What to Expect If Your Child Needs Ear Tubes
There are several different names for the inner ear tubes, including tympanostomy tubes, myringotomy tubes, ventilation tubes, or pressure equalization (PE) tubes. Generally made from plastic, the tubes have a special coating which reduces the risk of infection from the tubes themselves.
Some children, it’s decided by their doctor, need only short-term ear tubes. These are usually smaller than the long-term types. The short-term tubes stay in place about six months or so, then fall out on their own. The long-term tubes are slightly longer and are made to stay secure for a long period of time. Swimming or bathing without earplugs, though, can cause the tubes to come out, in which case, they’ll likely need to be reinserted.
Although generally used for children, the inner ear tubes are sometimes needed for adults as well. If you’re told that your child needs inner ear tubes, don’t feel alone. Many children have the surgery done each year. The benefits of the surgery include less ear infections, restoration of hearing, improved speech and balance, and sometimes, better sleeping patterns.
During surgery to insert the ear tubes, your child will be given an anesthetic. The fluid is then drained from the middle ear and the tubes inserted. Your doctor may recommend ear drops for a few days after the surgery. The surgery itself is quick, lasting under half an hour, and the child is soon ready to go home. In some cases, though, the doctor will also remove the tonsils and/or adenoids at the same time, depending upon the extent of the problems in your particular case.
Your child will probably not complain about pain after the surgery but might experience some anesthesia withdrawal, such as confusion, grogginess, or irritability. Children might complain that things like the tv or radio are too loud. That’s because the new tubes open the inner ear and allow sound to reach the ear drum, better than before.
Most children experience no problems from the inner ear tube surgery but an occasional child may experience ear infections if unclean water enters the ear, such as from swimming in a stream. If the tubes come out too soon, or stay in too long, this can also cause minor complications.
Consult your physician if the child, after the surgery, experiences pain, excessive itching, or any ear, nose and throat problems. Although minor complications can occur in some children, the ear tubes have been a real benefit to millions of children – and probably will be for yours as well.
