Ear infection? Antibiotics?

[mummytomatildaandrose]

This message is probably going to come across really badly, but hear me out! My DD1 has had a temperature since Tuesday - not too high - about 37.8 in her ear that has risen to 39.1 but stays around the 38 mark most of the time. I took her to the drs on Thursday because she had some blood on her sheet and I couldn't work out if it had come from her ears (where she has grommets) or her nose. The Dr couldn't positively identify an ear infection, but he concluded that's what it was. He prescribed her Amoxicillin. I haven't given her the antibiotics yet because of two things. Firstly her consultant for her ears told me that ear drops would be much more effective if she had an ear infection and secondly because we use homeopathic remedies for her and she responds really well to them.

My dilemma is, that it is now Saturday and her temperature does keep going up and down. Am I prolonging her agony by not giving her the antibiotics? She actually isn't visibly in any pain, she is quite happy in herself and is sleeping through the night. I am just concious that if I give her the antibiotics, then she will have all the unwanted side affects and will probably catch something else as the antibiotics will have destroyed all her defences. Help please!!

[jaggythistle]

You do know that homeopathic remedies contain no active ingredient and are basically a placebo?

[jaggythistle]

Maybe phone NHS 24 for advice?

[TheNewStig]

No experience of grommits only perforated ear drums. Was just last week told NOT to use antibiotic ear drops if ear drum "open" as fluid/drops getting into middle ear may cause deafness so oral antibiotics were a "safer" option with ear infections in this situation which is what DD2 is now on.

Some children, incl. mine, have few or no side effects from antibiotics, do you know your DC reacts "badly" to them, and hence aren't keen? Personally don't "do" Homeopathy so I wont comment on her respondnig well to it.

[bubbleymummy]

Hmm _ i didn't think antibiotics were recommended for ear infections now because they only reduce the symptoms by one day or something if at all! Is she really miserable? If not, I'm not sure I would give them and I'm pretty sure there have been lots of other MNers in the past saying that antibs aren't routinely given for ear infections anymore.