Manky ears in nine yr old DD do I worry??

[Goonatic]

DD1 had her ears pierced before the holidays so they could heal and be ok for the new term. We swapped her earrings at the end of the holiday because they looked ok but they went a bit manky so we continued to spray with salon spray etc.
Grim bit coming in case you are eating your tea.....
Anyway, tonight she said her ear felt a bit wet so I had a look and it was all yellow and oozed pus and started bleeding, it is really hard and red too. The other ear was a bit yellow and pus filled too but not as swollen. They looked ok before today.... We have taken the earrings out, I have tried to squeeze the pus out but I am really worried have a tendency to overreact slightly about medical things and don't want her to get blood poisoning.
I have no doubt that we won't ever get the earrings back in so I have told her this might be it for earrings for now.

My question is - should I be worried about blood poisoning or am I being a bit hysterical????

Similar happened to one of my 8 year old DD's ears last year, sounds like an infection. My DD had antibiotics but it kept recurring and we gave up on the earrings in the end, she doesn't want them done again. See how they go, keep them clean and if they're still oozing pus take her to the GP, she might need antibiotics.

Cool pingpong thanks, that reassures me a bit, I might take her on Monday or OOH if it gets worse. I feel really sorry for her, she is so upset...
Will stick her in the shower tomorrow and get her to give it a blast under the shower!!

You shouldn't have taken the jewelery out as now any infection wont be able to drain.

You should have kept them in and got antibiotics.

Have just asked my DH who is an A&E nurse and he said it is best to take the earrings out and get antibiotics. I got cellulitis years ago from wearing earrings and getting an infection, and I'm sure you have to take the earrings out. You can always ask the OOH service about if/ when she can try the earrings again?

Have you got any TCP you can be dabbing on in the meantime? Or even salty water on some cotton wool? Agree that the earrings should be out for now until you deal with the infection.

Sorry, I should have added more to that post.

In the mean time, the Savlon spray might be too harsh, try cleaning them with sea salt and cooled boiled water and don't over do it (no more than 3 times a day). Sometimes over cleaning can cause them to heal much slower and effectively.

What type of jewelery did you use? What material were they? Did you change from posts to rings or vice versa?

I would take her to OOH as now you have taken the jewelery out there is no where for them to drain and that raises the risk of blood poisoning as the infection gets trapped.

Don't use TCP it is far too strong!

Little Your OH will believe it is best to take the jewelery out because in medicine with wounds the first step would be cleaning it out and removing foreign material, it really isn't the best option with a piercing as the open fistula is giving it a way to drain.

Thanks, will use cool boiled water tomorrow, might do OOH too, oh bugger, I did wonder aBout taking them out..... Am going up to check on her NOW!
First earrings were from the pricier, I went to the local tattoo/ piercing shop because I thought they would be more specialist than Claire' Accessories, so I think they are silver, then we swapped them for silver dolphins but they had a hollow bit under the dolphin shape so they went a bit yummy.
TBH I am kicking myself for getting them done when she is only nine, maybe should have waited. She was keen though....

Ok checked her, no temp. Might put her in our bed tonight just in case...
Really appreciate your replies.

little I reckon they might have closed up by the morning, what does your DH think? I am not going to try and put them in though, she was in a right state.
TA schrodinger and zippy I tend to whip myself up into a bit of a froth when it comes to the kids, dd2 is on her ninth trip to a and e, she is three..... Dd1 is normally fine so she is very upset about being a pus ball....!!

The dolphins, if they weren't a suitable grade of metal such as surgical stainless steel or titanium and were just silver plated they could have caused a reaction on their own as lots of cheaper jewelery can have a very high nickel content.

Just watch her as you have been, keep checking her temperature and apply a warm compress to try and draw the infection.

Remember when you try the cooled water that it has to be Sea salt and not table salt that you mix it with or this could cause further problems.

I hope she is okay OP and I'm sure she will be.

Oh no, I wasn't suggesting trying to put them back in! They're out now so will have to stay out until all this is over and if they were to go back in it would need to be new jewelery.

:)

Oh cool TA schrodinger was going to use my LO salt so will whizz out tomorrow and buy sea salt. Will do the warm compress too.
You are a fount of knowledge! Am assuming you are medical!?

No, just piercing.

Ooh am imagining all sorts!
Thanks for your advice!

You're welcome.

:o

Blimey - is TCP really too strong? I dosed all my infected ear piercings with it when I was a lass (admittedly a million years ago).

Really, it is a bit strong. TCP will kill off the bacteria but will also kill off healthy, healing cells.

Things like diluted tea tree oil are great though.

Will stick to salt, I used to gargle with TCP!!!! Would have probably have chucked it on DDs ears if I had any!
Thanks again x

This happened to dd. Best friend is a doctor and recommended TCP, in some cooled boiled water. She also sais those salon sprays are crap. After a few days we switched to salt water and they are fine now.