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Children's health

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Original poster

DD in agony with earache - A&E said it was nothing, what to do now?

20 replies

AnnieLobeseder · 06/01/2013 10:58

DD1 (7yo) has a history of nasty ear infections that end in a perforated eardrum. Last night she started whimpering with earache at about 1am, and just kept crying and crying despite doses of Neurofen and Calpol. So at 5am I took her to A&E as I figured it would be quiet at that time and we'd get seen more quickly than OOH.

The doctor had a look in her ear. I was expecting the usual story of sever inflammation, just about to rupture, given the pain DD was in. But the doc said she had only the very slightest inflammation, and also a little swelling etc of her right tonsil. Neither of these explain the intense pain she's in, but the doc sent us home and said to take her to GP on Mon if she doesn't get better.

But she's still howling in pain all these hours later. I can't leave her in this agony until tomorrow; the drugs still don't make any difference and we're up to maximum dose already. At this rate she'll have had her 24-hour safe dose way before 24 hours and then what?

Has anyone got any ideas? I think I might call our OOH service - they're very good, but is there likely to be any benefit in taking her straight back to another doctor?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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namechangerforaday · 06/01/2013 11:00

id be at ooh, for a second opinion if nothing else.

BasicallySFB · 06/01/2013 11:01

Yes if she's howling in pain, given her history. Take to OOH rather than A&E.

bonzo77 · 06/01/2013 11:02

Take her back to a&e or ooh. Firstly the dr you saw this morning might have missed something , and secondly the situation might have deteriorated in the last few hours so something becomes visible and they will treat it. Your poor DD I hope she feels better soon. I went to a&e last year with ear ache. The pain was so bad I was crying and couldn't concentrate: I forgot to put the hand brake on my car when I parked, it rolled down a hill and crashed into a wall!

Imnotaslimjim · 06/01/2013 11:03

Yep, take her for a 2nd opinion. It could be that the inflammation wasn't visible yet. Ds was like this, seen dr Wed night and told nothing wrong. eardrum perforated Sat morning after 2 days of agony :(

Skiffen · 06/01/2013 11:06

Yes, take to ooh. A child in pain is a reason to be seen whatever the cause. Poor thing, sounds awful. Have you tried a hot compress?

They have no way of knowing that you've been to a&e already, so you could mention it to them but you wouldn't be automatically turned away iyswim.

Original poster

AnnieLobeseder · 06/01/2013 11:19

Ah, it's perforated again. Either that A&E doc was a bit useless or it's come on very quickly. Oh well, now that it's popped, it shouldn't hurt her so much, so that's good news at least.

One thing the A&E doc did say was that there was quite a bit of scarring on her eardrum from these perforations, and that might affect her hearing. I think I should probably discuss that with someone.....

OP posts:

Skiffen · 06/01/2013 13:31

Does the fluid seem infected? She may need antibiotics. I hope you can see ooh. At least the pain is now better. May be worth an email to A&E re: that dr. TBH, a child in pain is a higher triage category, so they should have done something about that.

Original poster

AnnieLobeseder · 06/01/2013 13:39

We're going to the OOH doc in a bit. I have some questions about some things the A&E doc said this morning that don't sit entirely right with me, and we'll see if she needs antibiotics. Poor lamb is asleep now. She's in less pain now it has perforated and needs to catch up on all the sleep she missed last night.

I'm not concerned with the A&E triage, there were children in more pain in front of us in the queue.

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

OP posts:

Imnotaslimjim · 06/01/2013 19:56

Good to hear its resolved itself, though the scarring is not good news. My nieve has suffered a lot of perforations in the last year and sis is having a right fight having it dealt with. I hope you have better luck

Eve · 06/01/2013 20:01

My DS had so many of these but last year at 9 had a graft on his ear drum and hasn't had an infection since.

Can't recall proper name for the operation but insist on a referral to an ENT consultant to get on list for this.

He had permanent infections and runny ears from the infections, and now none.

montage · 06/01/2013 20:23

Did your DS have grommets Eve?

I would certainly push for a referral to ENT, OP.

A lot of children "grow out" of ear infections but your dd is 7 and I am surprised they have not referred her to ENT before now.

Eve · 06/01/2013 20:31

No, wasn't grommets, was a graft with a piece of skin from behind his ear onto his ear drum as the constant infections and perforations had left a hole in the ear drum.

Hole allowed water, bacteria etc iin, so he had constant ear infections in a cycle.

The graft sealed the hole and since Nov last year he hasn't had an infection.

montage · 06/01/2013 20:47

Thats extremely interesting. DS has had a hole in his eardrum for 3 years, with runny ears and they have never even mentioned that the possibility of a graft exists! It has not been well-managed.

Do you know whether your son's hearing improved after the graft? (I am assuming his hearing was affected with the hole in the eardrum).

MumVsKids · 06/01/2013 20:52

Poor thing :(

Earache is awful, I started with it on New Year's Day, and by night time, I too was crying from the pain. It's still there, but I have a cold and am totally deaf in my right ear.

Nothing I can do, except wait for it to unblock.

littleducks · 06/01/2013 21:02

Glad to hear she isn't in as much pain now.

I think short term plan should be OOH dr for check over and possibly antibiotic. Long term I would go back to GP for a referral to an audiologist, from hazy memories the location of perforation scars is more important than number but it is definately something I would want a expert to have a look at.

Original poster

AnnieLobeseder · 06/01/2013 21:03

Thanks again, everyone. It's not like DD gets this all the time, maybe once a year, if that. But it's getting to the stage when an ENT referral is a good idea so I'll speak to the GP about that when we stop by later in the week. She's got antibiotics now, so should feel better soon. OOH doc agreed that this morning's A&E doc had been rather useless.

OP posts:

Original poster

AnnieLobeseder · 06/01/2013 21:04

How is your DD finding school? DD2 is having a great time.

OP posts:

amillionyears · 06/01/2013 21:05

I always think of doctors as seperate people.
If it doesnt work with one, move on to another.
Even move surgeries if you have to.

Hoophopes · 06/01/2013 21:21

Montage I had the graft as a young adult. Think it is called a tympoplasty. It is not as simple as grommits and carries more risks -for me I had 25% chance of nerve damage and facial paralysis and only had it after 10 years of repeated cycles of infections and perforations. The graft for me failed.

montage · 07/01/2013 10:54

Thank you Hoops. Sorry it didn't work for you.

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