When Are Ear Tubes Recommended for a Child? How ENT Specialists Weigh Fluid and Infections

The audiologist slides the headphones off a four-year-old who has just spent ten minutes pointing at pictures, and the printout tells a quiet story: sounds that most children hear at a whisper are reaching him at the volume of ordinary conversation. His mother is not surprised. He turns the television up, says “what?” a dozen times a day, and has had four courses of antibiotics since the fall.

This is the moment many families first hear the words “ear tubes,” and it tends to raise two very different reactions at once: relief that something can be done, and unease at the idea of any surgery on a small child. Both are reasonable.

The honest answer to when does a child need ear tubes is neither “almost never” nor “as soon as infections start.” It rests on a handful of measurable things: how long fluid has lingered, how many infections there have been, what the hearing test shows, and how the child is functioning day to day. This article walks through how ENT specialists weigh those pieces, what the procedure involves, and what usually happens afterward.

When does a child need ear tubes? The short version

Ear tubes are considered for two overlapping problems, and it helps to keep them separate in your head. The first is fluid that will not clear. Otitis media with effusion, often called glue ear, means thick or watery fluid sits behind the eardrum without the pain and fever of an active infection. The second is recurrent acute otitis media, the painful, feverish ear infection most parents recognize, when it keeps coming back.

For the fluid problem, the widely used threshold is time plus impact. Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic both describe tubes as an option when fluid persists for roughly three months or more in both ears and is causing hearing difficulty, speech delay, balance problems or trouble in school. Fluid that has been present for a few weeks, on its own, is not a reason to operate; the NHS notes that most glue ear clears without any treatment within about three months.

For the infection problem, ENT specialists usually look for a pattern rather than a single bad episode. Mayo Clinic describes the commonly used definition as three or more infections in six months, or four or more in a year, with at least one recent episode. Many specialists also want to see fluid still present in the middle ear between infections before recommending tubes, because a child whose ears fully clear between episodes tends to gain less from the procedure.

Neither threshold is a switch that flips automatically. A child who is developing normally and hears well may be watched longer; a child with an existing developmental or hearing vulnerability may be offered tubes sooner. The decision is a judgment call made by the treating team with the family, informed by these markers rather than dictated by them.

What ear tubes are and how they actually work

A tympanostomy tube, called a grommet in the UK and a pressure-equalizing tube in some clinics, is a tiny hollow cylinder, usually plastic or metal, about the size of a grain of rice. It sits in a small opening the surgeon makes in the eardrum and holds that opening open. That is the entire mechanism: a ventilation shaft where the body’s own shaft has stopped working.

The body’s own shaft is the eustachian tube, a narrow passage running from the middle ear, the air-filled space behind the eardrum, down to the back of the nose and throat. Every time you swallow or yawn it briefly opens, letting air in to equalize pressure and letting any fluid drain toward the throat. When it stays shut, because of swelling from a cold, allergies or enlarged adenoids, the middle ear becomes a sealed room. Oxygen in the trapped air is absorbed, pressure drops, the lining weeps fluid, and the eardrum can no longer vibrate freely. Sound arriving from outside has to push through liquid, which is why a child with glue ear hears as though someone has clamped hands over their ears.

The tube bypasses the blocked passage. Air can now enter the middle ear from the outside through the ear canal, pressure equalizes, fluid drains outward, and the eardrum moves again. According to MedlinePlus, hearing improvement, when the problem was fluid, is typically noticed quickly after the procedure, sometimes within hours.

For infections, the benefit works slightly differently. Bacteria and viruses that reach the middle ear from the nose have nowhere to pool when the space is ventilated and drained, so infections tend to become less frequent, and when one does occur, pus can drain out through the tube rather than building painful pressure behind an intact eardrum. That is why an ear infection in a child with tubes often shows up as drainage rather than screaming pain.

Why small ears are so prone to fluid and infection

Ear infections cluster in early childhood for reasons of plumbing, immunity and exposure, and understanding them explains why most children eventually grow out of the problem without any procedure.

Plumbing first. In a young child the eustachian tube is shorter, narrower and runs more horizontally than in an adult, according to Cleveland Clinic. A short horizontal pipe drains poorly and lets secretions from the nose travel backward more easily. As the skull grows, the tube lengthens and angles downward, and drainage improves. This anatomical change is one of the main reasons infection rates fall as children approach school age.

