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Children's health

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Original poster

lots of thick, yellow discharge from DS's ear

13 replies

hollyhobbie · 28/12/2008 09:09

DS (21 months) has a LOT of thick, sticky yellow discharge coming from one of his ears. It looks exactly like the stuff coming out of his nose!

He doesn't seem to have a temperature or earache, or to be ill, so I'm not too worried about him, but there is A LOT of this stuff coming out and I'm not sure whether to bother the doctor with him or not...

Advice?

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turtledove23 · 28/12/2008 09:11

Dr. Now!!!

LucyEllensmummy · 28/12/2008 09:38

ewwwwww, i would definately get him to the doctors, it might not be bothering him now but it could get infected/painful - haven't a clue what it might be but im sure its nothing too serious - err on the side of caution.

DoubleBluff · 28/12/2008 09:41

Definitely bother the doctor, that is not right!

eandh · 28/12/2008 09:42

dd1 had this and she had a perforated eardrum but it had got infected so needed anti b's as well

27 · 28/12/2008 09:43

He probably has a perforated eardrum and probably needs antibiotice. He needs to see a doctor.

VirginBoffinMum · 28/12/2008 09:44

Could be a perforated eardrum or insertion of some sort of foreign body, this needs medical attention immediately and probably antibiotics. I would do A and E myself. Go now!!

Wallace · 28/12/2008 18:40

How did you get on?

belgo · 28/12/2008 18:42

this happened to my dd, a week or so after an ear infection. GP said no point in any treatment as infection already gone. But I agree with the other posters, take him to the doctor's.

clemette · 28/12/2008 18:54

Less panicky reply here - my DS's eardrum perforated a few weeks ago and has been leaking on and of since. It might well get infected but if he hasn't got a temp yet you are OK. Best to get it checked out but it is not a A&E case (speaking from experience - we took our DD when she was two with the same symptoms and we were in A&E for six hours as it was considered VERY low priority).

jenkel · 28/12/2008 19:08

My dd had this just before christmas last year. She had a bad cold, which eventually went and then this ear discharge started, exactly as you described, looked just like the stuff coming out of her nose. She wasnt in any pain and had no temperture, took her to the GP and was prescribed antibiotics, no mention of a perforated ear drum though.

Original poster

hollyhobbie · 29/12/2008 13:18

Hi,
We decided that since he wasn't ill or in pain, we would wait until this morning (Monday) and take him to his normal doctor instead of going to A&E.

Doctor said that yes, it was a perforated eardrum but that since DS didn't have a temp and wasn't in pain, then there was no reason for him to be treated.
He said that the infection builds up behind the eardrum and that it perforates to let the 'pus' out. Unless they are ill with it, then it's a perfectly natural way for the body to deal with the infection in its own way.

Thanks for all your replies! HH

OP posts:

belgo · 29/12/2008 15:26

I'm glad you didn't take him to A&E, I agree as he didn't have a temperature and wasn't in pain, it wasn't so urgent.

Original poster

hollyhobbie · 29/12/2008 18:29

DH is always the relaxed parent and I'm always the more cautious one. I nearly phoned the emergency doctor to at least ask (especially after the initial responses I got on here! ), but he was so apparently healthy (apart from the leaky ear) that it would have felt just embarrassing to call them.

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