DD 4 waxy ears/pain/infection

[Hartleyhare1206]

Hi,
DD aged 4 has struggled with painful ears for 2+’weeks. Ranging from “teeny weeny bit hurty” to waking 4 times a night screaming they hurt and everything in between. Consistently in her left ear and intermittently in her right ear.
Also has tummy ache. Eating and pooing as normal and no fever. Ear pain coincided with the end of a nasty cold.
Saw GP on Monday who said ears were a bit red and diagnosed Otis externia - an outer ear infection - prescribed Otimize spray for 5 days. Today last day and zero improvement.
GP commented (as has every doctor or audiologist that has ever checked her ears!) that her ears are very waxy and to sue olive oil to help loosen. She has always had VERY waxy ears. Has previously had glue ear and has massive adenoids/tonsils and tonsilitis more times than I can count. Has been seen by ENT who just said they don’t consider her severe enough for them to intervene 🤬
DD is miserable and pale/dark rings under eyes. Ear pain not improved. I’ve looked in her ears and they are visibly blocked with wax 🤮 as the otimize hasn’t worked could it be the build up of wax is causing the ear pain?
What do I do next?
Would happily arrange treatment to unblock these privately (micro-suction) if it would help (olive oil isn’t improving it ENT/GP have dismissed this when I asked)
Could the infection still be there or require different treatment?
She is clearly in considerable pain at times and her behaviour has been horrible as she is miserable.
Help!! (Pretty please!)

Do you think she would sit for the wax to be auctioned? It would be worth a try if you can find a place that will do children.

It takes a good amount of olive oil to soften wax enough to remove. Twice a day for a couple of weeks if it’s really bunged up & yes, the pressure of wax could be uncomfortable

Does she go in the bath, once the olive oil has softened it if you could get her to lie with her head back so the warm bath water is past her ears a gentle pull on the lobes could open the ear canal enough for the warm water to go in and maybe dissolve the wax enough to come out.

You might just have to do a twice weekly olive oil to try and keep them from blocking up if she’s generally waxy.

Hi @GrrRightBackAtYou thanks for the reply!

Yes I think she would comply - I’m trying to find somewhere that would see such a young child. Had a lot of no’s so far in my enquiries.

Guess I’m unsure if the pain she is experiencing is
Down to the wax or in line with the GP diagnosis and whether I should be going back to them to explain she is still in pain despite completing the course of ear spray they prescribed.

Hi. My DS had terrible problems with wax and had to have suction every few months when he was younger. He started having it at 4 years old as he couldn’t hear properly so you should be able to get it done. My exDP was in a health plan through his work and so we were able to see a consultant privately, although he did offer to see us through his NHS clinic. We got a referral from the GP originally.

@Makemedoit thanks for that, I really appreciate it.
So sorry your DS had problems too 😩 did he have pain? DD doesn’t seem to have hearing problems just constant pain - not sure if that’s down to the wax or not 🤷‍♀️

In my late teens I had a recurring problem with ear wax, and I was in alot of pain and also experienced hearing loss. It was painful enough that I had to take paracetamol regularly x

@coffeepleeease oh you poor thing, that sounds horrible 😢 how did you resolve it?
DD has already woken up crying in discomfort. Gahhh 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

[quote Hartleyhare1206]@coffeepleeease oh you poor thing, that sounds horrible 😢 how did you resolve it?
DD has already woken up crying in discomfort. Gahhh 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️[/quote]
Well a few doctors (I don't remember how many!) told me to use olive oil, which I did, then a doctor prescribed me antibiotics for an ear infection which didn't help. Finally after months (I think it was about 6 months) another doctor said I needed them syringing. The stuff that came out

My DD has had this since 4 and the GP referred her for microsuction done at our local paeds ENT hospital clinic - I’m surprised yours hasn’t done this.

I don’t think you can get it done privately for such a young child because of the risks of ear perforation; we get referred back to the clinic for it every so often when the wax builds up. Some kids just have waxy ears and narrow ear canals so it gets stuck!

We found olive oil didn’t work that well: the ENT consultant told us to use the bicarbonate ear drops every so often instead.

I’d head back to the GP and explain it’s itchy/sore and that it’s affecting your DS’s hearing, and ask for a referral for microsuction.

@coffeepleeease ooh I bet that was soooo satisfying!!!