Next, the adenoids. These are pads of lymphoid tissue at the back of the nose, right beside the eustachian tube openings. They are naturally largest in preschool years and can physically block the openings or harbor bacteria. Adenoid size is one reason an ENT specialist may look up the nose as well as into the ears during an evaluation.

Then immunity. Toddlers are meeting hundreds of new viruses for the first time, and each cold produces swelling and mucus that can seal the eustachian tube for days. Children in group childcare, children exposed to tobacco smoke at home, children with a family history of frequent ear infections, and children with conditions affecting the face and palate such as cleft palate or Down syndrome carry higher risk, per Mayo Clinic and the NHS. Bottle feeding while lying flat and pacifier use beyond infancy have also been associated with higher rates.

None of this means a parent has done something wrong. Ear infections are among the most common reasons young children see a doctor, and MedlinePlus notes that most children will have had at least one by early childhood. The question ENT specialists ask is not whether a child has had infections, but whether the pattern is severe enough, or the fluid persistent enough, to outweigh the small risks of a procedure.

Recurrent ear infections in children and persistent glue ear: how specialists set the thresholds

Two clocks run in an ENT evaluation, and specialists tend to weigh them differently.

The infection clock counts discrete episodes of acute otitis media, each confirmed by a clinician who saw a bulging, inflamed eardrum, not just a child tugging an ear. The pattern most often cited, and described by Mayo Clinic, is three or more confirmed infections in six months or four in twelve months, with one of them recent. Clinician-confirmed matters. A red eardrum in a crying feverish child is not the same as a bulging one, and over-counting infections is one of the most common ways children end up referred earlier than the evidence supports.

The fluid clock counts continuous months of effusion. The NHS advises that glue ear is usually left for about three months to see whether it clears by itself, because it very often does. Fluid that follows a single cold typically drains within weeks. Fluid that has been documented at repeated visits over three months, particularly in both ears, is a different situation, because that is the point at which a child has spent a meaningful stretch of a critical language-learning window hearing the world muffled.

What turns a three-month effusion into a recommendation for tubes is usually a hearing test. Audiologists measure the softest sounds a child can detect at different pitches, and tympanometry, a painless test that puffs air against the eardrum, shows whether the drum is moving. Fluid typically causes a mild to moderate conductive hearing loss, meaning sound is being blocked rather than the inner ear being damaged. A child with three months of fluid and normal hearing may reasonably be watched further; a child with three months of fluid and a measurable loss, or speech delay, balance trouble or school concerns, is the child for whom tubes are most often recommended.

Both clocks reset. If fluid clears or infections stop over a summer, the case for surgery weakens, which is why specialists sometimes deliberately schedule a re-check rather than booking an operating room.

Who usually gets ear tubes, and who is usually asked to wait

Because the same ear can look different from one visit to the next, ENT specialists tend to sort children into broad groups rather than making a single snapshot decision. The table below summarizes patterns described by Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic and the NHS. It is a guide to the conversation, not a substitute for it.

Situation	Usual approach	Why
Fluid in both ears for 3 months or more with hearing loss, speech delay or school or balance problems	Tubes usually offered	Fluid unlikely to clear soon; hearing is affecting development
Fluid in both ears for 3 months or more with normal hearing and no functional problems	Continue watching, recheck in a few months	Low immediate harm; many still clear spontaneously
Fluid for under 3 months after a cold	Wait	Most glue ear resolves within about 3 months (NHS)
Recurrent confirmed infections (3 in 6 months or 4 in 12) with fluid present between episodes	Tubes usually offered	Ventilation reduces frequency and allows drainage
Recurrent infections but ears fully clear between episodes	Often wait; discuss other measures	Less predictable benefit from tubes
Fluid in one ear only, hearing normal in the other	Usually wait and monitor	Functional hearing preserved; lower urgency
Child with cleft palate, Down syndrome, existing hearing loss, or developmental delay and persistent fluid	Often offered sooner	Less able to tolerate additional hearing loss

The last row deserves emphasis. Children who already have a permanent hearing loss, a visual impairment, autism or a speech and language disorder are often considered “at risk,” and specialists lower the bar for intervention because a muffled year costs them more. Conversely, an older child whose fluid appears only in winter and whose speech is on track may never need a tube at all, because the anatomical improvements of growth are doing the work.

