Cranio kids and ear infections

[Mama Musica]

Max has chronic ear infections. We took him in yesterday, and he has a double ear infection. It's his second ear infection in a month, and his sixth or seventh in the past year. Pediatrician says it's time for tubes, and I agree and am grateful! I was able to get an ENT scheduled to put the tubes in when they do his second surgery in March, so that's convenient as well.

What boggled my mind though is that she told me that kids with craniofacial issues often have chronic ear infections, so much that the ENT's usually recommend putting tubes in prophylactically. :sigh Sure wish they would have told me that six ear infections ago.

So what about everyone else? Do your kiddos get lots of ear infections? Did they need tubes?

Its funny, because I'm mostly just relieved about him getting them. Earlier in my parenting career, I would have freaked out at the idea of surgery, but now, it seems so minor in the face of his second CVR in one year...

[Janet]

Fiona is just over 3 and never has had one, my non cranio kids is almost 11 and never has had one either.....I know how lucky we are.

[*Jessica*]

Jeffrey ALWAYS had an ear infection! Not one since the tubes got put in in Nov!! I only wish we had done tubes sooner! As for the ease of the surgery, I didn't even have time to sit down and get comfortable before it was time to pick him up in recovery! :Happydance Quick, easy, and over!

[Nezzy]

I don't know...I think so many kids have this problem that I'm not sure it would be cranio related. But who knows.

[Shar]

I'm with Heather. My oldest had many, many ear infections. My other kids, not so much -maybe two each? The only difference is that my oldest was in daycare and I've been home with my other kids. :dunno

H does have this thing she was born with where her right ear canal looks narrower and she has a "pit" scar in front of her ear, on her high cheek (just under her cheek bone) that she was born with. All doctors we've asked about it can only give a guess as to what the scar is. Nothing they've said really fit when I googled it. Maybe related to the ear structure? IDK, but her hearing has always seemed fine and her development is advanced.

[Momof2Boys]

Justin (cranio kid) has had several ear infections but not enough to have tubes placed. He is actually getting his tonsil and adenoids removed next month for sleep apnea. He does get very congested alot and has alot of allergies. My other son (noncranio) would get ear infection one right after another. At 2 1/2 we were finally sent to an ENT and he had Ear tubes, Tonsils and Adenoids removed. I was so glad for the ear tubes since at 2 1/2, he did not talk. Afterwards, the words just started coming one after another.
Glad you are having them put in.

[angeleka]

Andrew had a couple of ear infections before surgery. He had several in the first few months post op, but has not had one in a very long time. Before surgery, in his preop assessment, the PS mentioned that he had very large ear canals and should not have too many issues with ear infections. I think the bunch Andrew had after surgery were just to prove that doc wrong. :)
So far we have been pretty lucky. We were on the path to tubes, but all has been well long enough that they are not an issue any more... or at least for right now. I think every kid in DH's family has ear tubes, so I kind of expect some issues later on in his life anyway.... not sure if that is technically genetic, but there are a lot of coincidences in his family if it isn't.

[Holly]

I took Tyler to the ENT to get his tonseils looked at and the ENT wants to take out his tonsies, adnoids and maybe put tubes in his ears. Tyler only has a few ear infections a year. But when we went to the appt. one ear had alot of fluid and the other had alot of wax. If it has cleared up before surgery he wont do tubes. I can see were an adnormal head shape could cuz the ears to not function properly.

[cheryl2]

Clara only had one ear infection, but she had chronic fluid in her ears. She ended up with tubes since she is already deaf in one ear. So with fluid filling up her only good ear, it was impacting her hearing and speech development. For the past couple years, she's been good.

[craniomommynbaby]

Yes, chronic ear infections can be a result of cranio. At least for coronal cases, the eustachian tubes may not be angled properly for fluid to drain, leading to excess fluid sitting behind the ear drum and even ear infections. I had very bad ones in my right ear as a child, which is my affected side. If I am not careful about draining and cleaning my ears after swimming and such, then I can still get infections now. As a result of all the infections and no tubes, I have a scarred ear drum, some hearing loss, and a severe penicillin allergy.
In Simon's case, the ENT said that it is common for them to just keep the tubes in cranio kids at least for the first few years of life because of the issue with the eustachian tube. Simon's third set of tubes was the t-tubes, so we won't have to think about doing those again for a few years.

[momof2withcranio]

I am mixed on this one. I have one cranio baby that always had ear infections and had tubes put in and tonsils and partial adnoids removed. They told me with cranio babies and speech issues they dont like to remove the adnoids in full.. Then i have another who has chronic ear issues still to this day and she is not a cranio baby. she has ruptured her ear drum about 4 times. They wont put tubes in righ now cause she has infection ontop of infection. trying to clear that up first then they may put tubes in.. she has some hearing loss in that ear but it isnt bad (yet)..
My other children get them as well but not like sean and mary kathryn do.. When i was little though i had them all the time. never had tubes put in though. as an adult i have had at leat 3 and one was really bad..

[jsr1220]

Caleb (non cranio) got constant ear infections, so at 8 months they put tubes in. They just recently came out, and so far, NO EAR INFECTIONS since 2007! He also had tonsils and adnoids removed shortly thereafter. Noah (metopic) is 5 1/5 months and is currently on ear infection #3. His pedi is talking about tubes. :sigh

[beccad]

Wow I had no idea and Julianna is a coronal baby. I just took her to the doctor yesterday and she has yet another double ear infection. She has had them constantly since she was born. I'm calling her doctor and requesting a visit with the ENT. Thanks for the info!!


