DO you go to the Doc's for ear infection in a 6 month old

[MrsVidic]

Hi,

My 6 1/2 month old has signs of an ear infection:
Shaking her head
High temp
Night waking
Fretfullness

She was in hospital a month ago with vomiting (and a trip to A&E a fortnight before this as I fell down the staris holding her) and has been fine since (apart from this)

Do I take her to the doctors? I'm worried about doing this as I have a previous history of mental illness and have heard that socail services get involved if you take them to the doctors too many times. Yet if she needs it then I will always take her.

I know this sounds stupid - my 'issues' were over 6 years ago but the midwife team made quite a point of recording it all.

[nickschick]

Ohhh mental illness doesnt cause ear infections!! I think you will find the midwife was just being thorough - dont worry about social services stepping in if you go to the docs, they wont.

[belgo]

How long has she been ill for? Have you given her calpol and has it brought down her temperature? Is she drinking her milk as normal and having as many wet and dirty nappies as normal?

[nickschick]

My ds3 ended up in A&E 6 times in 8 weeks with cuts to the head from falling in that same period ds1 was at the Drs twice with asthma then blooming heck ds2 broke his wrist .......and dh fell of ladders at work and he too ended up there .....honestly the triage nurse knew us by name .

[MrsVidic]

Started yesterday (been shaking her head for the past few days but we assumed it was teething as usually she'd be chewing at the same time but now she's doing it without anything in her mouth), her temp was 37.5 but thats high for her so I gave calpol and stripped her down. Her temp seemed fine through the night.

We've been going swimming quite a bit (around 3 times this week) which is why the ear infection springs to mind. Her hearing seems fine and there's no swelling externally.

Normal wet/ dirty nappies- she's been off her solids yesterday but seems a bit hungrier today. I had her in bed with us last night and she fed just about all night (well I'd say every hour)

[SixtyFootDoll]

If your DD is in pain then def take her to the doctors

SS would take a dim view of parents who dont take their children to the doctors when they need to

[belgo]

If calpol is helping with her temperature and she's drinking her milk fine, then I would wait and see how she is tomorrow. If she is any worse take her to the doctor. No one is going to call SS for going to the doctor with a baby with an ear infection.

Hold off with the swimming for a good few weeks to make sure it is completely better.

[MrsVidic]

should i make an appointment tommorrow or get out of hours today?

[belgo]

imo if calpol is helping and she's drinking her milk as normal, you can probably wait until tomorrow but if you are concerned she is in pain, then you can always phone up today and see if someone can see her today.

[Reallytired]

"Do I take her to the doctors? I'm worried about doing this as I have a previous history of mental illness and have heard that socail services get involved if you take them to the doctors too many times. Yet if she needs it then I will always take her."

You would only be referred to social services if there was a concern that your child was not being properly looked after. You won't get refered SS for taking your child to the GP to often. Honestly many babies practically live in the doctor's surgery during their first winter.

As far as having a history of mental illness goes, one in three people have mental illness some point in their lives.

Take her to the GP and see what they think. Ear infections are horrid and baby's ears can perforate easily.

[MrsVidic]

thanks for advice going to call docs

[topsi]

yes take her to dr

[bellissima]

I always take DCs to doc if I suspect an ear infection. Because in DD1's case at least, it has lead in the past to a burst ear drum (ie when the gunk comes through). Even in these days of caution over antibiotics they usually like to prescribe in that instance. So I always take them and half the time the GP will say it's just pressure on the ear from the cold they have. I sometimes wish someone would just give me the instrument thingie and a teach-in so I didn't have to bother the doc, but I don't worry about a referral to the SS - I really don't think GPs refer you! A&E depts do log it, and I speak as someone whose DD2 was there twice last year! (Broken leg at school and then head bump at home - I did worry that they would start to think she had too many of these accidents but then that wouldn't stop me taking her if I thought she needed to go!) And I absolutely wouldn't worry about going to the GP - please take her.