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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

DS 9 in pain - would you go to A&E?

78 replies

ElfinsMum · 14/10/2023 08:39

I took DS to an out of hours gp around 5 hours ago because he had a bad earache. He was diagnosed with an outer ear infection (otitis externa) and given antibiotic drops.

I have given him one dose of antibiotics, and a dose of ibuprofen and of paracetamol. He is now in a lot of pain and has been for over an hour - rolling around on the sofa, shouting out, crying. He can't watch his favourite TV show. I can't give him any more pain relief for another hour.

AIBU to take him to A&E/walk in for extra pain relief? What could they actually give him or do that the GP hasn't already done? It's horrible watching him suffer without being able to do anything.

OP posts:
Itcanhappeninanysituation · 14/10/2023 10:21

Warm compress - which you're using.
Gentle neck rotation may help - relieve pressure: Moving head left to right, up and down - very gently.
Warm drinks.
Sleep, if he can.

Abitslow · 14/10/2023 10:46

Antibotics take a while to kick in i have no advice really.
Ear pain is one of the worst pains.
Sending hugs hope he feels better soon.

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 14/10/2023 10:56

Sounds like his ear drum will burst to me, and this is the pressure building up. It comes in waves and was one of the most painful things I have been through. Once it has burst, he will have instant relief (and probably some blood and a lot of pus). Keep up on painkillers but also ask the pharmacist if you can get anything stronger.

SD1978 · 14/10/2023 11:18

You can give one or the other every 4 hours, meaning that there is 8 hours between the paracetamol and ibuprofen always- but also means you still have a spare dose of paracetamol up your sleeve per day, as that's every 4-6 hrs, not more than 4 in one day, if that makes sense? And there's no harm trying the warm compress/ hot water bottle.

Merryoldgoat · 14/10/2023 11:24

Also check the dosage by weight.

My boys have always had to have higher doses (advised by GP before anyone starts) because they are so big.

It made a significant difference to pain management when unwell, as well as alternating every 3 hours starting with Paracetamol so max daily dose isn’t exceeded.

TheFormidableMrsC · 14/10/2023 11:29

Goodness me, poor lad, I suffer with this and it's chronic for me now as it wasn't properly treated in the first place. The antibiotics should kick in fairly quickly. Keep on top of pain relief. I find relief from holding a hot water bottle (covered) on my ear. The heat is really soothing. I'd also get a bottle of "Ear Calm" from the chemist. Do check though as I'm not sure of age limitations. If I use that at the first sign, it nearly always heads it off. Really soothing. He has probably got a boil in there somewhere causing the pain. Don't be surprised if he gets some pus or gunk coming out. If that happens then a warm jug of water poured gently to rinse the ear. I really feel for him. It's the most horrific pain. I wish him a speedy recovery.

FrancisSeaton · 14/10/2023 11:34

ElfinsMum · 14/10/2023 09:20

@Almondandhoney Yeah, my son has a lot of middle ear infections, in fact he is on the waiting list for gromits, but this outer ear infection has just smacked us between the eyes. It's so much worse 😯

I've never heard of a 9 year old having grommets must be really bad

ittakes2 · 14/10/2023 11:58

If you are still struggling with pain I would ring the out of hours GP back and ask them if he can have a different meds schedule. My son used to get high temps and the doctor would weigh him and authorise a slightly higher meds dose ie rather than 5ml of nurifen three times a day he would approve 4ml of nurifen four times a day - that sort of thing.

HairyMcHairyFace · 14/10/2023 12:51

Another vote for a warm compress but try not to get any water in his ear so a hot water bottle or microwave heat pad would be my recommendation. Massaging the eustachian tube externally can help too (Google can help you find it).

I hope he finds some relief soon. Ear pain really is awful, I've resorted to cocodamol in the past when paracetamol wasn't doing enough and I'm normally pretty stoic with pain. Hopefully the antibiotics will kick in soon and he'll start to feel a lot better.

Original poster
ElfinsMum · 14/10/2023 13:06

@FrancisSeaton DS has a rare chronic condition that makes middle ear infections much more likely, hence gromits at 9.

Not that gromits would help at all with this bastardy otitis externa!!

OP posts:
DelurkingAJ · 14/10/2023 13:13

Poor chap. I agree to weigh him and then talk to 111…my DS1 is so tall that he could have quite a bit more than the bottle said for his age, particularly when he was at the upper end of the age range.

Poppyseed14 · 14/10/2023 13:13

OP try filling a clean sock with salt, tie with a shoelace or bobble, warm it up and hold that to the ear. The salt is supposed to help draw out any nastiness in there. If it doesn't no harm done and the heat in itself might be a comfort.

