What makes my son keep fluid and pressure in his ears? he is 9 years old and autistic. he has had 2 sets of tubes in his ears and the last ones have been out around a month and has already had 2 ear infections. the first time it actually wasn't infected

Chronic : Chronic ear fluid is a common problem for a lot of kids and some adults. It is due to eustachian tube dysfunction (when the tube that connects the ear to the throat is not draining properly). Since there are no medications shown to alleviate the pressure or drain the fluid from behind the ear drum, it has to be done by a surgeon with a suction and/or placement of ear tubes. There are various types of ear tubes - some less likely to fall out than others. You should talk to your child's ENT doctor about what tubes might be best for him since the last 2 sets have fallen out and he is still having eustachian tube dysfunction. Of course, some of the more permanent tubes can have more serious complications, so the pros and cons need to be weighed for each child before proceeding. His is why it is a good idea to discuss this with the ENT doctor caring for your child.

Autism is a : Categorical diagnosis of observable atypical behaviors. The etiology (cause) of his autism & eustachian tube dysfunction may be found by genetic tests (comparative genomic hybridization & dna probe for fragile x), physical examination including inspection of his soft palate for muscle weakness & submucus cleft & neurological examination, all of which a developmental/behavioral pediatrician can do.