Back in the 1970s, researchers studied the use of ear tubes in children with chronic middle-ear fluid (“glue ear”). A tube was placed in one ear while the other ear served as a control. Hearing clearly improved in the treated ear at first, but by six months the significant advantage had disappeared. Five years later, there was no significant hearing advantage in the treated ears. Meanwhile, tympanosclerosis and scarring were considerably more common in the ears that had received tubes. This finding has been supported by recent research [2].
Ear tubes are most clearly recommended when fluid has remained behind both eardrums for at least three months and testing shows hearing difficulty. They may also be considered when persistent fluid is associated with problems such as balance difficulties, ear discomfort, poor school performance, behavioral problems, or reduced quality of life. For children with recurrent acute ear infections, current guidelines recommend tubes only when middle-ear fluid is present at the time the child is evaluated. Tubes are not recommended for a single episode of middle-ear fluid lasting less than three months or for recurrent ear infections when no fluid is present at the evaluation.
Does Your Child Keep Getting Ear Infections? Check for Allergies
