Absolute bloody disaster!! We're supposed to go to Disneyland in a few hours

[Sneakysloth]

We have to leave at 9am to drive to the eurotunnel and go to Disneyland and I've been awake since 2am with a sobbing 4 year old really distressed that his ear hurts. We've all had horrible coughs/colds this last week and I think his has developed into an ear infection. He keeps asking if we can still go and I'm telling him not to worry and just to rest but then he gets distressed that he doesn't want to not go. I phoned 111 at 3am but not heard back yet (I know that might sound dramatic, but it is the weekend and it seemed better than A&E?)

He's had calpol when he first woke, ibuprofen not long ago, got a warm flannel on his ear. I'm sat up so he can rest on me and be a bit more upright to try ease pain. We wait for the doctor to call. But in the mean time.. gonna have to shatter all my kids excitement about Disneyland aren't I?

Is France somewhere you can get antibiotics over the counter? Like in Spain?
If so I'd just go and the minute you reach French soil I'd find a pharmacy.

You can buy antib’s otc in France. Probably easier to get them there than here!

@Sneakysloth - put salt into a sock and microwave it for 20-30 seconds. Trust me, it works!! The heated salt draws out the pain. This tip saved me when Dd was little as she suffered terribly with earache. The sock should be nice and warm, not scolding. I wish more people knew this trick!

Also before anyone comes at me for suggesting A&E my son has a lifelong medical condition and we often need to attend. I’m never angry at parents wanting their child to be okay especially when they are so young as they can get very poorly very quickly.

Did a piece of cotton wool in extra virgin olive oil and use it as ear plugs during the journey. It’s a well known Mediterranean cure for ear ache.

I’m not averse to natural therapies @Boatshoes but I just can’t understand how salt could draw ‘pain’. Pain is not a physical entity- the thing that’s causing it usually is, but not the pain itself.

Almost certainly needs antibiotics. I'd go to A&E, hopefully there might be a drop in GP there. I don't know if you could get antibiotics more easily in France, Doctor at Disneyland? My DD used to get terrible ear infections as a small child, always seemed to be at the worst time on a Bank holiday or when we were away.

@Waitingfordoggo

Also, in pharmacies in France you should be able to get over the counter antibiotic ear drops. I’m always amazed how useless uk pharmacies are at dealing with things like this. No wonder gp and A&E services are full if you need a prescription for anything stronger than a plaster.

This is terrible advice and complete misuse of A&E! Speak to a pharmacy when they open for advice, most ear infections don't need treatment and can be managed with painkillers.

Ah, it draws the fluid. Thank you.

Just go to France and buy OTC antibiotics when you get there

Follow the advice given by the pharmacist here earlier on the thread and don't put olive oil or cotton wool down there.

@Waitingfordoggo yes sorry, I think I worded it incorrectly. It’s an amazing tip that I learnt from someone years ago and it really does work (well, it did for my DD).

I agree that accessing medicines is usually easier in France and Spain than it is in the UK! Pharmacies over there have more scope than ours do for providing medication without a prescription.

I’m always amazed how useless uk pharmacies are at dealing with things like this.

They aren’t useless - they have to adhere to medical guidelines.

A&e could take all day! I would call 111 first. I've been able to get out of hours appointments pretty quickly. If not, try online like other suggest. A&e for earache really!

No wonder people are queuing in corridors if people are going for earache.

As others have said, take painkillers (ibuprofen best for ear inflammation, can alternate with calpol). Take a hot water bottle and thermos to refill which he can keep against his ear. Go to pharmacy as soon as you get there - there is a big one on the Val d'Europe shopping centre near Disney. If they think he needs a doctor they will be able to advise how you see one. In my experience of seeing GP in France you pay at the time then can claim back using EHIC. It wasn't very expensive even if you don't have EHIC.

I would go. A few doses of antibiotics and he will be back to normal. Take painkillers for him. There are pharmacies in France if you need further assistance.

Oh I see your update that you called for ooh. You'd have been waiting another 12 hours in a&e. Hope your boy feels better soon.

Fingers crossed for you all it’s always the case they get poorly when something is happening hope you get sorted asap

French GPs are brilliant but it’s the weekend and most won’t be working. There’s an app/website called Doctolib where you can see availability and book appointments.

You can’t buy antibiotics otc in France as far as I know. The pharmacist can prescribe them but only for certain conditions and I’m not sure if ear infection in a child is one of them.

I'm preparing to be shot down here, but I used to put a piece of garlic (you have to judge the size) into my children's ears, along with some olive oil, when they had earache. Then use a cotton wool bung.

You could probably try steeping a bit of garlic in olive oil and travelling with it in a small bottle? Use as required.

I hope you get to go on your trip and your DS is feeling better.

Do not go to A&E.

Community pharmacists taking part in the Pharmacy First scheme can now diagnose and prescribe for earrache in the over-ones.

https://healthmedia.blog.gov.uk/2024/02/01/pharmacy-first-what-you-need-to-know/