8 month old with ear infection - experiences please.

[EmmaLL25]

On Tuesday 8 month old was diagnosed with an ear infection.

He had a bad cold and on Sunday night started being sick. I took him to doc who said his ears were a bit pink, but prob a virus. He continued to be sick, spoke to doc again in afternoon so said sounds like virus.

Continued to be sick on Tuesday - not keeping milk or water down - so back to see another doctor who said he's got an ear infection (glad it was diagnosed but pissed off it took so long).

Anyway he's been on antibiotics since Tuesday night along with paracetamol to manage the pain.

He's doing a lot better - he can keep milk down and some solids. However he's still being sick - now maybe once it twice a day and not every couple hours (which he was before). I spoke to doctor again on Friday to see if they thought he was progressing as he should be. Doctor said he sounded like he was on right track but to keep an eye on him.

He's still being sick today (Saturday) and when he's due paracetamol he's swatting his ears and crying like they're uncomfortable. He's playing again, happy to have food, has more energy about him thankfully. I think the antibiotics are making him windy - his farts are like sulphur - so not sure if that's what's causing the sickness now.

He seems to have gotten a bit better compared to earlier in week but then not progressed any further. I think I'm going to take him back to doctor on Monday to get checked again - the course of antibiotics will be finished by then.

Anyway - after all that, sorry it's long - just wondered about other people's experiences with their wee ones. Did it take long to clear? Would you have expected the sickness to have stopped by now? I don't know if I'm being impatient.

I know to contact NHS etc if he seems to be going backwards, so to speak.

Thanks for any advice/experiences.

What kind of antibiotics? They quite often cause tummy upsets.

Ds has always suffered from ear infections but hasn't been sick with them, however there's usually a marked improvement after 2 or 3 days, he never gets ear pain weirdly enough (he's 7). However I'd be concerned if your ds is still needing regular painkillers, ds usually only needs them for a day or two after starting antibiotics (for very high fever not pain)

Some dc are just very prone to puking when they have high temperatures caused by infections, or headaches, or antibiotics - basically as soon as ill puke!

Antibiotics make them feel rough and give them tummy upsets.

Certainly get him seen again on Monday just to make sure they're improving.

He's on amoxicillin which I've read causes vomiting. We've been up a lot in the night - he was waking swatting at his ears and crying which makes my think he's still hurting. The last few nights paracetamol at around midnight has seen him through till morning but we've been on half hour wake ups.

He was sick again in night too. This time he didn't wake /make noise and we noticed it when we came to bed - that scared me lots!

Back to doctor this morning I think.

Thank you for replying.

Ds started ear infections at 3 months old. His cycle was approximately from that time.
Day 1 bit miserable, Day 2 temperature, take to the GP, get antibiotics. Day 3 miserable, Day 4 perk up a bit, Day 5 tummyache/runny nappies set in, Day 6 same, Day 7 finish antibiotics, still tummy ache, day 8 still tummyache/runny nappies, day 9 not quite so bad, day 10 all fine. Back to day 1 again.

He had all the available antibiotics, and some effected him more than others, but they all did to some extent.

It's possible he's teething, which can make them swat their ears in the same way. But if he's being sick, he may not have taken enough antibiotics to help.

But it may be that he has an antibiotic resistant ear infection-or it is viral. So it is worth taking him back to check.
However if his temperature is normal, ime he probably is over the infection.

One thing I will say is that ear infections in some dc can go very quickly from a little pink to a full infection. But it doesn't always, even in the same dc. SO they can't look at slightly pink ear infections and give antibiotics just in case. I have had with ds his ears "slightly pink" at 9am (very experienced GP who is happy to prescribe antibiotics if he thinks they're needed) and a full blown infection with ear drums perforated by 4pm. (how to make your GP feeling bad)

Now ds is 6yo, and me and the GP know that we have about a 2hr window to start his antibiotics from the point he says his ears hurt before it's too late to start the antibiotics to stop the drums from bursting. Typically his ear drums burst within 4-8 hours of him first saying they hurt. If we can get antibiotics started (often a double dose to start is recommended for him) in the first 2 hours then we may prevent it. Luckily my GP is happy for me to go straight there and he'll prescribe and see me asap as long as he's open.

Saw doc this morning. Ears a bit pink but not awful. No temperature. Sickness may be due to antibiotics. He also has a rash now which could also be antibiotics or start of chicken pox.

He's always kept antibiotics in for at least 2 hrs before being sick so they should be working apparently.

Just got to finish course and see how things pan out over the week.

Thanks for the replies.

Hope you Ds is feeling better Emma.

When Dd was 9 months she had an ear infection and we were told the best thing for it was ibropfen (don't think that's spelled correct ). Ever since then that's what we have given her. She has had antibiotics once and that's because we missed the signs she had the infection.

Just to say that when my DS had a bad ear infection at 15 months it seemed to hurt him more when lying flat, so maybe try and prop your DS up a litter when sleeping.

Hi everyone. We seemed to have turned a corner thankfully, much happier boy and the sickness has stopped.

He looks shattered and is now on a mammoth eat which is great.

It's rotten when they're ill.