Some parents may not quite understand what is going on with their baby’s ears. Frequent ear infections and seemingly temporary hearing reduction has you worried. But take a deep breath and relax, your baby is more than likely inflicted with otitis media (OM) or the more lament term, middle ear infections. A common issue throughout the country, OM usually manifests between the ages of 6 months and 2 years.
With that in mind, we at ENT Specialists would like to expound on these middle ear infections, and the common remedy. For starters, some kids are more susceptible to OM because of environmental and lifestyle factors such as; regular attendance at day care, secondhand tobacco smoke exposure, and frequently taking a bottle to bed. For the most part, middle ear infections are easily treated, but when a baby who has chronic ear infections and struggles to get over them, shows signs of hearing loss and/or speech delay may require ear tube surgery. During this procedure, small tubes are placed in the eardrums to help ventilate the area behind the eardrum and keep the pressure equalized to atmospheric pressure in the middle ear.
– Constant pulling or rubbing the ears due to the pain in the ear.
– Fevers.
– Extreme fussiness or irritability.
– Excessive fluid leaking from the ear.
– Abnormal changes in appetite or sleeping patterns.
– Trouble hearing.
Here is a basic understanding of what the surgery entails:
– Your child is given a general anesthesia. In so doing the surgery is done in the hospital so that an anesthesiologist can monitor your child. This procedure takes about 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
– The ENT Specialists’ surgeon will make a small hole in the eardrum to drain the fluid from the middle ear using suction. The surgeon can get to the eardrum through the ear canal. In so doing; there is no visible incision or stitches.
– The surgeon concludes the procedure by inserting a small metal or plastic tube into the hole in the eardrum.
Your child will then have to spend just a few hours in recovery following the procedure. In rare cases, small children that had complications with surgery or the anesthesia might have to stay a bit longer.
A tympanostomy tube contributes in the prevention of recurring ear infections by allowing air into the middle ear. In rare cases, other substances, such as water, may occasionally enter through the tube. To avoid this dilemma, we recommend earplugs for regular bathing or swimming. In the majority of patients, surgery to remove a tympanostomy tube isn’t necessary, because the tube generally falls out on its own, as it is pushed out while the eardrum heals. The tube stays in the ear anywhere from 6 months to 18 months, depending on the type of tube used. If the tube remains in the eardrum over 2 – 3 years, however, it may have to be removed surgically to prevent a perforation in the eardrum or accumulation of debris around the tube. It is important to understand while tubes are effective in reducing chronic ear infections; they are not always a permanent cure for otitis media. Unfortunately, as many as 25% of kids who need ear tubes before the age of 2 may need them again down the road.
If your baby’s pediatrician believes your child might be suffering from OM, have ENT Specialists exam your child’s ears to determine the best course of action. Call us today to schedule your appointment!