Where a child sits in this table can shift between visits, and a reasonable plan often includes a scheduled recheck with repeat hearing testing before anything is booked.

What to do instead of ear tubes: watchful waiting and the alternatives

The most common alternative to ear tubes is structured waiting, and it is a genuine treatment plan rather than neglect. The NHS approach to glue ear is observation for about three months with a repeat hearing check, because that is roughly how long the body usually takes to clear fluid on its own. During that time families can support hearing directly: sit close and face the child when speaking, reduce background noise, ask teachers to seat the child near the front, and treat nasal congestion from colds and allergies as advised by the pediatrician.

Autoinflation is one of the few active measures with supportive evidence for glue ear in older children, and the NHS describes it. The child blows up a special balloon through one nostril several times a day, which pushes air up the eustachian tube and helps it open. It requires a cooperative child, usually of school age, and results vary.

Hearing aids are an alternative some families do not expect to hear about. For a child with persistent fluid whose parents prefer to avoid surgery, or whose fluid is expected to clear within a year or two, temporary hearing aids can restore access to sound while nature takes its course. The NHS lists this as an option.

Adenoidectomy, surgical removal of the adenoids, is sometimes discussed, particularly for a child who also has nasal obstruction or who has had tubes fall out and fluid return. It is a larger procedure than tube placement and is not usually a first step.

What does not help, according to the NHS and Cleveland Clinic, is a long course of antibiotics, antihistamines, decongestants or steroid tablets for glue ear itself. These treat other things and have not been shown to clear middle ear fluid, and the specialist team will generally steer families away from them for this purpose.

For recurrent infections, prevention still matters: keeping vaccinations current, avoiding smoke exposure, and breastfeeding where possible are all associated with lower infection rates according to Mayo Clinic.

What happens on the day: the procedure step by step

Ear tube placement is one of the shortest operations most children will ever have, and knowing the sequence tends to shrink the fear that surrounds it.

The child arrives having fasted for a period the surgical team specifies, since anesthesia is safest on an empty stomach. In most children the procedure is done under a brief general anesthetic, typically delivered by mask rather than a needle, so the child breathes a sweet-smelling gas and drifts off within a minute or two, according to MedlinePlus. Parents are often allowed to stay until the child is asleep, depending on the facility’s routine. Older teenagers and adults can sometimes have it done awake with numbing drops, but that is uncommon in young children who cannot hold still.

Once the child is asleep, the surgeon looks into the ear canal with a microscope and makes a tiny incision in the eardrum, a step called a myringotomy. Any fluid behind the drum is suctioned out; parents are sometimes surprised to hear how thick it can be, which is where the name glue ear comes from. The tube is then placed into the opening so that its flanges hold it in position, like a collar button through a buttonhole. The same steps are repeated on the other ear if both need treatment. The surgeon does not cut skin, and there are no stitches.

Cleveland Clinic puts the operation itself at roughly ten to fifteen minutes for both ears. The child then wakes in a recovery area, often groggy, sometimes tearful or irritable for a short while as the anesthetic wears off, which is normal and not a sign of pain. Most children go home the same day, usually within an hour or two of waking, once they are drinking and alert.

Some surgeons place drops in the ear at the end of the procedure or prescribe them for a few days afterward; whether and how to use them is a decision for the treating team.

Is it painful for kids to get tubes in their ears?

This is the question parents ask most, and the evidence-based answer is reassuring without being dismissive.

During the procedure, the child is asleep and feels nothing. That is the reason general anesthesia is used at all for an operation this short: not because the surgery is dangerous, but because a child cannot be expected to lie motionless while a surgeon works on an eardrum under a microscope.

Afterward, discomfort is usually mild and brief. MedlinePlus and Cleveland Clinic describe most children returning to normal activity within a day, and many are eating and playing the same afternoon. Some children complain of a mild earache or a feeling of fullness for a day or so, and a few are unsettled by sounds suddenly seeming loud, which is a sign that hearing has been restored rather than that something is wrong. Whether any medicine is needed for comfort, and which one, is a question for the surgical team, not for this article.

The larger point is that many children who need tubes have been in considerable pain already. Recurrent acute otitis media hurts, often badly, often at night, and often for days at a time. Persistent fluid causes pressure and a muffled, underwater sensation that a toddler cannot describe but may express through irritability or clumsiness. Parents frequently report that the days following tube placement are calmer than the months that preceded them.

