Most ear infections will resolve without medical intervention or with a dose of antibiotics. But in some children, ear infections may become chronic. If your child gets an infection every other month, ear tubes may be the answer.
By the age of five, most young children will have had an ear infection. Ear infections are a source of frustration for children, babies and parents alike. They can be painful and persistent, can cause high fevers, sleepless nights and make them a common reason families visit a care provider.
Most ear infections will resolve without medical intervention or with a dose of antibiotics. But in some children, ear infections may become chronic. If your child gets an infection every other month, ear tubes may be the answer. We caught up with Dr. Thomas Tamura, an ENT Physician at Midwest ENT & Allergy, to get the scoop on why some kids need ear tubes and what ear tubes do.
According to Dr. Tamura, there are two primary reasons that children need ear tubes. “One reason is recurrent middle ear infections; the other is a problem with persistent fluid in the ear, which is usually discovered because a child is experiencing hearing loss.” Children become candidates for ear tubes when they have had 3-4 infections in a 6-month time period or the ear fluid does not resolve over a 3-month time period.
“The bottom line is that there is fluid trapped behind the eardrum,” Dr. Tamura explained.
“Typically, the Eustachian tubes in the ears work by allowing air in and fluid to drain out. If the Eustachian tube doesn’t open, the fluid can’t get out, in turn causing an infection or hearing loss, or sometimes both.”
“By placing a hole in the ear drum with a small stent, air pressure is allowed to not only come in, but provides ventilation and allows the fluid to drain out,” Dr. Tamura said.
Ear tubes are tiny cylinders that allow air to move into the middle ear. The tubes are implanted during a small surgical procedure. The procedure itself takes about 5 to ten minutes.
Following the procedure, children are usually back to normal the next day. The tubes stay in place for about six months to a year, and generally fall out on their own. Most children outgrow the problem as they get older.
According to the most recent data, there are typically two common times that children need ear tubes: between the ages of 15 months and three years (usually because of recurrent ear infections) or between the ages of four and six (typically to treat for hearing loss due to fluid build-up).
Ear tube surgery is the most common childhood surgery performed with anesthesia, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Each year more than 500,000 ear tube surgeries are performed on children.
If your child is struggling with recurrent ear infections or having hearing loss or ear pain this summer, you may need an ENT checkup. You can schedule a consultation at any time with one of the ENT experts at Midwest ENT & Allergy. No referral needed.
by Virginia Olson – Sioux Falls Woman Magazine