Hbh17 · 14/10/2023 13:31

It is neither an accident nor an emergency.

Original poster
ElfinsMum · 14/10/2023 14:03

To be fair @Hbh17 I haven't taken him to A&E, only the GP. And when he was rolling around in agony earlier it did feel like an emergency.

OP posts:
Katrinawaves · 14/10/2023 14:47

ElfinsMum · 14/10/2023 14:03

To be fair @Hbh17 I haven't taken him to A&E, only the GP. And when he was rolling around in agony earlier it did feel like an emergency.

Has the pain subsided a little with the advice upthread? That is good to hear and hopefully either the drum will burst relieving the pressure or the antibiotics will kick in quickly reducing the infection and so relieving the pressure and once that happens the immediate crisis will be over and you can get on with the important task of spoiling him for a few days.

Londonlondon4 · 14/10/2023 14:56

Heat packs, ice packs. Don’t overdo the paracetamol.

Beargrumps22 · 14/10/2023 14:59

poor child I used to have terrible earache I would bang my head on the wall it was so bad. I am sure it will be better when the antibiotics kick in lots of good advice on here re pain relief do try a wheat bag against the ear that helps

ActDottie · 14/10/2023 15:10

I’d be helping him ride it out until next pain relief is due. As a kid with an ear ache I spend a lot of time with a hot water bottle on my ear.

Throckmorton · 14/10/2023 15:39

Ponoka7 · 14/10/2023 08:44

Under these circumstances we've given extra pain relief at home. That's what you would be asking for. Short term it isn't dangerous. In two days the pain will be easily manageable.

Yes it is dangerous - extremely so! Ibuprofen can cause stomach damage (to the point of internal bleeding) and paracetamol can cause liver damage that can be fatal.

Ponoka7 · 14/10/2023 22:39

Throckmorton · 14/10/2023 15:39

Yes it is dangerous - extremely so! Ibuprofen can cause stomach damage (to the point of internal bleeding) and paracetamol can cause liver damage that can be fatal.

Show quote history

Not as a one off day. If you take a child to hospital for additional pain relief, it won't be any different. My youngest GC has ongoing ear issues, we've been told that we can give more for a day while antibiotics kick in.

Throckmorton · 14/10/2023 22:51

Ponoka7 · 14/10/2023 22:39

Not as a one off day. If you take a child to hospital for additional pain relief, it won't be any different. My youngest GC has ongoing ear issues, we've been told that we can give more for a day while antibiotics kick in.

Show quote history

That's one heck of a risk to advise someone over the internet to take with their child. Fair enough if you have been told directly by medical professionals with regard your child, but she hasn't.

Katrinawaves · 15/10/2023 10:24

It’s more than possible to accidentally overdose on paracetamol and cause significant harm in a 24-36 hour period according to this coroner 😱

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/coroner-s-court/woman-29-died-of-accidental-paracetamol-overdose-inquest-finds-1.4104758

children’s tolerance to paracetamol is much less than adults and I absolutely would not take it upon myself to give extra pain relief to a child at home above the recommended dose unless a doctor had calculated that dose for me based on my child’s age and weight and reassured me that it would
do no harm.

The insidious thing about a paracetamol overdose is that there are no symptoms that you have caused damage to the liver for several days and once you start suffering symptoms it’s usually too late to save the patient’s life.

@Ponoka7’s generic advice is reckless in the extreme.

Woman (29) died of accidental paracetamol overdose, inquest finds

‘You can do a lot of damage by taking too many over a period of 24 or 36 hours,’ Coroner says

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/coroner-s-court/woman-29-died-of-accidental-paracetamol-overdose-inquest-finds-1.4104758

Original poster
ElfinsMum · 15/10/2023 11:49

Thanks @Katrinawaves I gave him the max dose of both yesterday but no more and thankfully today the antibiotics have started to kick in.

OP posts:
Katrinawaves · 15/10/2023 12:37

ElfinsMum · 15/10/2023 11:49

Thanks @Katrinawaves I gave him the max dose of both yesterday but no more and thankfully today the antibiotics have started to kick in.

That’s excellent news @ElfinsMum - once you start to see the antibiotics working usually the improvement is very fast! Here’s hoping that by the end of today he is well on the way to a full recovery.

Mistressanne · 15/10/2023 12:47

ElfinsMum · 15/10/2023 11:49

Thanks @Katrinawaves I gave him the max dose of both yesterday but no more and thankfully today the antibiotics have started to kick in.

My ds 30 years ago had grommets. 3 lots in the end.
His right eardrum is now paper thin and terribly scarred.
I wish I'd tried cranial osteopathy first.
Not sure if it would help your ds but maybe worth a look.

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