The anesthetic itself is the part that worries parents most, and it is reasonable to ask about it. Brief general anesthesia in an otherwise healthy child is considered low risk by Mayo Clinic, and the anesthesia team will review the child’s medical history, any breathing problems, recent colds and family history beforehand. Children with significant asthma, a current chest infection or certain other conditions may be rescheduled; the anesthesiologist is the right person to answer specific safety questions about a specific child.

Ear tube surgery recovery: what the first days and weeks usually look like

Because there are no stitches or external wounds, recovery from ear tube placement is more about watching and waiting than about nursing.

The first few hours often bring grogginess, a short nap, and sometimes a tearful wake-up from anesthesia. A light meal, fluids and quiet play are the usual plan. By the next morning most children are back to their normal routine, and MedlinePlus notes that children can generally return to daycare or school within a day or two, following the team’s advice.

Drainage from the ear is common in the first few days. It may be clear, slightly bloody, or thick and cloudy, and it reflects the fluid that was behind the eardrum finding its way out. A small amount on the pillow or in the ear canal is expected. Drainage that is heavy, foul-smelling, or persists beyond a week or so is worth reporting, as covered in the section on when to call.

Hearing often changes quickly. Parents describe children startling at the flush of a toilet, asking for the television to be turned down, or speaking more softly than before because they can suddenly hear their own voice. Speech and language often begin to catch up over the following months as the child hears full sentences clearly for the first time in a while, though the pace varies and is not something anyone can promise.

A follow-up visit is usually arranged within several weeks to confirm the tubes are open and in position, and a repeat hearing test is common. After that, most teams see the child every few months until the tubes have fallen out and the eardrums have healed.

Water is a frequent question. Mayo Clinic notes that many children with tubes do not need earplugs for surface swimming in a pool, but advice varies for bathwater with soap, lakes and deep diving. Families should follow their own surgeon’s guidance rather than a general rule.

Risks of ear tubes, and what happens when they fall out

Ear tubes are common and generally safe, but they are still a foreign object in a delicate membrane, and honest counseling covers what can go wrong.

The most frequent issue is drainage, called otorrhea, that appears weeks or months later, usually with a cold. Because the middle ear is now open to the outside, an infection tends to show up as fluid leaking from the ear rather than as pain behind a bulging drum. Cleveland Clinic describes this as usually treated with drops rather than oral medicine, but the treating clinician decides. Some children have repeated bouts of drainage while the tubes are in.

Tubes can also block with dried secretions or wax, which stops them from ventilating and may allow fluid to return. Sometimes the blockage can be cleared in the office; sometimes the tube needs replacing.

Timing is variable. According to Cleveland Clinic, most tubes are pushed out by the growing eardrum after roughly six to eighteen months, and Mayo Clinic gives a range of about four to eighteen months. They often fall out unnoticed, occasionally appearing in the ear canal or on a pillow. Some come out early, before the child has outgrown the underlying problem, and fluid or infections return, leading to a discussion about a second set. Others stay in longer than intended and may need to be removed by the surgeon.

After a tube falls out, the small hole almost always closes on its own. In a minority of children it does not, leaving a persistent perforation that may later need a minor repair. Scarring of the eardrum, known as tympanosclerosis, is common and visible on examination but usually does not affect hearing meaningfully, per Mayo Clinic.

Rarer complications include the tube slipping inward into the middle ear and a lasting change in the eardrum’s shape. The surgeon should walk through these before consent, with figures where they exist, and weigh them against what continued fluid or infection is costing the child.

Why are so many kids getting ear tubes?

Ear tube placement is the most common surgery requiring anesthesia in young children in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, and parents notice: it can feel as though half a preschool class has had it done. Several forces explain the numbers, and not all of them are about children being sicker.

The condition itself is extremely common. Glue ear and acute ear infections affect the large majority of children at some point in early childhood, so even a small proportion going on to tubes adds up to a large absolute number. More children in group childcare at younger ages means more viral exposure and more infections.

Awareness has also grown. Hearing screening at birth and in preschool catches fluid-related hearing loss that would once have been missed, and clinicians are more alert to the link between muffled hearing in the toddler years and later speech and reading difficulties. Some of the rise is appropriate detection.

