Ear-itation

I'm fed up with ear infections.  Lei isn't quite eleven months old and we've already had five. SINCE OCTOBER.

We started the one-day-a-week at daycare thing October 1st. We took December off completely because we couldn't take being sick anymore and miraculously escaped antibiotics for much of that month. Last week was our last day. For now anyway.

SIDEBAR: I do not consider antibiotics an over-the-counter equivalent. In fact, I'd rather not rely on them. However, when my kid is too tiny to tell me what's really wrong and to what degree. And, her ped prescribes them. And, I'm positive this is the last ear infection. And, we're getting on an airplane in five days. WE TAKE THEM. Defeatedly. But we take them.

The owners of our day care were initially defensive about our choice to temporarily pull Leighton from day care. I GET IT. Day care doesn't cause ear infections. Still, there is a reason most parents refer to day care as a petri dish. My logic, leading to what I consider a good parenting decision, is as follows:

At day care, a small herd of children are playing on top of each other all day long. Thus, I must assume that germs and toys are shared alike. Plus, as I mentioned previously, Leighton looooooves her friends. She loves them hard. If germs are present, Lei will certainly pick them up. If she's crawling with germs, she will get sick. If she gets sick, she will absolutely get an ear infection.

CONCLUSION: I must keep this child healthy until her eustachian tubes develop or she can properly blow her nose.  Leighton had never been sick until day care and was perfectly healthy for the month she was away. And so it goes ... No more day care. No more colds. No more ear infections. I pray to every god out there that this works. I will do whatever it takes to NOT PUT those tubes in her little ears.

I need your feedback, dear readers:

1) What is your experience with nanny versus daycare and your kids getting sick?

2) What are your thoughts on taking antibiotics versus watchful waiting?

3) Did your child have ear tubes and did they actually work to some degree of success?

Thanks so much for reading. Please leave a comment to answer one or all of the questions and share your fuss with us!

Comments

[mandy]

I have to say that my 2nd sone started with ear infections @ 6 mo. He didn't start daycare til 7 mo. Then he got one that wouldn't go away. 2 months of the same ear infection I was asking for the referral to the ent. We had an amazing experience getting them in and 2 years of no antibiotics! He just got his first ear infection since tubes now. @ 3 yr old. And. Guess why? One of them finally fell out. In my opinion, it was the best thing we could have done for him! Good luck, I know they sound daunting but they work!!! And they don't need the antibiotics anymore, they aren't having painful ears and they can hear again!