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. 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! 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.

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.