that our baby girl's ear infection is gone. It seems that she was battling allergies and an ear infection which is why she's still congested. I cannot put into words our level of relief and happiness.

Hope all of you have as good of a day as we are.

YEAH! I hope the allergies disappear quickly.

[Reisen]

Any more ear infections?

We're about to have our first, and I'm reading up on baby threads :-)

[Jeffrey]

Any more ear infections?

We're about to have our first, and I'm reading up on baby threads :-)

I suspect she will have ear infections as long as she is in daycare.

However, the ear tubes are great and have enabled her ears to drain. She can now beat an ear infection without antibiotics.

Congrats on the soon to arrive! Greatest experience of my life!

[Reisen]

Yeah, I'm a little worried about the daycare thing. I've heard mixed reviews. One thing I did hear, though, was that your kid will get sick basically every other week for the first year, maybe 18 months, but will then develop "super-immunity". One coworker was saying that after 18 months of daycare, her kid didn't get sick for 3 years straight!

[summerwind03]

She's a cutie.

Yeah, I think the studies show that kids in day care get sick a lot when they're young, but then don't get sick much once they start school. Kids who aren't in day care, don't get sick as much when they're young, but are sick a lot once they start school. Pick your poison.

[DukieInKansas]

Reisen - congratulations on the impending arrival of your first child.

Jeffrey - I'm glad the tubes worked. She is a cutie!

[Clipsfan]

Jeffrey - that is a very cute girl!

My 11 month old had her first ear infection 11 days ago and just finished her course of Amoxycillin yesterday, and while I haven't been back to the doctor to confirm yet, she seems to be better. She had started day care about a month ago and has been sick since the very beginning. I'd been warned about such and so wasn't surprised but it's still rough, especially as she's been sharing her illnesses. I found this thread very informative and will make sure to keep a close eye on my little girl's ear. Thanks to everyone who posted all the useful information.