If your toddler has frequent ear infections that don’t clear up easily, or has a hearing loss or speech delay due to ear infections, the doctor may decide to put tubes in your child’s ears.

These tympanostomy tubes are placed in the eardrums to ventilate the area behind the eardrum and keep the pressure equalized in the middle ear.

The tubes help prevent infection and the accumulation of fluid, and normalize hearing. In 6 to 18 months, as the child grows, the tiny tubes tend to fall out, although they may need to be removed by your doctor.

Ear tubes are pretty common. This procedure is performed for approximately 2 million U.S. children every year.

See also ...

• Ear infection treatment and prevention

• Antibiotics and your child’s ear infection: What to expect

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