At the same time, practice varies more than the evidence justifies. Studies summarized by Johns Hopkins and others have found that a meaningful share of children receiving tubes did not meet the guideline thresholds described earlier, often because fluid duration was shorter than three months or infections were counted from parental report rather than clinician confirmation. Professional guidelines have tightened for exactly this reason, emphasizing documented duration, hearing testing and the presence of fluid between infections.

What this means for a family is straightforward. If tubes are recommended, it is fair, and not rude, to ask which criterion the child meets: how many months of documented fluid, how many confirmed infections, what the hearing test showed. A specialist working from guidelines will have those answers ready. A recommendation that cannot be tied to them deserves a second conversation, and a clinician who suggests waiting and rechecking is often practicing exactly what the evidence supports.

What people often get wrong about when a child needs ear tubes

Misunderstandings cluster around ear tubes, and a few of them steer families toward either too much worry or too little.

The first is that tubes are for infections and only infections. In reality, persistent fluid without any infection is the most common single reason for the procedure, because of what it does to hearing during the years when language is being built. A child who has never had a fever can still be a strong candidate.

The second is the reverse: that any child with frequent infections needs tubes. A child whose ears clear completely between episodes, who hears normally and whose infections are tapering with age may do better with time and prevention than with surgery. Confirmed count, recency and fluid between episodes all matter.

Third, that tubes are permanent or must be removed later. Most fall out on their own within the ranges described by Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic, and the eardrum usually heals over the hole without any intervention.

Fourth, that tubes stop all future ear trouble. They reduce infection frequency and typically restore hearing while in place, but infections can still occur, showing up as drainage, and fluid can return after the tubes are out if the child has not yet outgrown the problem. Roughly one in a handful of children needs a second set, a figure families should ask their own surgeon to put in context rather than take from a general article.

Fifth, that no water can ever touch the ear. Advice has softened over the years; Mayo Clinic notes that many children can swim without plugs, with more caution around soapy bathwater and lake water. Follow the surgeon’s specific instructions.

Sixth, that a child’s ear pain and a red eardrum equal an infection to be counted. Crying alone reddens an eardrum. The definitions specialists use rely on a bulging, immobile drum documented by a clinician, and careful counting protects children from unnecessary procedures.

Questions to ask your care team

A good ENT consultation is a two-way exchange. Arriving with specific questions helps the specialist explain their reasoning, and it helps you leave with a decision you understand. Consider bringing a written record of the child’s infections with dates, the treating clinician for each, and any hearing test results from the pediatrician or school.

• Which specific criterion does my child meet: months of documented fluid, number of clinician-confirmed infections, or a hearing test finding? What were the actual results?
• Is the fluid in one ear or both, and how does that change your thinking?
• If we chose to wait and recheck in a few months, what would you be looking for at that visit, and what would change your recommendation?
• What are the realistic alternatives for my child, including hearing support in the meantime?
• How will the anesthetic be given, who will be present, and can I stay until my child is asleep?
• What should the first few days look like at home, and what drainage or behavior would you consider normal versus a reason to call?
• Will my child need ear drops afterward, and how will I know when they are no longer needed?
• What are your instructions about bathing and swimming, and do they change over the months the tubes are in?
• How long do you expect these tubes to stay in place, and what happens if they fall out early or stay in too long?
• How often will you see my child for follow-up, and will hearing be retested?
• What signs would suggest the tube has blocked or come out?
• If fluid or infections return after the tubes are gone, what are the next options?
• Are the adenoids contributing, and would you consider addressing them now or later?

Write the answers down or ask permission to record the conversation; families often report that the details blur once they leave the room. If any answer relies on a percentage or timeframe, ask where it comes from so you can weigh it for your own child.

When to call your doctor

Most of the journey with ear tubes, before and after, happens quietly at home, but a few situations call for prompt contact with the treating team, and a smaller number call for urgent care.

Before any decision about tubes, contact your child’s clinician if hearing seems to have worsened noticeably, if speech is regressing or stalling, if balance or clumsiness has changed, or if an ear infection brings a fever that will not settle, severe pain, or swelling and tenderness behind the ear. That last sign in particular, a red, swollen, painful area behind the ear or an ear that appears to be pushed forward, needs same-day assessment because it can indicate infection spreading to the bone behind the ear.

After tube placement, call the surgical team the same day for drainage that is heavy, contains a lot of blood, smells foul, or continues for more than a week; for pain that is getting worse rather than better; for a fever above the level your team has told you to watch for; or if the tube appears to have fallen out and hearing has dropped again. Persistent drainage while a child is otherwise well is usually managed without an emergency, but it should still be reported rather than watched indefinitely.

