My child’s ear has all dried crusty blood inside

[EvangelicalAboutButteredToast]

He is poorly with a cold. He complained yesterday that he’s ear felt weird and was crying a lot. He’s woken up this morning and there’s a lot of dried crusty blood inside his ear. I’m pretty sure he was putting his finger in his ear a lot yesterday but he says that ear sounds like it’s underwater so could it be a perforated eardrum?

Is it a doctor’s appointment to make sure?

Yes! Sounds like an infection. And please keep him home!

Yes.

GP and antibiotics will be needed.

DD had a number of ear infections and 3 or 4 perforations when she was little. No long term damage, but it's important to see off the infection.

Watch out for a sore patch behind the ear as that signifies a more serious infection.(mastoiditis) which needs urgent treatment.

The ear drum has perforated - his pain level will massively decrease but you definitely need to see the GP TODAY! if the surgery refuses to see you today you need to go to your nearest urgent care.

Yes he is absolutely fine now. No pain. So that makes sense. I’ve put in a request for an appointment but no word yet

Appointment at 10am 👌

Never ignore anything to do with ears. Heating is as precious as eyesight. Straight to the doctor for treatment.

It was perforated but the doctor wasn’t concerned. Said it was very common, the ear canal looked clear and won’t need any antibiotics. Follow up appnt in a month to recheck. Obviously if anything else happens related to the ear then he said come back.