Son's weeping ear

[bluesky]

Does anyone know what this is? He is 10, no ear-ache, but has been a bit under the weather lately, bad cough etc.

But his ear is weeping loads of stuff out, in the morning, the pillow is mucky and his ear is 'crusty' (!?) from all the stuff that has dried.

Is it something I can watch and clear up, or should he see a Dr? Anyone had it?

sounds like a middle ear infection that has 'burst' this happened with ds and he had no ear ache.

See the GP incase he needs antibiotics

oh thanks for quick reply martianbishop, will try and get to see Dr, it had to be a Monday didn't it!!

MB is right, he has a perforated eardrum and some kids do get this without the usual warning of screaming the place down with the pain as the infection builds up :(
If he has no previous ear form bluesky he may not need abs but do get him checked by the GP just in case. Amoxycillin or the antibacterial drug Trimethoprim are usually prescribed and both worked well for dd, who spent the first two years of her life with almost constant ear infections :(
I would not let him go on any swimming trips for a while though, so if you have such an outing planned, get some advice from the GP as to how long to leave it.

Marina he had grommets put in last year, do you think they will still be there? Will it have affected them? No swimming planned thank goodness.

Not sure bluesky but I believe they are designed to drop out naturally after a time. It is very possible the perforated ear kind of washed the grommet out in that ear (yeuch)...
We have not gone the grommets route though (yet) so am not the best person to ask :).

I have always been told that burst ear drum /discharge autiomatically needed anti biotics, as ear too infected to fight such big infection alone.

My ds has had this loads, often without the fever or really bad pain. Def see doc.

yep, have got the antibiotics, ear was so revolting she couldn't look in. No laying in baths, swimming etc. Give it 48 hrs should start to dry up, and to go back in a week to check that the grommit is still there. Thanks everyone.

bluesky hope he's better quickly, dh has always had a lot of trouble with his ear, it can be a nuisance

strangely enough, our dog has had a perforated ear drum for about 5 days now, there were no symptoms, and then suddenly he was wobbly, fever and losing his balance. He is on antibiotics too! And still very wobbly and lethargic (very unusual as he is a young very bouncy lakeland terrier)

good luck to your ds (who hopefully isn't all wobbly)

aaah, your poor doggy frenchgirl!! Am just picturing an imaginary dog wobbling. My son not wobbly, but has been a right pain recently, now perhaps we know why!