Seek urgent or emergency care if your child has a high fever with a stiff neck, unusual drowsiness or confusion, a severe headache, new weakness of the face, sudden spinning dizziness with vomiting, or any breathing difficulty after anesthesia. These are uncommon, but they are the situations where minutes matter.

Trust your own observation. Parents are usually the first to notice a child who is not hearing, not eating, or simply not themselves. Every decision about whether to wait, to operate or to change course rests with the treating team, and they would far rather hear from you about something that turns out to be nothing than miss something that was not.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my child needs ear tubes?

You cannot know from home; it takes a clinician’s examination and a hearing test. The markers specialists look for are fluid behind both eardrums documented for about three months or more with measurable hearing loss, speech delay or balance problems, or a pattern of clinician-confirmed infections, typically three in six months or four in a year, with fluid persisting between them. A referral to an ENT specialist is the way to find out where your child sits.

What are the alternatives to ear tubes?

Structured watchful waiting with a repeat hearing test is the main alternative and is the standard first step for glue ear. Autoinflation with a nasal balloon can help some older children, temporary hearing aids can restore access to sound while fluid clears naturally, and adenoidectomy is sometimes considered in specific situations. Prolonged antibiotics, antihistamines, decongestants and steroid tablets are not recommended for clearing glue ear.

Is it painful for kids to get tubes in their ears?

Not during the procedure, because the child is asleep under a short general anesthetic. Afterward, discomfort is usually mild and brief, and most children return to normal activity within a day. Some are briefly unsettled by how loud the world suddenly sounds, which reflects restored hearing rather than harm. Whether any comfort medicine is needed is a decision for the surgical team.

Why are so many kids getting ear tubes?

Ear infections and glue ear affect most young children at some point, so even a small fraction proceeding to tubes is a large number. Better hearing screening detects fluid-related hearing loss that was once missed. Studies have also found that some children receive tubes without meeting guideline thresholds, which is why current guidance stresses documented fluid duration, confirmed infection counts and hearing testing before recommending the procedure.

How long does glue ear treatment take before tubes are considered?

The NHS describes waiting about three months, because most middle ear fluid clears on its own within that time. During the wait a repeat hearing test is usually arranged. If fluid persists past roughly three months in both ears and is affecting hearing, speech, balance or school, tubes become a reasonable option. Children with existing hearing or developmental vulnerabilities may be offered them sooner.

How long do ear tubes stay in?

Most tubes are gradually pushed out by the healing, growing eardrum after roughly six to eighteen months according to Cleveland Clinic, with Mayo Clinic citing a range of about four to eighteen months. They often fall out unnoticed. Some come out early and some stay longer than intended and need removal by the surgeon, which is one reason follow-up visits continue until the ears have healed.

Can my child swim with ear tubes?

Often yes, with conditions. Mayo Clinic notes that many children with tubes do not need earplugs for ordinary surface swimming in a pool, while soapy bathwater, lake or river water and deep diving prompt more caution because water may pass through the tube into the middle ear. Surgeons vary in their advice, so follow the specific instructions from your child’s team.

What does an ear infection look like once a child has tubes?

It usually shows up as fluid draining from the ear rather than as severe pain and fever, because the tube lets pus escape instead of building pressure behind an intact eardrum. Drainage may be cloudy, yellow or slightly bloody. Cleveland Clinic notes these episodes are often treated with drops rather than oral medicine, but the treating clinician decides, and any drainage should be reported.

Will ear tubes fix my child's speech delay?

They restore hearing while in place if fluid was the cause, and many children then begin to catch up over the following months as they hear speech clearly. No one can promise a specific outcome, because speech development depends on many factors and some children have other contributing causes. A speech and language assessment alongside the hearing evaluation is often recommended.

What are the risks of ear tube surgery?

The most common issue is later drainage from the ear during colds. Tubes can block, fall out early or stay in too long. After a tube comes out the hole almost always closes, but in a small minority a persistent perforation may need repair. Scarring of the eardrum is common and usually does not affect hearing. Anesthesia carries low risk in healthy children; the anesthesia team reviews each child individually.

References

• MedlinePlus: Ear tube insertion
• NHS: Glue ear

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor about your individual situation.