How many ear infections before they suggest grommets?

[OzJo]

My just turned 3 son has had 4 ear infections in the last year, maybe one before that, he's big for his age, just seems prone to getting infections...I have a friend that is all doom and gloom saying he'll have to have grommets......I have a fear of littlies having general anesthetic....Anyone any advice? Or similar stories? I was hoping he would get them less as he got older!

Both DD's had grommets at age 2 and so did I (now 2.5 & 4 & 30). Both had impaired hearing caused by glue ear and I had recurrent infections. IME grommets are not doom and gloom at all. I don't know whether your ds will need them but for my dd's their quality of life has improved as a direct result as they can now hear and are not constantly snotty. You need to get your son referred for hering test in which they also test the ear drum for glue ear, he then needs to be seen by a specialist. The op is relatively minor. We were on morning list both times and home for lunch. DD2 did have a post op infection probably because she couldn't keep her finger out of her new ear, but go it sorted with antibiotic drops with no long term probs. IMO best to get this all sorted before school. HTH

DS2 had constant ear infections, almost from the moment he was born. We were given the option of grommets or a long term course of lose dose antibiotics. I'm not a fan of long term use of ABs, but it was preferable to an anaesthetic, IMO, and thankfully that worked for us.

And he will grow out of them!