Help re DD's ear infection please!

[FreddoBaggyMac]

Hi. DD (aged 7) has been suffering particularly badly with the bugs going around at the moment.

Around three weeks ago she had a flu-like illness and started complaining of bad pain in her left ear. Took her to the doctors who prescribed a course of antibiotics for an ear infection. They seemed to stop the pain but her hearing remained really badly affected.

About a week ago she had a vomiting bug and the pains in her left ear started again. I took her back to the doctors who said there was some infection in both ears and she got another course of antibiotics. we're now on day 6 of these and her ears are not hurting any more but she's still a bit under the weather generally, and still can hardly hear anything. I'd say she has about 70% hearing loss.

She had trouble with her ears between age 3 and 5 but that seemed to phase itself out, until now...

Is there anything I can do to help her hearing come back? I've ordered otovent to try as I've heard it can work - unsure if DD will be able to use it though as she can't blow her nose (and gets very frustrated when I try to teach her!!)

I was wondering if the problem could partly be caused by wax, and should I give some over the counter ear drops a go?

Is it worth going back to the GP or should I leave it a while longer?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice x

I'd go back to the GP. No point messing around where hearing is concerned. They might give you antibiotic ear drops.

I'd go back to the GP too - they can see if there is wax there and if thats causing the problem (you can then get drops on prescription) or if they can see glue ear

Teaching her to blow her nose will really help equalise the pressure in her ears if they are getting bunged up. We're going to ask ent consultant about using Otovent at next app but he did recommend all 3 blow their noses first thing in the morning to help its a pain to remember. ds3 (2.9) still can't do it, been trying to teach him since september - would love to know a good way to teach him, consultant recommended working on sniffing first so he gets idea of air through nose and then can have a go at blowing. Other ideas are yawning, chewing or sucking sweet - can she make her ears 'pop' or are they totally bunged up?