Like many youngsters who battle recurrent ear infections, 22-month-old Ashley Tucker ended up with tubes.

"Since surgery, we haven't had any ear infections and we haven't been sick," mother Katherine Tucker said.

The tiny tubes are inserted into the eardrum to drain fluid and help prevent the chronic infections that can hurt hearing.

"Nice thing about tubes in the short term, the pain goes away and many parents report ‘his language opened up, he's sleeping, it's a relief,’" Pediatrician Dr. Margaret Morris said.

Now parents and doctors have a better grasp on the long-term outcome for children with tubes.

A study that followed more than 200 infants and children for 14 years after surgery finds most youngsters have hearing comparable to kids with healthy ears.

Researchers note that there was some hearing loss - generally mild - in children whose eardrums had not completely healed or who kept having infections

"In general I find these reassuring studies, both on the efficacy and safety of ear tubes on a pretty long term basis," Dr. Morris said.

Reassuring news for parents like Katherine Tucker.

Researchers say the long-term findings are important since even a slight hearing loss in childhood increases the risk of language and learning problems.

Children who live with smokers, attend day care, or use pacifiers may be at a higher risk of ear infections.

From WHDHTV 7News