To beg for help with ear infection in baby?

[bobstersmum]

I am really hoping someone can help. Almost a month ago my dd who is now 13 months old had a bad cold and didn't sleep well for a week. At the end of the week she was still really unsettled at night so I took her to the doc who said one of her ears was bulging and he gave her antibiotics. She was much much better even just 24hrs later. On the last day of the course of antib's her temp shot up so I took her back to the doc. He said her ear was still very red and gave her another 5 days of the same antibiotics (amoxicillin) she was much better the next week but finished the antibiotics on the Tuesday and by Friday evening was awake again at night screaming and poking in her ear. So Saturday morning I took her to the walk in. The gp there said her ear was red but would not give more antibiotics. I was told to give her paracetamol and ibuprofen alternately for a few days. By Wednesday evening she just wasn't sleeping very well but as I'd been told to just wait it out I gave it until Friday morning then took her to the walk in. I was told both ears are infected. So she is on amoxicillin again. However Fri evening she slept a lot better but last night slept terribly again, I really don't know what is going on as I've never had to deal with ear infections, both my ds have been ok that way.
I'm hoping someone can tell me of this is normal or if it sounds like she needs referring, I can't stand to see my poor dd suffering, and I'm so very tired also!

[freakinbananaspiders]

When my little guy had an ear infection and antibiotics I gave him some of the super strength Probiotics from Optibac afterwards to make sure the good bacteria are put back as antibiotics don't discriminate. May be worth trying. X

[bastardkitty]

My DD suffered like this. They wanted to do grommets but I insisted on trying cranial osteopathy which medics say is bollocks. 6 months later, hearing restored, no grommets.

[steff13]

Can you take her to an ENT? I don't know how it works there.

I get swimmer's ear sometimes, which is an outer ear infection, and a cotton ball soaked in a couple drops of basil oil and some olive oil helps with the pain. So does laying with my ear on a heating pad.

[PrizeOik]

You can try other ABs but please do understand that none of them may actually clear it. Because it's likely that her tubes simply can't drain yet. So the infected fluid / pus etc can't get out, so as soon as an AB clears it, it'll simply pop back up unless and until the ears can drain.

Typically there's three ways they drain - surgery/grommets, a burst eardrum, or she grows out of it.

Keep taking her to gp and ensure they log each infection in her notes. She may eventually qualify for grommets.

Until them, pain management is really important. Are you dosing her with paracetamol AND ibuprofen? She needs both. Ask the GP to prescribe a pain management regime in detail - exactly what doses, timings. At NO point should the medicines have any time to wear off.

My DS had this at same age, at one point a continuous infection for almost 4 months. The ABs were being constantly reconsidered, changed, etc but nothing actually dealt with it except surgery and then him growing a bit.

I was advised to dose ibuprofen + paracetamol, highest possible dose of each, alternating every 3 hours so that they overlapped. That would let him sleep.

Good luck. It's a horrible time. Xx

[Whereareyouscooter]

My son (now 10) has had reoccurring ear infections since he was a baby. He was diagnosed with glue ear & has had grommets put in twice. I would ask your GP to refer you to ENT. The consultant at ENT told me that Amoxicillin is useless for ear infections and you need prescription drops - Sofradex drops are commonly prescribed. I would also advise that you keep your babies ears completely dry - my son's always flare when he's got water in them.

[bobstersmum]

Wow thank you so much everyone for the replies, some really good advice here and it's so good to know some other people's experiences! I am starting to understand more about it now, I hope the doctor is helpful tomorrow, I shall update.

[3luckystars]

Write everything down before you go. Good luck.

[ElderflowerWaterIsDelish]

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/parentinghealthybabies.com/home-remedies-treat-ear-infection-kids/amp/

Try some of these, they may bring your baby some relief

[Newtothis2017]

Try and tilt her up. Put books under the top legs of her cot. Lying down makes it worse. Use the full dose of Calpol and Nurofen. As AVT5 said there are eye drops that are perfect for ear infections. If this recurrs a lot look at getting grommets. My youngest dd suffered terribly. Even bring her into your bed with raised pillows. Lying flat definitely makes it worse for them. Hope your dc is ok🤞

[niccyb]

My daughter spent years under an ENT consultant at hospital who wrote in her notes that she was not to be given amoxicillin as it doesn’t work and should she develop an infection, ear drops work best and if worst case scenario hydrocortisone ear drops. The GP’s still used to try and prescribe amoxicillin and had to keep asking them to look at her letters from the hospital as they kept ignoring them.

[SeaToSki]

She needs different antibiotics. Most of them are quite specific on the types of bacteria they will work on, it sounds like you DD has an infection that includes some bacteria strains that amoxcillin doesnt target. I have had this exact scenario with my dc and when they tried a different antibiotic it worked in 3 days flat. Just be prepared for some stomach aches and maybe some diarrhea as the other antibiotics can have those types of side effects

[Sleepyblueocean]

Ds has a combination of ear drops for the outer ear symptoms and oral antibiotics. I don't think ear drops alone will work on a middle ear infection where there has been no rupture of the ear drum.

[user1494409994]

Darling son used to get an ear infection every time he cut a tooth but he got erythromycin rather than amoxicillan. It worked better for him. We got to the stage that if he was looking like an infection on the friday, the doctor would write me a prescription on the provision that I would only get it filled if he got worse. Even recently when he's been cutting big teeth (8) he's still ended up with a sore ear. Thankfully no infections any more.

[bobstersmum]

I cannot get into see my gp today so we have an appointment for tomorrow which will be last day of her amoxicillin. Strangely she slept great last night though? Could possibly be that the amoxicillin is working? I really don't know but I definitely want her checked because otherwise it will be weekend by the time the antibiotics are out of her system and then out of hours will be my only option and I want to avoid that.

[bobstersmum]

Interesting that, user, she is cutting quite a few teeth at the moment.

[bobstersmum]

Well, the gp has said today that her ears look perfectly normal today. But she slept terribly last night. It's the last day of her amoxicillin today so he said bring her back on Friday to see what she looks like then. Suppose I have to go along with that and hope that it's just all cleared up, or if not, that he's prepared to investigate further.

[Naty1]

I think teething can make reflux worse and that can cause ear infections.

[bobstersmum]

Well she had a terrible night last night absolutely screaming and woke up every 30-40 mins. I spoke to the gp today who has given her clarithromycin to take for 7 days. He hasnt seen her though just gone off what's been happening and what I've told him, he did examine her on Tuesday though. I'm in two minds whether to give them to her or not, I am thinking maybe see how she goes tonight and start her in the morning? I am only debating it because the chemist said this antibiotic has more side effects than the amoxicillin. Obviously don't want her suffering but I'm nervous of her having so much medicine!