@irresistibleoverwhelm they said her hearing test she has just had was in the realms of normal so it isn’t impacting on her enough to warrant any further action and just to use olive oil. Had read about bicarbonate drops but pharmacist said she is too young for them and I could only use olive oil 🤨
Will have to try GP again on Monday as she is in pain. Im sceptical of the ear infection theory - it’s now in both ears and both ears have visible balls of wax blocking her ears - god knows what there is further inside where you can’t see! She doesn’t have a fever, sickness, dizziness etc - none of the common signs I’d expect with an infection. Just pain. And visibly blocked and waxy ears…

Poor DD - I hate it when I can’t crack the problem and help her properly 💜😩

They sell squirty bottles on amazon for ear cleaning to use with warm previously boiled water. I haven't invested in one but have used a calpol syringe full of warm water on my husbands ears to some effect. He wasn't in pain though.

@ShakespearesSisters I’d thought about trying something along those lines however as she is actually in pain with it I’m scared of doing more harm than good….

Well she has gotten up this morning and said both ears hurt more than before. She is also yelling when she says anything not speaking. When I asked why she was shouting she said “because I can’t hear anything properly both my ears are properly broken now”
So it’s just getting worse!
Will try GP again first thing on Monday and hope they are more helpful this time.

Just to update, took DD to see a different GP at practice on Monday. He confirmed her ears are very blocked. Said he doesn’t think the first GP was correct and she doesn’t have Otis externia.
Doesn’t think she has inner ear infection either due to lack of discharge/fever etc.
Asked why she was in so much discomfort and he just shrugged and declined my request to refer her to ENT for microsuction. His reasoning was “it’s unpleasant for them” and it won’t be a quick process.
DD actually told him her ears feel like someone has put sticks inside them and it sounds like everyone is whispering all the time.
He just dithered and said I should keep using the drops and the wax will fall out eventually!!
Meanwhile; last night she was crying with ear pain again
Seriously at the end of my tether now!! 🤬🤬🤬

Book a private consult, they'll be more likely to listen to your request for referral x

I got a brush off from doctors too when DD was 4. So I contacted a private audiologist company. It took 3 appointments but it was sorted easily and painlessly. They didn’t do micro-suction, it was a stream of water directed into her ear. After 2 appointments the person doing it recommended using the bicarb drops just for a bit. To be fair DD didn’t like those at all (they felt dizzy) but they weren’t painful and next appointments all got sorted so we could stop Using them.

So to sum up - bypass the doctors. Find a private audiology company, maybe look for ones that advertise micro-auction for adults and ask if they treat children.

Your poor DD. I know my DD was miserable with it because of the pain.

Fizzy - not dizzy

@StickersStickers I think you’re right it’s the only way I can help her.
Interesting that your LO found the blockages painful - GP seemed to imply that wax wouldn’t really be responsible for the pain she is experiencing - whilst I’m sorry your child had to go through this, you’ve reassured me that I may not be barking up the wrong tree

@stellaisabella thanks for your response i really appreciate it x

And also DDs wax wasn’t quite as obvious as your DDs.

Does she eat a lot of yogurt/ dairy? My kids are lactose intolerant and my dd could make her own candles if eating dairy!

Just to update - had DDs ears microsuctioned privately - the wait was just two days. DD was as good as gold and was such a star having it done -
The amount of wax that came out was staggering! Lumps the size of big plump raisins from one ear and a massive plug of hair and skin the length of her ear canal from the other (yes - I took pictures 🤦‍♀️😳🤣)
Honestly couldn’t believe my eyes! Don’t think the lady doing it could either to be honest!
Touch wood, she is no longer complaining of ear pain. Best £55 I ever spent!

Thanks to everyone for your help and advice xx

Should say massive plug of wax and skin! Not hair and skin! Although the amount of stuff that came out of her ears it wouldn’t surprise me if there was hair in it too 🤣😬🤦‍♀️

That’s brilliant news!! (And I would have taken pictures too!!)

@StickersStickers it was awesome. Weirdly it was a very “proud mum moment” 🤣🤣🤣

In fairness, that amount of wax is impressive! After DD had her ears done I actually ended up buying a scope (think it's called an otoscope) off Amazon so I could keep an eye on things and make sure it didn't get so bad again!

Oh my goodness I didn’t even know that was a “thing”

I NEED!!!!!!

Poor thing - what a relief! Ds (15) has had microsuction done since he was little and he always says it’s the most amazing feeling after.
We paid for an initial consultation when he was small with a consultant who then saw him on NHS. He needed tonsils and adenoids out and a few sets of vents.
His ears are still so waxy. He always had microsuction done at his ENT appointments but we now just pay to have it done locally when needed.
I need to check or remind him to check all the time that his ears are clean as never saw so much wax!