recurrent ear infections (or one ear infection that wont shift)

[elliejjtiny]

Ds (aged 9) has major surgery booked for 2 weeks time. However he has had either 1 long ear infection or 7 different ones since August. He's had 7 different lots of antibiotics, seen the ENT consultant twice and had a load of green gunge hoovered out of his ear twice as well. The ear infection goes but then within a week or 2 of finishing the antibiotics he's got an ear infection again. I phoned the hospital admissions department and they just said "hopefully he wont have another ear infection on the day of surgery". Which wasn't helpful.

We have another appointment with ENT today and I'm worried they will tell us again that DS has an ear infection and his operation will get postponed. DS has had glue ear since he was 1, had 2 sets of grommets and now wears hearing aids. His ear was looking a bit red last night but I don't know if it's another ear infection or just because his hearing aids don't fit properly. Audiology wont do impressions for new hearing aids until his ears have been declared free of infection by ENT so he has been wearing hearing aids for 3 months that don't fit properly.

Has anyone else experienced this?

If it’s a recurring infection, ask them to swab it to check the correct antibiotics are being prescribed for that particular infection maybe?

An ear swab would be a good idea as suggested but it sounds like he needs more grommets.
My DD had this and grommets was the only thing that solved it. I had to battle for them though, ENT just wanted her on permanent antibiotics which she ended up developing immunity to.

Thankyou. He has already had his ears swabbed twice, once by the practice nurse at the gp and once by the ent consultant. I had a feeling that he might need grommets again. He had grommets aged 1 and then again aged 6 but when they fell out we switched to hearing aids as the waiting list for grommets was so long.

When my DD was eventually put on the very long waiting list for grommets, as she was so poorly all the time the hospital advised me to get our GP to write to the consultant and ask her to be bumped up the list. Out GP wrote and we had an op date shortly after and she was sorted within weeks. I wish someone had told us sooner! This was pre-Covid but might be worth a try if it's affecting his quality of life.

Have you ever heard of a cholesteatoma? My eight year was diagnosed with one after a year of repeated ear infections. The first indication was a really bad smell from her ear and also discharge from her ear. It’s basically where the gunk that should normally flow out of your ear gets stuck inside and forms a growth. It can only be treated surgically. My daughter had surgery in Oct and so far so good, no smell, no infections. It’s a rare condition and even ENTs wouldn’t see them often I understand. Might be worth asking your ENT whether it could be that.

I was about to type what the previous poster typed. DS had repeat ear infections as a baby. Was grommetted at 16 months. Started again at about 8/9 this time with two burst ear drums. The ENT consultant explained it was due to choleastatoma where a tiny bit more bone calcifies or builds up with each infection. Eventually it causes comete deafness. One little grommet meant the membrane on the ear drum.healed correctly and prevented further problems.

The consultant also explained that if left, the condition requires more complex surgery to reverse the growth and restore the hearing. FILs father became stone deaf in his 20s - in the 1920s when there was little knowledge and no NHS. There is an hereditary link.

Are you seeing the ENT Consultant or a registrar at appointments. You must ask for the Consultant if not and ask specifically about choleastosis and I'd note that minor surgery now would be cheaper for the NHS and better for your son, a child, in pain.

Sadly OP, our DS is 28 and even then the NHS was unhelpful on both occasions. We were fobbed off again and again and only got what DS needed privately.

Thankyou. Ds was diagnosed with a cholesteatoma and now needs a 3 hour operation to fix it in about 3 months time.