14 month with ruptured eardrum/infection - antibiotics don't seem to be working...

[MorningTimesAreHorrid]

DD had a ruptured ear drum less than 2 weeks ago, there was a lot of stuff coming out of her ear.

The first Dr gave amoxicillin for 1 week. As soon as we stopped it, she got very tearful & then more gunk poured out. We saw a Dr on Tuesdat morning, he prescribed clarithromycin. We are on day 3 & she still has a fever (only 38 though) & is really clingy and tearful.

Am I wrong to think there should be an improvement by now? She was actually quite cheerful when it started to drain (on both occasions) and didn't seem to be in pain anymore. Now she is miserable again, although I can't see anything coming from her ear.

Poor DD is back in bed, after Calpol. I don't want to wake her up & drag her to the Dr's surgery - but I don't want it to get worse if she needs a different antibiotic. I feel really sorry for her . Any experience with ruptured eardrums please?

[Germgirl]

I have personally had experience with this. I had a huge amount of ear infections as a child, so many that my mum had a supply of powdered amoxicillin & would make it up& administer it when I got my fortnightly ear infections. (This was 35 years ago, it wouldn't be allowed now!). As an adult I still get infections although less frequently & I now always get ear drops (usually gentamicin) rather than oral antibiotics. They just work so much better and more quickly.
If you do go back to the GP, try asking for drops rather than more oral antibiotics. I think you'll find they work far more effectively.
I hope your poor DD feels better very soon

[Germgirl]

Also, try putting a warm heat pad or hot water bottle on her ear (obviously not too hot). The warmth will help the pain.

[Quangle]

DS had absolutely unresolvable ear infections as a 1-2 year old. We tried so many different prescriptions and every time, no sooner did we complete the course, the infection would come back. Literally within a day or two.

Finally we went to a paediatrician who found the solution which was basically augmentin which I think is a revved up version of amoxicillin.

What worked in the end was quite a long, extended prescription of augmentin (ten days even? I can't quite remember) and then when that stopped working we'd do 7 days on augmentin followed by a week off then a top up of another three days on augmentin and so on for months (literally). I really can't remember all the details but I have been here before so wanted to share. This went on for over a year, by the way. Eventually DS got grommets - and has since been absolutely trouble-free.

[ListenToTheLady]

If it carries on make sure you ask the GP to check for mastoiditis (when the infection spreads into the mastoid behind the ear). Look out for a swelling behind the ear or the ear itself being pushed forward or appearing to stick out. If you see this, go to GP or A&E and insist they check it.

[Quangle]

germgirl it is allowed now! I still have spare bottles of various antibiotics ready to make up in my medicine cupboard. DS was literally on the stuff for a year - pretty much non-stop. It frustrated me actually because I didn't want him to have so many antibiotics - I wanted him to have the op for grommets. But his case didn't fit with the NICE guidelines so the drs were happy to drown us with antibiotics. It did keep the problem at bay but didn't resolve it and must also have done some harm.

[Germgirl]

Quangle I'm surprised it's allowed but if it's necessary then there's no reason why it shouldn't happen. I just remember boxes & boxes of yellow powder & my mum always packing a couple if we went away anywhere
And yes, augmentin is basically beefed up amoxicillin. In fact it's amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid. The CA stops bacteria which have an enzyme called beta lactamase from breaking down the antibiotic. Amoxicillin, like all penicillins is a beta lactam antibiotic.
Bloody hell I'm boring!

[Lunawolf]

My 8 yo DD had loads of ear infections until she was 6. At one point, both eardrums were ruptured with gunk coming out of both night and day.

After many failed courses of antibiotics, the doc gave her an ear spray to use. I can't remember the name, but it had to be used within 28 days of opening and it smelt like vinegar?? Was amazing!! The pain went and she hasn't had an infection that bad since.

Hope she gets better soon x

[Quangle]

no I love an antibiotics chat

yy to yellow powder everywhere. I also had loads of ear infections as a child and am allergic to penicillin, maybe as a result of the huge amounts I had as a child.

But better that than ear infections - the pain is so awful. Poor OP's DD must be in so much pain. I remember being distraught that I couldn't seem to soothe my baby, particularly when I went to lay him down. He would thrash and kick out and I didn't realise for ages (until the eardrum burst in fact) that he had ear infections and that lying down was making his head feel even worse. I just thought he was a horrible, inconsolable baby . He's jolly and lovely now at age 4

[Thesebootsweremadeforwalking]

DS grew something resistant to penicillin at one point and was prescribed something else (? Gentamicin - was a while ago now) after swabs were sent to Pathology.

However, by the time the result came back the infection was resolving itself, so the prescription didn't get filled - GP told us to hang on to it just in case, though.

[Germgirl]

I'm glad he's better Quangle. I had years of infections, and constant runny nose, sore throats etc. eventually we moved & changed GP. New doctor was horrified & I had my tonsils out a few weeks later. Didn't make much difference though. I think I grew out of it eventually although I do still get manky ears & have had 3 sets of grommets (still got set 3 in there)
Antibiotics eh? I hate the bloody things. Well, I like their effects, but as a microbiologist I'm meant to know all about them & although I did when I did my exams, the theoretical knowledge drops off after a while

[Quangle]

oh now I understand your username! As a microbiologist, what is your position on washing fruit? I don't, thinking a sluish of water can't do anything really useful and you can't do more than sluish water at a strawberry but then I read a horrible thing about fruit pickers having to use the fields as open toilets so need a professional opinion!

Sorry for chronic hijack OP - hopefully you will forgive me as a fellow ear infection sufferer/parent of sufferer.

[Germgirl]

I can't really give a professional opinion. I know that FSA recommend washing all fruit & veg, in a bowl of water rather than under running water, but like you say, strawberries etc will just go to mush if you do that.
personally I rarely wash anything, unless there's visible mud on it.
I think some people wash fruit & veg in diluted vinegar to kill bacteria but I can't imagine that does a lot for the taste.
Sorry. That's not much help.

[MorningTimesAreHorrid]

Thank you for all your replies, it is reassuring to know that it happens to other people as I was starting to panic a bit about the antibiotics not working. Quangle - a year of it sounds so awful! I have my fingers crossed we don't have a year to come...

listen - I went back to the GP this afternoon, as I read about mastoiditis and wanted DD's ear checked again. The Dr said the pus is still there but that it doesn't look too bad so hopefully the antibiotics are working. I hope so.

Germgirl - I will try the heatpad if she wakes again in the night, thanks.

Thank you for your other replies. I did ask about drops/spray today but the GP said we will finish these antibiotics first & see how it goes. DD has gone to bed early. She has been a bit unsteady on her feet today & has been swaying about a bit with a hot red face . I am hoping for her to have picked up more tomorrow.