Pain relief for children

[Greypinkskies]

Posting for traffic - but please move if not appropriate.

My nearly 11 year old has earache and is in so much pain she has been in tears all morning and I just don't know what to do.

What can I do to try and help relieve her pain? It seems so cruel to expect a child to tolerate levels of pain like this.

Ear ache is awful. Phone 111 and get out of hour for an appointment. It's likely to be an ear infection needing antibiotics/drops.

Also got to the pharmacy and ask for advice.

My DD takes Sudafed as it helps the ears to drain but she's older. Not sure if the age so please check

Surely its the normal over the counter pain relief like anyone with an earache? And a hot water bottle on her ear. She might need antibiotics if its an infection , so you will need to go to a walk in centre or a Doctor.

What pain killers has she had?

I'm assuming you're giving her as much paracetamol and Nurofen as she's allowed?

A warm compress can help too, ideally a wheat bag because it can mould to the area.

I'd try and get her seen today if possible. Earache is awful.

Who is expecting her to tolerate pain? You? Give her a dose of ibuprofen or paracetamol, and get her to a doctor to get her ear checked.

I assume you've already given her over the counter options like kids paracetamol? If she still in pain then you probably need to see a doctor, or at least check with the pharmacy. Ear ache doesn't just happen, is she been treated for the course (probably an infection?), if so I'm surprised they didn't prescribed any stronger pain meds at the same time.

She was at the Dr on Thursday because she's had a sinus infection since New Year and has been absent from school several times since with a fever, she was vomiting yesterday but I think it's all the mucus on an empty stomach, paracetamol doesn't seem to touch it but the doctor maintained it was viral and antibiotics wouldn't help. She's just in such a state with the pain. I'll send DH to the pharmacist but just assumed there's nothing they can offer that I haven't already picked up from Tesco.

In Germany they gently warm some olive oil with sliced onion in. When it's cooled - but still slightly warm - you put a few drops in the ear (make sure the eardrum hasn't perforated though). Do this four times a day. The onion is antibacterial and the warmth helps to relieve the pain. I did this method with toddler ds2 and it worked.

Why not try an onion poultice? Have a look online for the instructions but basically a cooked onion, reduces inflammation and natural. Maybe worth a try before medication?

Give her ibuprofen too, you can alternate with the paracetamol.

Pharmacists can prescribe antibiotics over the counter for ear infections now, take her with you.
If not get an ooh appointment.

Ridiculous

Do you really think I haven't already given her both?! The Dr said antibiotics do not work on viruses. She has been.

From a pharmacist? I didn't know this, thank you

Ibuprofen and paracetamol, I have cocodamol (the 8mg over the counter ones) and I'm so tempted to give her one. She's a tall, robust nearly 11 old with no other medical issues. Obviously I'm careful with paracetamol dosing. The advice online says no codeine for under 12s but I feel like it's her only option to get any kind of respite and chance to try and sleep and recover

Warm pressure on the ear, held tightly on

But you didn't say this in your first post, OP. The natural inference was that you hadn't given her anything.

It's horrible seeing your child in pain, I'm sorry. Are you dosing the Paracetamol and Ibuprofen by weight, and giving the maximum daily doses of both? It's best to try to pre-empt the pain rather than waiting for it to get bad again each time, so give it by the clock. Heat can really help as well, as recommended above.

Is her ear blocked? My DD had unspeakably terrible earache and it was because the plug of hard wax sits on very thin skin over bone. Painkillers only worked for very short periods, and we had two or three terrible nights having been told that it was an ear infection needing ABs before we took her to an audiologist. The audiologist vacuumed enough wax out of her ears that the rest came out naturally and she got relief immediately. The NHS in our area doesn't do ear syringing or anything so we had to go privately but it was well worth it.

Yes the pharmacist can prescribe now, just check online that it’s not by appointment too. One of our local pharmacies does that.

The doctor could be wrong. If she was seen on Thursday and not better since then - she needs antibiotics. So the criteria is that she is getting worse not improving. Earache is absolutely awful.

If she’s has sinusitis is it worth trying a nasal spray like Otrivine? It’s age 12 plus, so may be ok. I get sinusitis after a cold often and it eases the pressure alongside painkillers.

Basically the GP and A&E Dr both told us that it was probably an infection but they couldn't see her eardrum, and the audiologist (and a GP friend of mine) explained that you can't actually say for sure whether it's infected or not if you can't see behind the wax.

I don't think pharmacists can prescribe antibiotics for a child OP, sorry. My GP won't even give them for a bacterial infection either because apparently new advice is to not give them anymore unless perforated

Oh ignore me re: pharmacists - just seen I was wrong

I'm going by age not weight as the websites I looked up had age, but she's very tall so likely weight might mean she can take more I'll go hunting.

I know I didn't say that in my OP, I just thought it was maybe implied and I was trying to avoid a wall of text

No, weirdly she's complained that it is her other ear that has been blocked for a couple of weeks

Oh, I see - in that case it's probably a question of going back to the GP. I hope she feels better soon. Really horrid pain.