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General health

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Original poster

calling anybody whos kids have had ear infections...........

23 replies

lanismum · 11/04/2006 15:39

just a quick question, my dd whos 1 has got an ear infection, the dr has given her antibiotics, and since starting them yesterday shes really perked up, but shes now got lots and lots of black/yellow/ gunge (sorry ) coming out of her ears, its literally running out of her ears and down her neck! is this just the antibiotics doing their job by making it all come out, or could it have gotten worse? should i take her back to the dr? sorry if its a silly question but shes never had an infection or antibiotics before.

OP posts:

cod · 11/04/2006 15:45

YUK! havenever had htat

id deffo ring hte doctor

Northerner · 11/04/2006 15:49

Hi. My ds sufferred terribly with ear infections and constant discharge. Don't mean to alarm you but it is normally an indication of a perforated drum when it discharges, nothing serious and it will heal but best ring GP to put your mind at rest.

Marina · 11/04/2006 15:50

if it is really black, lanismum, do ring the dr right away. Dd has occasionally had quite a lot of effusion even after the first couple of doses, but it usually dries up by day two of the drugs...
that sounds grim.

Original poster

lanismum · 11/04/2006 15:50

oh dear, poor baby, she doesnt seem to be in any pain, but ill give the drs a ring and see what he says, thank you both.

OP posts:

Marina · 11/04/2006 15:51

Meant to say ear gunk (god knows I have seen enough) is usually greeny yellow - occasionally clearish. Not really dark...

kid · 11/04/2006 15:52

my DD had an ear infection and had a perforated ear drum, she had what looked like weetabix coming out of her ear. Once it has perforated, it isn't as painful which might be why she has perked up.

Original poster

lanismum · 11/04/2006 15:55

this was really dark, iv been wiping it away and its not as dark now, but still coming out quite fast, enough to stain her tops, she did have measles a few weeks ago and the dr did say that this could be a complication of that. drs surgery doesnt start the afternoon session till 5, so will ring nhs direct to see what they say.

OP posts:

Piffle · 11/04/2006 16:00

Is it a dep waxy colour?
If it is anything like blood then I think it needs looking at more quickly
My ds had a perforated eardrum -otitis media with perforation, his ear leaked mostly yellow cloudy stdd, he was not given any extra treatment as they consider it part of the lealing process
But dark copious amounts of fluid sounds very different?

bundle · 11/04/2006 16:02

i say better out than in, but black doesn't sound right..

jampots · 11/04/2006 16:04

dd used to have loads of ear infections as a baby but seems to have outgrown them. Never had discharge though but does have terribly waxy ears now. Would contact nhs direct and not wait for gp

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 11/04/2006 16:14

My ds1 had this after he had grommits. It was the 'glue' draining away. Sounds like your dd's infection has perforated her eardrum and this is a build-up of gunge that's been in there for a while.

The stuff from my ds's ear was quite black & smelled absolutely dreadful!

cod · 11/04/2006 19:24

did you sniff it? :)

foxinsocks · 11/04/2006 20:15

dd gets very dark purple stuff pouring out of her ears (along with sort of dark orange/yellow stuff) but that is normally at the start of the stuff pouring out and once it is flowing, it is definitely yellow/orange and not black anymore!

We have just had a load of wax removed from her ears and it was all dark purply colour - apparently it is a sort of dirty wax plug that gets jammed in the middle ear.

I imagine if it is still flowing black (and it's not obviously just the a plug) then you should speak to the doc asap.

Your poor little one!

Original poster

lanismum · 11/04/2006 20:15

quick update, nhs direct was very busy so waited till i could speak to drs receptionist who spoke to the dr, who said that its ok for her ears to be leaking, that its just all the infection coming out, hes told me to carry on cleaning her ears, and if they are still leaking as much by thurs, im to take her back to him.
cod-my dds ears smell, i didnt smell them though as iv got a blocked nose, i made my mum

OP posts:

foxinsocks · 11/04/2006 20:16

should have said wax plug jammed in the ear canal not the middle ear!

foxinsocks · 11/04/2006 20:17

aww poor thing - glad it is nothing too urgent

she probably feels much better now it's all coming out

Original poster

lanismum · 11/04/2006 20:19

she seems to feel ok in herself, ears are still leaking but its not quite as dark, so im hoping that it will have slowed down by tomorrow, scared the life out of me when i saw it all earlier!!

OP posts:

gardenia · 11/04/2006 20:36

I would monitor it. If there is no impovement she may need topical antibiotics.

peaches27 · 11/04/2006 22:45

My daughter had an ear infection with discharge (yellow) when she was 6 months, but the constant crying (and therefore pain) improved with the discharge. I was told that the ear drum had perforated as she had a middle ear infection and the pus building up behind the drum had leaked out and therefore the pain was relieved.

However, she continued to have these and had a (temporary) hearing loss, so was monitored by an audiologist and had grommits in twice for persistent glue ear. She was given a decongestant type medicine whenever she was catarrhal. She grew out of this when she was about 6 or 7, no permenant ill effects.

When she is better I would have her hearing monitored. Your health visitor could arrange for you to see an audiologist. (mine did)

ShaysMummy · 11/04/2006 22:47

ds has had some and his ear wax increased. i think its the antib's getting to work. just give them a call tomorrow and ask if the doc would like to take a look.
i wouldnt panic.
if the infection was worse she wouldnt have perked up. shed have more pain.
(i had a really bad ear infection right at the end of my last pregnancy. i felt like i was being stabbed in the brain! if it was getting worse, youd know it!)
:)

manamana · 13/04/2006 13:26

I hope the discharge clears up soon Lanismum. Was just looking for an ear infection thread to ask a question so sorry to go off the subject a bit but my 7mo has just had an ear infection with bit of discharge and I was wondering how long it takes for the drum to heal again - I forgot to ask the dr and my ds is due to start next set of swimming lessons next wednesday which he loves...

Original poster

lanismum · 23/04/2006 12:30

just a quick update for anyones whos interested, my dd finished her course of antibiotics, her ears dried up, all was well, until sat morning when she woke up in the night screaming, her ear was leaking what looked like green pus, ended up taking her to a and e as i guessed she would need more antibiotics, and as it was a sat i couldnt take her to the gp, the dr at the hospital said her eardrum has burst and her tonsils are enlarged, and gave her a different kind of antibiotics, after another night of screaming last night, her other ear is now leaking radioactive slime, oh joy! hopefully she will start to feel better soon.

OP posts:

Original poster

lanismum · 23/04/2006 12:33

dr also said to make sure no water at all got into her ear, ( hair is now a gross mixture of ear gunk, chocolate, butter, and possibly sudocreme, cant wash it out!!) and told me to arrange a hearing test when its cleared up.

OP posts:

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