Patient education: Ear tubes – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — 

Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of your child after getting medical care for a health problem.

What are ear tubes? — 

These are tiny tubes a doctor puts in a child's eardrum to make an opening (figure 1). The eardrum is the thin layer of tissue between the ear canal and the middle ear. Some children only need 1 ear tube. If both ears are affected, they might get 1 tube in each ear.

There are many terms for ear tubes. For example, they are sometimes called "myringotomy tubes," "tympanostomy tubes," "ventilation tubes," "grommets," or "PE" tubes. ("PE" is short for "pressure equalization.")

How do I care for my child at home? — 

Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for your child. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

For the first 24 hours, your child should rest at home. They can probably return to their usual activities the next day.

You should also:

●Expect your child to have some discharge from their ear for the first few days. The discharge might be a little bloody at first.

●Give your child all their medicines as instructed:

•If the doctor prescribed eardrops, follow the instructions for how to use them (figure 2).

•Most children have little to no pain after ear tube surgery. If your child does have pain, you can give them non-prescription pain medicines, such as acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) or ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin). The correct dose depends on your child's weight, so ask their doctor or nurse how much to give. Do not give aspirin or medicines that contain aspirin to children.

●Follow the doctor's instructions for keeping water out of your child's ears – Your child does not need to wear earplugs while bathing or swimming, unless the doctor says they should.

The doctor might recommend protecting your child's ears from water in certain situations, such as if:

•Getting water in their ear is painful

•They have an ear infection or symptoms of an ear infection, such as drainage from the ear

•They are in a soapy bath, and will put their head underwater

•They are swimming in water that might not be clean, such as in a lake or pond

You can buy waterproof headbands, earplugs, or ear putty from a pharmacy or online. It is important to use these correctly:

•Keep them clean, and get new ones if they are too dirty or start to fall apart.

•Only use things that are specially designed to keep water out of the ear. Putting other objects or materials in the ear can cause problems. For example, never put play putty (like Play-Doh or Silly Putty) in the ear, because it can get stuck.

What follow-up care does my child need? — 

The doctor will want to see your child again after surgery to check on their progress. The doctor will also order hearing tests. Bring your child to these appointments.

Most ear tubes come out on their own after 6 to 18 months, but some are designed to stay in longer. If they do not come out on their own after a few years, the doctor will probably do surgery to remove them.

When should I call the doctor? — 

Call your child's doctor or nurse if:

●Your child has a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills.

●Your child has ear pain that does not get better in 2 or 3 days, or gets worse.

●Your child's hearing gets worse.

●Your child has trouble balancing, is dizzy, or falls down more than usual.

●Your child's ear drains fluid or pus for more than a week.

●Your child's ear is bleeding.

More on this topic

Patient education: Ear tubes (The Basics)
Patient education: Ear infections in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Perforated eardrum (The Basics)
Patient education: Eustachian tube problems (The Basics)
Patient education: Otitis media with effusion (The Basics)
Patient education: Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Mastoiditis (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use ear drops (The Basics)

Patient education: Ear infections (otitis media) in children (Beyond the Basics)