To beg for help with ear infection in baby?

[bobstersmum]

I am really hoping someone can help. Almost a month ago my dd who is now 13 months old had a bad cold and didn't sleep well for a week. At the end of the week she was still really unsettled at night so I took her to the doc who said one of her ears was bulging and he gave her antibiotics. She was much much better even just 24hrs later. On the last day of the course of antib's her temp shot up so I took her back to the doc. He said her ear was still very red and gave her another 5 days of the same antibiotics (amoxicillin) she was much better the next week but finished the antibiotics on the Tuesday and by Friday evening was awake again at night screaming and poking in her ear. So Saturday morning I took her to the walk in. The gp there said her ear was red but would not give more antibiotics. I was told to give her paracetamol and ibuprofen alternately for a few days. By Wednesday evening she just wasn't sleeping very well but as I'd been told to just wait it out I gave it until Friday morning then took her to the walk in. I was told both ears are infected. So she is on amoxicillin again. However Fri evening she slept a lot better but last night slept terribly again, I really don't know what is going on as I've never had to deal with ear infections, both my ds have been ok that way.
I'm hoping someone can tell me of this is normal or if it sounds like she needs referring, I can't stand to see my poor dd suffering, and I'm so very tired also!

[kitkatsky]

Yes, this was me periodically through my childhood. Sadly not much you can do about it, but it won't be constant, just periods of flare ups like this. As an adult I haven't had an infection in 10 years now

[Butterflykissess]

my dd had an ear infection and i took her to the drs and he didnt give her anything as he said they normally go away on their own. went again a few days later as dd had oral thrush different dr spotted the ear and immediately gave antibiotics. did take a while to go though!

[BrieAndChilli]

DS2 had constant ear infections all winter for years, he ended up getting grommets when he was 3 as his ear constantly burst.

My advice would be take to her to the doctor everytime she has an infection, this will help build up a picture of the frequency. (I was told by one doctor I didn’t need to bring him in every time as not much they could do, so of course when I went to the doctor after he’d had loads of infections I was told he hadn’t had many recorded!!!)

[endofthelinefinally]

Are you keeping her propped up at night to ease the congestion and pain?

[TheSheepofWallSt]

May need different antibiotics.
Had exactly this with DS- but tonsillitis and it went on for 6 months. He wears constantly in and out of hospital with secondary infections, sky high temps and at one point was passing blood in his stool that he’d swallowed.

It took back to back one week courses of THREE different ABs before we finally kicked it for good- can’t rememeber which one did it in the end, but Jesus Christ it was a horrifying time.

You have my sympathy.

[Witchend]

DS was like that from 10weekd old to 20 months when he had grommets put in.

[bobstersmum]

Oh no! Thanks for the replies but it doesn't sound good does it!
Yes I have bet propped up as much as I can and I am still using the Calpol plug in which helps massively to clear the airways. She is just tossing and turning all night and wakes up randomly crying and poking about in her ears. She is pretty much fine during the day.
I have an appointment booked for Thurs but I may take her tomorrow just to get someone to peek at her ears to see if they seem to be improving. It's frustrating being told that it could be viral, I'm assuming if it was viral it wouldn't improve at all with antibiotics?

[user7469322]

I was constantly at the hospital when I was a child having ear infection after ear infection after ear infection. It went on for around 4 years. In the end I had to have my tonsils out and after that they stopped.

[Squiffy01]

Little boy I used to look after used to get ear infections constantly every cold he got (which obviously when young is a lot) every time we went swimming - obviously stopped going.
If they are doing antibiotics again ask for a different one the ones you are on clearly aren’t working.
Hope it improves soon!

[bobstersmum]

That's a fair point squiffy I shall ask about trying a different antibiotic. I feel like a clueless panicky mum having to keep taking her to be seen and they're never concerned, but why should she suffer?

[BoogleMcGroogle]

DS had terrible ear infections. They did not go away without antibiotics, and the doctor swabbed each time to ensure he had the right prescription, on the advice of the immunology clinic. In the end, he was on antibiotic prophylactics until he was bigger ( and had had tonsils and adenoids put). Just keep going to the doctor and make sure they take it seriously.

[Naynayba]

This is weird but when DD had a painful ear infection as a toddler i tried pouring some tepid, watered down vinegar in the ear as per google's advice - it honestly worked a treat! Obviously i'll get shouted at now for it but i cant deny it worked well and she got some sleep.

