Ear Tubes for Kids: How Myringotomy Surgery Changed Our Lives
A Family History of Ear Issues
Hi Moms and Dads! I’ve been there, too, and am here to share a little of my experience with others.
Although I didn’t have any chronic ear issues as a kid, my husband certainly did. As our daughters were wrestling with recurring illnesses and trips to the doctor, I learned from my mother in law that he was prone to chronic ear infections as a kid, too. He had mild hearing loss, and they, too, considered having ear tube surgery when he was a kid.
It’s no wonder that by ages 1 1/2, both of our kids were on a similar path and struggling with painful chronic ear infections.
Why ear tube surgery?
Chances are, if you’re reading this, that your little one has been struggling with chronic ear infections or hearing issues related to fluid in their ears – just like we did.
The fevers, the earaches, the infections, the lost sleep and restless nights… I’m sorry and I can relate! I hope this information will help your family as you navigate this experience. Now that we’re on the other side of having ear tube surgery, I hope our experience can bring some comfort for your little one and your family.
The ear canal in children is a funny thing. It is angled relatively horizontal until children get older, when it starts to take its diagonal position which makes it easier to drain fluids. For some, like my children, that lack-of-tilt has big implications! They had one ear infection after another, month after month. Finally our attentive pediatrician referred us to an Ear Nose and Throat specialist for a second opinion.
Viola! The children were prime candidates for the ear tube surgery procedure (formally called myringotomy). We paired one tube placement with a larger procedure (removal of tonsils and adenoids – read our tonsillectomy story here).
I’m not sure if this is the right procedure for others’ families. Your child’s doctor knows best! For instance, my chiropractor is a huge opponent to the procedure. There are certainly competing opinions out there. Rather than join the debate, I’d like to just share our experience with you.
Preparing our Kids for Ear Tube Surgery
As an educator, I *love* to use books to teach kids about big events! We purchased two ear tube surgery books for our kids – Koko Bear’s Big Earache and Chris Gets Ear Tubes. Another great title is Surgery on Sunday.
In the weeks leading up to the procedure, we read these books to our kids. They asked lots of questions and we talked about hospitals and doctors. We referenced elements of both books on the day of the surgery, and the kids recalled what we had read.
S is for Surgery by Dyan Fox is also a wonderful book, especially for the kid who benefits from getting all their questions answered. As a science teacher, I knew my child would enjoy this book. She has LOTS of questions, and one answer often leads to another question! We read through this as a family. My daughter was so intrigued by the information. In fact, we still have this book! As Grandpa prepared for surgery, we spent some time in its pages.
And bonus, it has lots of kid activities which helped surgery have a “fun” spin (and less scary).
What is Myringotomy?
That’s the last time I’ll use that fancy word. 🙂 We call them ear tubes in our house. During a day-surgery procedure, patients are put under anesthesia while an ear nose and throat (ENT) surgeon puts a little slice in the eardrum and inserts a tiny tube that anchors in place on the eardrum. That tube allows fluid to easily drain from behind the eardrum, rather than settle and cause infections and potential hearing issues.
Over time as children grow, these little tubes should fall out on their own when the body no longer needs them. Our pediatrician (and also the ENT doctor) check these tube placements every…single…visit. I’ve talked to dozens of parents who say they found the tube floating in the bathtub or on their child’s pillow as they grew older. These ear tubes serve a purpose for a few years and have a way of working themselves out (in nearly all cases).
As we compared the pros and cons of the procedures, we decided to have them done on both of our children – a toddler and a preschooler. Here’s what we experienced with ear tube surgery.
Procedure Day
From start to finish, our hospital stay was about 7 hours. This is WAY longer than usual, from what I understand! It’s a quick procedure, done in a hospital or center under close watch of doctors and nurses.
Both children had the procedure, and one had tonsils and adenoids removed, too! We came prepared to the hospital with lots of little activities to keep them both entertained.
