Ear Tubes for Children

Does my child need ear tubes?

Ear tubes (tympanostomy tubes) are small tubes placed through the eardrum to drain fluid from the middle ear and let air in. They're most often recommended for children who have frequent ear infections that keep coming back, or fluid behind the eardrum that lingers for months — especially when that fluid is affecting hearing or speech development.

A straightforward evaluation with Dr. Fewins will tell you whether tubes are the right step, or whether it's worth waiting. Because we offer on-site audiology, we can also test your child's hearing during the same visit — so the decision is based on real measurements, a careful evaluation, and any hearing loss from fluid is caught early rather than discovered later.

Is ear tube placement right for your child?

Dr. Fewins will tell you honestly if your child doesn't need tubes yet. The goal is the right care at the right time, not the most care.

Dedicated pediatric anesthesia care

Many hospitals use an accepted anesthesia care-team model in which a CRNA remains in the room while a physician anesthesiologist may oversee more than one operating room. For our pediatric ENT procedures, your child's anesthetic is provided entirely by Dr. Ania Gawel, MD, a physician anesthesiologist board-certified in both Anesthesiology and Pediatric Anesthesiology. She remains with your child from start to finish and does not simultaneously supervise another room.

The surgery-center team also includes staff specifically trained in pediatric care and recovery. Surgery centers are a safe, excellent choice for healthy children who are good candidates; if your child would be better cared for in a hospital, Dr. Fewins will say so and help arrange it.

The procedure

Ear tube placement is quick and well-tolerated. Your child receives brief general anesthesia for comfort and stillness during the procedure, and a tiny tube is placed through the eardrum to drain fluid and let air into the middle ear — restoring normal pressure and reducing the setup for repeat infections. The procedure itself usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes. There's no cutting or incision on the outside of the ear, and no stitches.

Most children go home the same day. Follow-up checks healing, tube function and hearing when indicated.

Cost & where it's done

Procedure setting is chosen around your child’s needs. When an ambulatory surgery center is appropriate, the facility charge may be dramatically lower than at a hospital outpatient department. In our practice experience, we commonly see families paying less than half—and sometimes close to one-third—of the hospital outpatient cost for the same planned procedure.

This is not a guarantee or a published average. Your cost depends on the facility, network, deductible and benefits. Our team can help you request separate estimates for the surgeon, anesthesia and facility charges before scheduling.

You may request care with Dr. Fewins. Referral, authorization and network requirements depend on your insurance plan; our team can help you check before scheduling.

Recovery

1. Day of surgery

   Children wake up quickly from the brief anesthesia. Most go home within a couple of hours and have little to no pain.

2. The next day

   Most children are back to normal activity, including school or daycare, by the day after surgery.

3. Over the following months

   Tubes typically fall out on their own over roughly 6 to 18 months as the eardrum heals — usually without anyone noticing. A follow-up visit confirms healing and checks hearing.

Risks & alternatives

Ear tube placement is one of the most common and safest pediatric surgical procedures, but no procedure is entirely risk-free. Temporary ear drainage after placement is common and usually resolves with simple care. Less commonly, a tube can become blocked, fall out earlier than expected, or (rarely) leave a small perforation after it comes out; persistent problems can be evaluated and addressed at a follow-up visit. As with any procedure requiring anesthesia, there are the general, small risks of anesthesia itself — which is one reason Dr. Fewins works with a dedicated pediatric anesthesiologist and carefully selects which children are appropriate for the surgery-center setting.

Call the office promptly for persistent or worsening drainage, fever, or symptoms that don't improve as expected.

Alternatives to surgery: for infrequent or isolated infections, watchful waiting is often reasonable. When allergy or sinus inflammation is contributing, treating that directly can reduce fluid buildup without surgery. On-site audiology lets us confirm whether hearing is actually affected before recommending a procedure.

Frequently asked questions