can anyone advise me re. DD awful awful chest/ear infection?

[BooHooo]

DD is just 3 and her nasty cold turned into a chest infection a few days ago. Awful crackly chest rapid breathing esp at night and temp abound 39. She screams at night due to ear pain we were told this is part of the infection, watery eyes, she is in an awful state. Dr yesterday gave AB amoxcillyn which she is taking so far in ribena. She is usually awful with oral meds and we are using paracetamol suppositries.

Does anyone know how long these things take to clear up or have any thought. advise? I have requested a home visit today to get her checked again as I am so concerned

I'm sure good advice will come soon but...the only advice I ever give with colds/infections is to keep off dairy products completely, and avoid wheat if possible too. These things produce mucus, so best to avoid. Especially important if the ears are blocked with catarrgh.

Instead, lots of clear fluids, soup etc.

As for other ideas, at least I've bumped it for you!

ok thank you - she has been having milk as so little food but I will change or maybe switch to soy?

I have never seen her so poorly, this has knocked her for six

I really wouldn't worry about swapping milk for soy at this staqe. As long as she is having lots of fluids it really deosn't matter about getting enough calcium, she can soon get back to her normal diet when she is better.

What foods would be tempting to her? Veg soup? Fruit? You could make a milkshake but instead of milk, just use a banana with some strawberries or raspberries (from the freezer if you have any?) and some sugar all whizzed up in the blender. Add some water if it's a bit thick.

Some mashed potato with some baked beans? Rice with veg?

Any of these things are nutritious but will not make her worse.

I don't know what she normally likes. But as long as she drinks, then that's all that matters.

Hope she feels better very soon.

Antibiotics usually kick in within two to three days.

My ds2 has just had bronchiolitus (sp) where the lungs get all full up with fluid. We were advised to put him in a bathroom with the hot taps on so he was in a damp atmosphere. That helps to loosen the mucus in the chest. It might help your daughter's chest to ease.

My other son gets ear infections. They suggest sleeping with the head end up so that the fluid has more of a chance to drain away and the pressue doesn't build up as much.

Amoxycillin normally makes ds feel better within a day or so but he only gets ear infections, not chest too.

We were also told that if we were really worried about ds2's breating - just go straight to A and E. So if it was really rapid and his chest depressed and blue lips etc...

Hope she picks up soon, it's just so worrying I really feel for you.

DS has just got over a chest / ear infection and started to get noticeably better after about 2 or 3 days on Amoxycillin.

I second autumn's advice on getting your DD into a steamy atmosphere to loosen her chest - sit with her in a small room with the kettle on constant boil (just keep your finger on the button so it doesn't click off) and fill it with as much steam as you can. Also put bowls of water on radiators etc to increase humidity in the home as central heating can dry out the mucous membranes.

Ditto keep her off dairy as much as possible, ensure she gets lots of fluids and chock her bed up so she sleeps at an angle etc.

When any of us are ill I make sure I have lots of aromatherapy oil burners going around the house - frankincense, thyme and rosemary are all anti viral and anti bacterial and should help fight the bugs a bit - at the very least your house will smell nice!

Thank you all so much for your advice. The humidifier is on but the oil burner thing is really interesting I will burn some tea tree oil.

I will wait until 48 hours to hopefully see an improvemtn then, just really rotten to see her so struglging and in pain, in the early hours it is all a daze after no sleep and hard to be on the ball to look out for all the signs. Last night she was sensitive to light and I paniced, but then things calmed down I realised with a fever one doesn't want bright lights.

She is currently sleeping on me pressed against my body, not great for fever but seems to bring her comfort and she won't let go.

ok update after seeing dr today. Apparently the ear is a bad one - with the puss pressing hard against the eardrum causing a lot of pain. I have been told to keep with the paracetamol supp. and the AB should kick in soon, I REALLY HOPE SO - JUST PRAY TONIGHT IS BETTER sorry caps, and that she does not scream so much x

Hello. Hope she has a better night. I also agree that antibiotics seem to take about 48 hours to help my DS, who has had lots of chest infections and ear infections.