[chibsortig]

Ask them to swab her ears and to send them off for tests she made need different antibiotics thats what happened with my Ds .

[justilou1]

As a mum and ex flight attendant, I can say that anything that clears out the Eustachian tubes helps with the pain, as long as it is age appropriate and medically safe. In Australia you can buy over the counter cough syrup with antihistamines in them for little ones that help dry up congestion and it helps relieve the pressure. Of course, paracetamol and antibiotics as prescribed as well. Unfortunately it is a shitty design flaw with some kids, and mine all seemed to have it. (They also had reflux and varying allergies as well..... so relaxing!)

[YoucancallmeVal]

Dd was like that until 5 ish. Her eardrums perforated 6 times. Grommets did not work. Oral antibiotics didn't work either - she responded best to eardrops but the name eludes me im afraid. Otosomething. And don't let ears get wet - I used ear plugs or cotton wool and never submerged her ears as that was a sure route to another infection.

[Dizzylin]

Have the Docs taken a swab of the infection? This would tell them the ideal antibiotics for the infection. My DS had constant ear infections for 6 months before we were referred to ENT, this was a year ago. He is still under ENT and will be for years, Gromets were attempted but he's got constant perforated ear drums so they can't do much that way. Everytime we go (about every 4 months) he still has slight infection. Last time he was put on a low dose antibiotic which (fingers crossed) seems to have done the trick. Hope your little one is better soon.

[talulahbelle]

My son is nearly 13 months old and has suffered a lot with ear infections since weaning. He also has eczema. We’ve been recommended to go dairy free, 2nd day so far. My eldest had a dairy allergy (since outgrown) that was diagnosed a lot earlier, so this might be a factor in the advise.

[3luckystars]

Go back to the doctor and ask for a different antibiotic if this one is not working. You need a decent doctor in a place where you can see the same doctor every time (one that listens to you and believes you)

Some children have recurring ear infections and it’s so awful for them so you need to get sorted with a decent GP.

I hadn’t been to a doctor for years (years!) before having children, now we are friends! I was over at the doctors surgery so so so many times with one child with recurring tonsillitis when they were younger.

Don’t be afraid to go back to the doctor and my best advice is to write everything down before you go in. Good luck.

[TheSheepofWallSt]

If the infection is in both ears, current advice is to give ABs.

[Neverender]

Last time I told DD to the Dr's with this they said antibiotics don't touch it and they aren't recommended anymore and it would go away on its own. Are you feeding her from a bottle? We used to feed her flat until we heard this can cause ear infections and now sit her up. She hasn't had one since. If she has a dummy, sterilise them all!

[huha]

Common sense tells me your dd needs a different antibiotic to get rid of the infection, otherwise it will keep coming back and ultimately get worse. If I were you I would see a private GP.

[Sleepyblueocean]

You may need different antibiotics. Ds has had problems with his ears for years and amoxicillin doesn't usually work in his case. He now has a swab every time ( his ears always perforate) to make sure he has been given the right sort.

[bobstersmum]

To answer some questions, she is breastfed and does feed a lot during the night laid down.
I have wondered about an allergy because she has developed eczema since weaning, pinpointing it would be fun though.
The doctor hasn't taken a swab no.
I have been told mostly that ear infections will go by themselves, no one is concerned for a baby that is in pain every night!
I am going to take her back to my own doctor tomorrow for a chat about it, it does not seem that amoxicillin is working, common sense says that after two courses, giving another one was just silly!

[backwardsbaseballcap]

OP @bobstersmum Defo take your LO and ask about different antibiotics - if you can, try to remember when she was given them the duration of the courses and how many times. My DS was exactly the same about 4/5 months ago constant ear infections that swapped between one ear and the other and eventually I went back in and said clearly the antibiotics he's being given aren't working (was actually amoxicillin) and he was given different ones 10 day course and his ears cleared up within 3 days of them! Defo worth a try I reckon in my DSs case he probably became immune to them after the first couple of rounds! Good luck

[AVT5]

One of my daughters recently had a reoccurring ear infection. She has a history of them but this was consistent. She had 2 treatments of amoxicillin. this didn't work but they took a swab from her ear and found a bacterial infection. They gave her 'eye drops' that I had to put in her ears and that cleared it right up!!was amazing when it was finally over after weeks. Please go back to the doctor tomorrow and ask for a swab to check for a bacteria infection