Is it really normal to get 5+ ear infections per year?...

[spotofcheerfulness]

...the GP seems to think so but I am fed up of shovelling antibiotics into DS when he just seems to lurch from illness to illness. They admitted that he was more likely to catch another virus (that always turns into an ear infection) in the days immediately following the end of the course of antibiotics, but when he regularly gets a temp of 40+ and an infection that does seem to go away of its own accord they say it's all I can do.

Does anyone have any tips about reducing the frequency of ear infections as I would so like a toddler who is not constantly medicated. I have read v contradictory things about reducing dairy for e.g - has anyone got any anecdotal evidence that it does reduce mucus? Or any other treatment that is a little less harsh?

I think grommets are a very standard solution in this case. We had them inserted twice, it's wonderful - no ear infections at all! And by the time the second set is out I hope she outgrows them.

have you thought of cranial osteopathy?

ds2 has had 4 lots which has improved his glue ear considerably. i know it's not quite the same, but it may help

i don't think it's normal tho, and iw ouldn't be happy constatnly giving anti biotics either

DS got them pretty much one a month between Christmas 2008 and September 2009. Pain and restlessness, building up, followed by relief when it gunked. Antibiotics every time. He was referred to a consultant who said grommits are now not used as standard unless there is evidence it's damaging the ear

After about five or six ear infections in a row, we saw a consultant who prescribed much stronger antibiotics, and we haven't had any infections since. Might be worth asking for a referral if you haven't already?

Ditto the information on grommets - we were told they would only be used as an absolute last resort.

That's interesting about the stronger antibios - was it an ENT specialist you were referred to? I'd heard the same about grommets - they're not keen to do them nowadays but not sure why?

Also (and not sure if this is related) but the GP says DS has v big tonsils and poss adenoids, but I know they don't like to take them out routinely anymore.

Cranial - interesting you had success with it, TIY. I was slightly put off after going there with DS when he was v small and colixky but might give it another go..

i notice you are in brighton! i am in crawley and we go to tunbridge wells to see stuart korth
he's like totally the godfather of cranial osteopathy

i know it would be a fair trek for you, but I can't recommend him highly enough
he treated me as a child and got rid of the migraines I was suffering from. he specialises in paediatric osteopathy.

how old is your DS? my DS seemed to get 2 ear infections in quick succession (nov-dec, or dec-jan) and another one in feb time every year from his first year until he was about 3. since then he has had none. we used to have amoxicillin and another type of antibiotic to treat, but i always knew when he was going to get one. he would catch a cold and it wouldn't shift and then we would end up with temps over 40 and an ear infection. then antibiotics, then a couple of weeks lull and then it would repeat.

since age 3 he hasn't had an ear infection. perhaps it is just something they grow out of?

this is his website here

Thanks for the linky, TIY .

He's nearly two, Makingamess - so could be a while before they go! That's exactly the same pattern we have with the temps, colds, antibiotics etc. Am about to have another DS and can't bear the thought of dealing with a constantly sick toddler as well as a newborn!

I would be careful with asking for stronger antibiotics ... I am on really strong anti-biotics for a chest infection (erythromycin) - side effects are horrible: continuous vomitting, terrible cramps (tbh feel more ill then before I started these anti-biotics but GP said that strong anti-biotics tend to have more severe side effects and just to persevere).

yes DS had them until 2 1/2 (last one was when DD was 6 days old) and hasn't had one since!

We were referred to an ENT specialist at the local hospital, after trying various antibiotics via the doctor.

The ENT specialist prescribed my DD (1.5 then) a normal course of strong antibiotics for a week, then a very low dose of normal antibiotics for about eight weeks. The eight weeks was to get us to the beginning of the warmer weather, my DD had been ill for so long by this point (chicken pox, hand foot and mouth, norovirus, then the continual ear infections) that her immune system had had enough! I know long-term antibiotics is contentious within the medial community, however we were desperate by this stage.

I can't remember the name of the stronger antibiotic, the normal one after was amoxicillin. We didn't have any obvious side effects from the antibiotics, but then she was so ill so frequently by this stage that we might not have noticed. We did give her probiotic yoghurts everyday though to help her digestive system, on the specialists advice.

The good news is that DD hasn't had any ear infections since. Might be worth getting a referral to an ENT specialist if you can.

Hope things improve for you soon.

My DS is 3.5 and had his first lot of grommets at about 19 months, we are under an ENT consultant, he has on average 5 burst eardrums a year! He had his most recent one last night. We get antibiotics each and every time but (with the GP's approval) we don't always take them as the evidence is that it only shortens the self limiting infection by about 24 hours. If we start the course we finish it but 2 out of 3 times we don;t start it as the worst is over by the time it's burst.

