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?

EHICs don't work any longer for Brits now we're out of the EU, do they?

We were actually told by NHS to use olive oil to soften any wax.

For earwax, yes. Not for an infection.

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ear-infections/

I'm pretty sure you can get anti biotic ear drops from pharmacys in the UK.

I don’t think you’ll get antibiotics for an ear-infection here. Last time I took mine, they said ‘yup ear infection but best practice isn’t antibiotics unless certain conditions apply’. You might have more chance in France.

have you decided what you’re doing?

Most ear infections are viral and A&E is not needed for an ordinary ear infection. There's some push to reduce antibiotic prescription for otitis media in several countries -- quite sure UK practice has been to discourage antibiotic overuse for some time. So there's really no use in rushing to try to get something.

On line private GP service?? They would be able to send prescription to your nominated pharmacy. Think between £50 & £80 and private prescriptions aren’t always the £ you think they might be.

I find it quite worrying in 2024 there are still so many people suggesting home remedies which involve putting things inside the ear of a child.

If it’s an ear infection it is likely to be his middle ear and whilst I don’t doubt garlic has antibiotic qualities, unless you are shoving the garlic behind his eardrum (which would be mad) it won’t help.

I second this. Doctors and pharmacies in France are second to none. But you need a GHIC/EHIC and pay upfront.

Thanks for the update. I'm in the "go" camp and hope things kick in for him once you get there.

You can normally see a doctor in France straight away for around 50euros and just pay prescription at chemist if needs it.

@Sneakysloth
What about dosing him 🤔 up with medication you have got from doctors or over the counter meds in Supermarkets

Also olive 🫒 oil that's tepid warm is good for ear infection
And there is over the counter medication Obasis ear treatment buy from Homebargains and other Supermarkets...

It may not be infected. My dc always get a bad bout of ear ache at the end of a cold. It normally lasts a few hours and then they are fine. If he has no fever it could simply be that

Hope he feels better soon op

You can't get antibiotics over the counter in Spain anymore. You do need a prescription! They clamped down on this about a decade ago.

OK, we’ve had salt, olive oil and now garlic. Any advances for a piece of fillet steak and a potato to make a meal of it?

Hope he feels better soon, OP, and you’re able to salvage the holiday now, shortly or later, somehow.

FWIW we had a seven-hour wait in A&E recently for baby DS when he had blood in his pee, were advised to go urgently, then sat around for hours with a howling baby. It’s broken. Possibly due to people like the pp who advised you go and get antibiotics for you too! It’s not like when the baby won’t take calpol so instead of wasting it, you have a cheeky syringe of it to take the edge off the maternity leave boredom, you can’t just fancy some antibiotics because DS has some.

OP has no idea whether it's infected 🤔

We went when my LG was 3 and a half and when we were in the airport on the way there she got a temp and was miserable all travelling day and also the 1st day in Disney, she would have spells where she was really perky then get into her little brothers buggy and sleep for hours then repeat, she still enjoyed it and she was much improved by our 2nd day although still under the weather, I’m just using it as an excuse to go back

DD has been to minor injuries for an ear infection (bank holiday weekend), she saw a nice who prescribed a spray antibiotic there and then. Probably took half an hour!

Just to add, DD’s was running wax and her ear drum was actually ruptured so don’t put any condiments in it!

Pure Coconuts 🥥 oil is beneficial for ears and garlic is too,

Otomise spray for outer ear infection

you can buy over the counter at Pharamacy at Supermarkets

certain essential oils can be beneficial

Obviously need to ensure he has no allergies to this too..

Get to France and you’ll probably be able to get to see a dr much quicker than here…

Well exactly. So she shouldn’t be assuming it’s wax then should she?

Decongestant is good for ear ache too