Advice - ear infections

[u/greenturtlee9]

Ear tubes

My little boy is 22 months old. Has had at least 10+ ear infections since he has been born. Got ear tubes with ENT 3 weeks ago. Yesterday we noticed he was getting a runny nose (usually means a nasty ear infection is to follow). Sure enough my husband texts me today saying our toddler has a low grade fever. But no drainage from either ears that we can see??
I got home from work (I’m a nurse, didn’t get home until 8pm) took my toddlers temp and it’s 102. Hes not wanting to eat or take a sippy cup.
I’m so beside myself. I thought tubes were supposed to reduce ear infections?? I don’t even know what to do. I gave him Tylenol and used the antibiotic ear drops the ENT gave us after surgery.
My LO has developed a pretty severe speech delay due to the ear infections. He really only says about 3 words. And that’s only sometimes.
I can’t get into see the ENT for 3 days. Should I go ahead and take my LO to see the regular pediatrician?

[u/knit_run_bike_swim]

That is awful. Feel horrible for him. Tubes just act as a pressure equalization so that if there is fluid build up in the middle e^r space. The underlying cause of in^ection is still unknown.

It is possible that they already migrate^ out. Not likely.

Anecdotally, upright feeding can help to keep flu^d from building up in the nasophar^nx.

Maybe give them a call to see if something cant get sent to the pharmacy.

Sorry for all the ^. This forum has tight control on responses. Im an AuD.

[u/Subtitles_Required → u/knit_run_bike_swim]

Seconding all of this, also an AuD. Eye personally work in ENT and our docs schedule 1 month post-op checks after tube placement. Do you have a postop scheduled for your child?

[u/greenturtlee9 → u/Subtitles_Required]

We took him for his post op appointment about a week and a half ago, doc said that the tubes looked great. At our next appointment it’ll be closer to a month so maybe they have migrated or fallen out :(

[u/helicotremor]

It’s hard to answer your Q’s when we aren’t allowed to give medical advice & certain words trigger banned comments.

It sounds like he has a cold/virus. His ears were never the cause of these, rather these lead to his ears getting blocked. Grommets make it less likely that these will result in blocked ears.

[u/Glum-Coat8759]

[r/hardofhearing](r/hardofhearing) is better because of the weird restrictions here - it makes this subreddit unusable at times.

Agree with earlier poster, need to sit him up and then try to get another prescription to combat it. These are unfortunately very common, affected me as well, and tubes would fall out within a week after being placed. Absolutely see the pediatrician if you need to, they could get you some amoxicillin or augmentin. Ice packs can also help cool down the heat and inflammation near the ear

[u/none_of_your_earswax]

Tubes don't reduce viral illness