Perforated ear drum -DD4

[FitzChivalry]

DD has been a bit deaf for a couple of weeks, then on Sunday night woke up crying with ear ache. Monday was bad, but ok with ibuprofen, then in the evening the ear started leaking yellow pus.

Took her to doctor as advised on nhs website, and doctor said yep it's perforated, will sort it's self out, no AB's needed, bring her back if she starts to go deaf again.

How long can roughly will it be leaking? It seems to getting worse.

[ChippyDucks]

My ds had multiple perforated ear drums over a 4 year period, at worst, around every 6-8 weeks. He was always, without fail, prescribed antibiotics. On the one occasion he was not given them when his ear pain presented, we were at ooh within 5 hours when the pus started leaking. It was the only thing that helped clear it up. I would go back and get a second opinion re antibiotics. Hope your dd is feeling better soon, it's a horrific pain to have to deal with.

[flutterby77]

Perforated ear drums oozing pus need antibiotics. My daughter had this numerous times in both ears when she was younger and always needed antibiotics to clear it up. I think the advice from Drs for an inflamed ear is to try anti inflammatories initially and see if that clears up on its own so it sounds like they're confused. I can't believe your GP sent you away.

[1981trouble]

Ds1 had this last summer. Pain Thursday night, Friday morning fluid oozing out and pediatrician confirmed significant perforation. By Tuesday he was mostly back to normal with most hearing returned and back in the swimming pool on the Thursday! (We were living overseas at that was the pediatrician advise re swimming which shocked me a bit!) no problems since.

The ped told us that since it had perforated there was no need for the antibiotics as the infection could clear itself - I don't know how accurate that was (she was good with other stuff so I trusted her but obv this is different advice to the uk general ear drum advice).

[RedBugMug]

Perforated ear drums oozing pus need antibiotics.
no they don't neccessarily.
pain relief (ibuprofen and paracetamol) and decongestant nose spray for symptom relief, if needed.
the drum should heal within about 2 weeks. so no bath with head under water or swimming in that time.

[Ecureuil]

DD has had numerous perforated ear drums and has always been given antibiotics, I was told to stop any further infection entering the drum via the perforation.

[FitzChivalry]

Thanks all
Well it's still oozing and she's still complaining of pain, not as bad as before it popped, but enough to wake her up. She starts complaining of it just before she can have another dose of paracetamol / ibuprofen. If it's not better by Fri I'll definitely take her back. Looking at her, her face is white with big black eyes.

[eggsandwich]

I'm on penicillin at the moment for a middle ear infection and a perforated ear drum that was leaking fluid, so I would definitely get a second opinion, I'm also extremely deaf at the moment can't wait until I can hear properly.

[peripateticparents]

Fitz, ds had perforated ear drums every single month for about a year. We didn't do a/b just left them to resolve themselves, which they always did, fairly quickly, but I did need to layer neurofen and paracetamol during the worst times. I should note that not using a/b was not the reason they recurred!

[1981trouble]

My son did need the full dose of ibuprofen and paracetamol for pain relief for a good few days - he would be asking what time he could have the next dose before it was due.

[Occadodo]

The rules are now... there is an escape route for the infection so it should self clear. Hence why they give grommets if they have re-occurring infections !

[FitzChivalry]

Well Friday will be 5 days, so if there's still no improvement at all I'll just get her double checked, if she has a good night tonight she might feel fit as a fiddle tomorrow.

[peripateticparents]

Fitz, is agree that 5 days after them bursting without improvement needs looking at. Hope it resolves quickly

[FitzChivalry]

Update - took her today and saw the nurse practitioner. She took one look at it and said antibiotics. She also said the ear drum was intact?
Have to go back on Monday for a review.