ENT Care Offers Solutions for Pediatric Ear Infection [Lea Larsen]

This video features Lea Larson sharing her experience with her daughter Josie's recurring ear infections and treatment at Midwest ENT. The discussion covers how pediatric ear tubes are used, what the procedure involves and how it improves children’s comfort and overall health.

  • When Tubes Are Recommended: Ear tubes are considered when infections are frequent, persistent and not responding well to antibiotics.
  • Impact on Children: Recurring ear infections can cause pain, difficulty sleeping, irritability and upset stomachs from repeated medications.
  • Surgical Experience: ENT surgery is streamlined, minimally stressful for children and includes clear explanations, comfort measures and attentive staff support.
  • Recovery and Improvement: Children often experience better sleep, reduced ear pain and easier medication routines shortly after surgery.
  • Benefits of Local Care: Receiving specialized ENT care locally provides convenience, familiarity and one-on-one attention from the care team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ear tubes are small, temporary devices placed in the eardrum to prevent fluid buildup and reduce the frequency of ear infections. They help restore hearing and relieve pain.

ENT specialists consider the frequency, duration and severity of infections, along with whether antibiotics are ineffective. Children with repeated infections or ongoing discomfort may be candidates.

The procedure is done under anesthesia in a controlled surgical setting. A small incision is made in the eardrum to insert the tube, allowing fluid to drain and reducing infection risk.

Tubes typically remain in the eardrum for up to a year and fall out on their own. Some children may require additional tubes, but many only need one set for lasting improvement.

Benefits include fewer ear infections, reduced pain, improved sleep and easier medication management. Risks are low but can include minor irritation, infection or the need for additional procedures.

Video Transcript

I am Lea Larson and this is Josie Larson. She's one. We are from De Smet, South Dakota, and I am a ER nurse in De Smet.

How did you determine tubes were the right choice?

It started in March. Her and her sister got croup and then got like super congested and finally figured out she had an ear infection when she wasn't getting better. Then she was on antibiotics and she got like a super sore butt from those and like upset stomach. Seemed like the ear infection cleared and then it was just like March, April, May, like back to back to back and on all these different antibiotics and just wasn't getting any better and so our primary here, she referred us to ENT.

How were the ear infections affecting Josie?

Just very clingy, would just scream and then with that upset stomach, anytime she would like try to go number two, she would just scream and scream and scream and then anytime you changed her diaper, she was just beet red, wouldn't sleep at night. Those were some pretty tough couple months but.

What was your impression of Dr. Tamura of Midwest ENT?

He kind of left everything in like your hands like he didn't like force anything on you when he came in and was like, oh, this is what's happening. We could let it just go, see what will happen in like the next six months or we could just do the tubes in both ears and then he like went over like the risks and how long they stay in all that kind of stuff and yeah, it was really nice because he like wasn't like forcing anything on you. He gave you like very nice, clear options and whichever one you wanted kind of a thing. So it was really nice.

How did the staff treat you?

Amazing. They, everybody wanted to either bring her into the surgical room, but then they said like there's like a grandma nurse that that's like her designated job with these, with the kids. Everybody came in and explained everything that was going to happen. I don't think... I wouldn't want to go anywhere else, I guess. So it was really nice.

How was the day of surgery?

The day of the surgery went really good. I felt like right when we walked in to like get registered before I even sat down in like the waiting room, they're like, all right, come on back, you know, and they, everybody introduced themselves. They had a little stuffed animal on the bed for her for her to keep. So that was really cute. And then I feel like everybody was just coming in and they're like, this is what is going to happen. I remember when I had tubes, it was super scary because I remembered it. And so it was really nice to have them kind of explain everything and that they know how to like, comfort her because they said after anesthesia, she'd be like, she'll just cry. So it was really nice to know what to expect. And everything went super fast. It was really nice. It was very nice.

How was her recovery?

Really good. She obviously cried, only wanted her dad. There was like no way to like comfort her or anything like that. And they had explained why that happens and whatnot. But I feel like by the time she got back in the room, I think we were gone in like 35 minutes, but between like the recovery and like discharge paperwork and everything. So it went super fast. It was really nice.

What difference did you notice after surgery?

Maybe five days after the surgery, we were sleeping a lot longer, taking a couple naps a day instead of like maybe a half hour nap a day. That was extremely nice. No more like pulling at the ears. The doctor said that we didn't have to do oral antibiotics anymore. It would just be ear drops, which is awesome. And that they said, and they were explaining that if we ever needed any more, just reach out to them. That's like kind of nice to not have to like go through like five different people and just go straight to them. And just like her overall mood, like was eating more it seemed like like actual food instead of just milk. So seemed like that was able to like help her be full at night too and sleep. Because we hadn't ever had like we hadn't had a full night sleep her entire life like 11 months up until that point. So yeah, that's that's one of the major differences.

How long will the tubes stay in?

They will stay in for I want to say like almost a year up to a year and they just fall out on their own. They won't feel anything or anything like that. And at that point, everything should kind of be back to normal. I know you can get like more tubes if you need or something like that. But he was saying that usually this young, it could just be like a one and done type of thing. Especially since she had like croup, RSV, influenza like so close together. The perks of my three year old going to daycare a couple times, you know, so that was really fun. But hopefully I'm this just kind of was a one and done type of thing. Because she's doing fantastic.

What did you appreciate most about her care?

Like I want to say like a, like the small community type of care, like everybody was just like focused on you. They weren't worried about what was going on outside. You were their patient and you had like their full undivided attention. They're willing to answer any questions. My husband is now in the health care system and so he had a few questions and they gave it to him flat out and easy to understand where it's kind of a thing. But he wasn't really worried about it or anything like that. But he did have a couple questions when we were there.

Why do you appreciate local care?

Having to drive in Sioux Falls the one thing, but I feel like I've done most things here in Brookings and it's familiar and very convenient. I could always go to Brookings for something anyways, you know, so Walmart. But yeah, it just, it's awesome that specialties come here and give us that not having to drive to Sioux Falls and whatnot.

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