Restless nights, shaking head.. continuing ear infection? teething? something else?!

[HannahClareRose]

My 13 month old has had an ear infection. It began after a bad cold about 2 weeks ago now. I took her to the dr, and she got antibiotics. After 2 days she went off all her food, diarrhea and would not take any antibiotics or calpol. She then got a high temp and I took her back to the Dr. I saw a different dr who said her ear looked better (not red anymore) and not to bother with antibiotics as probably only viral. She then got over her fever and seemed much more herself.
However since then she has still been shaking her head. She keeps waking at night, though she often has her finger in her mouth when she is crying in her cot which makes me wonder if it's shifted to teething pain?!
She has been tired all day today (assumably due to bad sleep) and she seems really restless, as if she is sleeping really lightly. Other than that she is herself, except I think she is constipated today and had a few tears when she was trying to go.
I have no idea if she could still have the infection, and I'll have to cart her back off to the Dr I guess, but I wonder if anyone can tell me if this could just be teething, or maybe blocked ears after the infection?

Thanks for reading all this!

[summerdreams]

My 17 month olds had 11 ear infections and sometimes it clears in one ear and starts in the other I hope it isn't the case for you though. I do notice he still pulls at his ears after Drs confirm its cleared up.

[Barbie1]

Ds 15 months gets reocurring ear infections. We have seen a specialist who pointed out that his actual ears are ok...until he cuts a tooth!

Might your daughter be suffering the same?

My dc1 was also like this, an ear infection for every tooth cut. Seemed like a constant battle for about a year!

Calpol, teething powders, gum gels and lots of patience

[HannahClareRose]

Thanks for the replies! Interesting, maybe it is related to her teeth. Were your babies tired a lot with the ear infections?
She barely ever sleeps a night through but she has been sleeping much more lightly I think. It's so hard to get her to take anything in her mouth too! (calpol etc!)
Summerdreams -your poor son with all those infections! Has he had to have antibiotics or do they mostly go on their own?

[Barbie1]

Yes sleep is always interrupted with an infection, try to not let her lie flat as if it is fluid on the ear it will build up and become painful.


After 9 infections in 8 months my daughter had grommets at 15 months and it actually helped, my ds2 who is currently having his 11th ear infection plus the two molars will more than likely go down the same path.

Do you use a syringe for calpol? I always find that so much easier than a spoon or that fidly little plastic cup

[HannahClareRose]

Hi, yeah I try with syringes but she is very good at adamantly refusing to open her mouth, it's really a two person job! Can the doctors tell if there's fluid on the ear by looking?

[Barbie1]

Yes they can tell. Something about the light being reflected back when they look. Hope you get it sorted soon