Baby Ear Tubes - Are They Necessary?

Babies are especially susceptible to ear infections due to the fact that Eustachian tubes - a passageway between the middle ear and nose responsible for draining accumulated secretions from the ear - are especially small. While ear infections are not uncommon among young children, those who suffer from multiple ear infections per year - which is usually the result of a lingering infection that does not clear up with antibiotic treatment - are at risk for developmental delays and long-term hearing loss. The insertion of baby ear tubes (called myringotomy or tympanostomy) may be recommended by your doctor, but the procedure is steeped in controversy about whether or not they are really necessary.

While ear tube surgery is the most common surgery performed on children under the age of 4 in the United States, many parents and health care experts argue that baby ear tubes are not necessary except in severe cases where permanent hearing loss is expected due to ear drum damage from the infection.

Studies have shown that babies with recurring ear infections are developmentally behind by the time they hit school age, however, between the ages of 2 and 5, the link between chronic ear infections and school preparedness disappears. Once children are enrolled in a learning environment, they eventually perform on the same level as other children within the first few years without the use of baby ear tubes, leading many health care professionals to argue that the surgery is unnecessary in most cases.

Chronic ear infections can be serious for infants, especially since they are still developing and have a weaker immune system. Ruptured ear drums are common in infants with recurring ear infections, and while they normally heal relatively fast, it is important to have the condition monitored by your doctor. Severe, untreated ear infections can lead to scarring of the ear drum, permanent hearing loss, and in very rare cases, skull infections and meningitis. These severe complications cause doctors to still recommend baby ear tubes in many cases as a precaution, even though the procedure is not always necessary.