Yes, chronic ear infections can be a result of cranio. At least for coronal cases, the eustachian tubes may not be angled properly for fluid to drain, leading to excess fluid sitting behind the ear drum and even ear infections. I had very bad ones in my right ear as a child, which is my affected side. If I am not careful about draining and cleaning my ears after swimming and such, then I can still get infections now. As a result of all the infections and no tubes, I have a scarred ear drum, some hearing loss, and a severe penicillin allergy.
In Simon's case, the ENT said that it is common for them to just keep the tubes in cranio kids at least for the first few years of life because of the issue with the eustachian tube. Simon's third set of tubes was the t-tubes, so we won't have to think about doing those again for a few years.

[Avery's Mom]

Yes, chronic ear infections can be a result of cranio. At least for coronal cases, the eustachian tubes may not be angled properly for fluid to drain, leading to excess fluid sitting behind the ear drum and even ear infections. I had very bad ones in my right ear as a child, which is my affected side. If I am not careful about draining and cleaning my ears after swimming and such, then I can still get infections now. As a result of all the infections and no tubes, I have a scarred ear drum, some hearing loss, and a severe penicillin allergy.
In Simon's case, the ENT said that it is common for them to just keep the tubes in cranio kids at least for the first few years of life because of the issue with the eustachian tube. Simon's third set of tubes was the t-tubes, so we won't have to think about doing those again for a few years.



Cindy what are T-tubes? We are getting ready to put in a third set for Mr Avery.

[AllyCat]

Stacy, I heard that too, but Rohan had never had one when we first heard that a year ago. Now he has had 3 in as many months. They just don't seem to go away. I heard it most common in coronals and sagittals.

[cheryl2]

Cindy what are T-tubes? We are getting ready to put in a third set for Mr Avery.

T-tubes are more permanent ear tubes. They're supposed to stay in for a few years I think. Cindy can correct if I'm wrong.

[craniomommynbaby]

Cindy what are T-tubes? We are getting ready to put in a third set for Mr Avery.

Simon's first 2 sets were the beveled tubes. They look like little tubes with a lip on the end. They sit in the ear drum and eventually fall out as the child grows and the ear drum heals. They last 6 months to a year typically. The t-tubes have a t-shaped inner flange to keep them in place for a few years. Simon's will be in for at least 2 years, and then we will discuss with the ENT if we want to keep them in at that point. On the third attempt, they went to those because the scarring on the ear drum from 2 sets of the other kind can affect how well they stay in.

http://www.pedisurg.com/PtEducENT/tubes.htm

[Monica]

My oldest, non cranio, btw, had three sets of tubes before he was 2 1/2. They were the regular kind that fell out within 6 months. He got one of the t-tubes in one ear when he was 8 and it's just now coming out (he's 10 1/2) so it definitely hung in there longer. He does currently have an infection in that ear - oh yay. Florence had a run of ear infections as a baby, but not enough to warrent tube discussion and she really hasn't had any since her surgery. It really is a simple surgery compared to the CVR - I'd much rather face that again.

[Mama Musica]

And we're back. The original antibiotics didn't do the job, and Max once again has a double ear infection.

Sigh.

I have done nothing today except hold my baby in the rocking chair. He fell asleep 2 hours ago, but every time I put him down, he starts screaming. I'm so tired of this....

[Avery's Mom]

And we're back. The original antibiotics didn't do the job, and Max once again has a double ear infection.

Sigh.

I have done nothing today except hold my baby in the rocking chair. He fell asleep 2 hours ago, but every time I put him down, he starts screaming. I'm so tired of this....

Yeah we are in the same boat. I have been sleeping in the recliner because Avery has not slept thru the night in two weeks.....we found out on Friday his tubes were out and he has a raging infection in his 'bad' ear again. The fluid and the infection hurt when you lay him donw. We are on day 5 of a 14 day round of Augmention and he slept thru last night for the first time. I wolke up at 4 in a panic because i had taken a muscle relaxer for my back and thought I had slept thru his crying...he snoozed until 5:30.

Thanks for the T-Tube explanation. I will ask our ENT about those next time.

[*Alicia*]

My son is 7 1/2 months and has had two ear infections back to back within 2 months. I have always wondered about this as well. My non-cranio daughter has only had one ear infection and she's 2. Could just be that it's common for little ones to get ear infections because of their eustachian tubes.

[maddysmom518]

We had Madison's second set of tubes put in 3 weeks ago.

[jennahlynne]

Carter had tubes put in at 10 months

[BusyBee]

Abby was coronal and has had more ear infections than I can remember. She had tubes in October and has had two infections since. I DEFINITELY think her infections are because of the cranio. I was disappointed that she is still getting themeven after tubes but there are some positives.

1. Since the tubes her speech has come on rapidly and she now says whole sentences (she's not two till May!)
2. When she has an ear infection it's not so painful as the infection drains out (unless the tubes are blocked which happened last time!)
3. You can treat it with antibiotic ear drops which work instantly!

[samuelwalkersmom]

Sam has had about 6 or 7 ear infections and he is 2 yrs and 4 months...
Amy

[Mama Musica]

Pretty sure we have another ear infection going on. Sigh. Good news is, we already have a Dr appointment set up for tomorrow for the first round of Procrit injections...