DS has been diagnosed as dairy intolerant and has been dairy free for about a year, it's made no difference to him in terms of ear infections. We are probably heading back for another lot of grommets as we had no burst ear drums over the winter he had them in but they are reluctant to do it unless it's very necessary and hearing tests indicate that DS's hearing is unaffected.

I am going to spend tonight looking at other alternative treatments for ear infections, we have had cranio osteopathy which worked a bit but was too expensive for us to continue. We also tried chiropractic but they said they couldn't help after about 3 (free) sessions. I've heard that onions can help...

DD was exactly the same at 2 years old with one ear infection after another and countless antibiotics. She's grown out of it now at 4 years old

My GP recommended giving her probiotic powder in the end. I gave it a go and things improved a lot. Not sure if it was a coincidence but I reckon definitely worth giving it a try. Nothing to lose.

The other option is to go on a low dose of trimethoprim every day for a year or so. I think this can be a good idea, even though my initial reaction was doubtful as seemed like more antibiotics.

Onions? As in eating them cooked or raw?
It's so tricky isn't it, I'm desperate for an effective alternative treatment but am not made of £££ and want to feel that something is pretty much guaranteed to work before spending even more cash on a 'maybe'.

Ilovemountains I think if we get another one soon I will press for ENT referral as I know they can take a while - and it's heartening to hear that the long-term antibios haven't damaged your DD's hearing long-terms.

HairyMaclary, this might be a stupid question but how can you tell if the eardrum has burst? Does it bleed?

X-posts doozle - I just bought some probiotic powder yesterday and will give that a good while - as you say it can't hurt. Can you get it on prescription though? The one I found online was v expensive (£6.50 for 10 sachets).

Ilovemountains realised my post didn't make sense (blame late pregnancy brain) - I meant that the antibios hadn't damaged your DD's health long-term.

Not too sure spot, you can ask your doc, it may be covered. I found I didn't need more than 10 sachets though.

My frequent earaches were linked with my equally frequent tonsillitis and stopped after my tonsils were removed aged 6.

My Dad used to warm olive oil on a teaspoon, pour it in and plug with cotton wool at night before bed.

We give probiotic powders too, Bio-Kult capsules opened and shaken on to food of some sort. I have no idea if it helps or not!

DS gets a thick discharge out of his ear, it's very sticky and a opaque yellow brown ish, it's not blood tinged although has been once before.

Onions as in dry fried and wrapped in a muslin placed on the ear!!! I've only heard that in passing so will investigate further when he's asleep, I just feel that there must be something, DS has had too many lots of antibiotics in his short life (he has also had repeated UTI's for which we do give antibiotics straight away and he's been on a prophylactic dose for that.)

DS1 (who is now 8) was like this when he was 3 or 4. We had about 18 months of one ear infection after another, and his eardrum perforated twice. He was on the waiting list to have grommets.

However we went to see a homeopath, and it cleared up. I have no idea whether it was coincidence and he just grew out of the ear infections or if teh homeopathy helped. But it is worth a try!

The onions do actually work BTW, I tried them on the advice of someone a few years ago and now swear by them.

Really domestic sluttery - do you use them as I described? I'd be very interested in doing that, at what point of the infection do you use them. DS only complains of a sore ear about 3 hours before it bursts. I suppose I could use them every time he has a temp as it's usually related.

Yes, dry fry them and wrap in muslin.

I'm not sure whether it actually gets rid of the infection but it certainly soothes the pain.

this is interesting reading - DS has just been diagnosed with his 2nd ear infection in quick succession, and my mum is already demanding I get him referred to an ENT specialist! GP has just put him on a longer course of ABs this time, so we'll see how it goes. any tips on how to get a toddler with an ear infection to sleep for more than 45 minutes at a stretch?!

DS1 had 16 ear infections within a bit under a year - starting from when he was 18 months (the consultant reviewed his notes and counted them). He had to have antibiotics every time, so was pretty much on them constantly. Although the individual infections were not life-threateningly serious, DS was so ill all the time that he didn't gain any weight for that whole year. So chronic ear infections do need to be sorted out.

It took that long for us to be referred! The consultant said the GP had waited too long. He gave DS a combination of different antibiotics that finally cleared the infection up. We discussed gromits but decided to go for a wait and see approach. If the antibiotics hadn't worked, DS would have had an operation to drain his ears and insert gromits.

Get a referral now - or at least start asking for one!

Hello kveta,

Unfortunately not, I can only sympathise - I was sleep deprived for months while my DD had ear infections, it was worse than when she was a newborn.

We had never used a dummy but did start to use one on our doctor's advice, that might help?