DS has earache - wher can we get antibiotic from on a bank holiday weekend?

[Haribosmum]

DS (3) has been complaining of earache all afternoon. Now he's taken himself to bed early so he really must be ill! We have given him calpol but I think he's got an ear infection (had them a lot as a baby) and will need some antibiotics but where can we get them from on a bank holiday weekend. Don't really want to have to wait in a & e on a saturday night/ sunday.

does yr doctor have an out of hrs service? ours does - ring the health centre and listen see if there is a number to call

Does your Gp offer an out of hours service?

Emergency GP service - ring your own GP and their recorded message should have the number for you to call.

Bear in mind that they may not give antibiotics, though, as many GPs these days aren't happy to give them for ear infections.

I don't think it is usual pracise to give anti-b's for ear infections any more.

Why don't you double dose with calpol and neurofen. Give one dose of calpol then 2 hours later a dose of nuerofen and so on. Just be careful not to exceed the overall dose in 24 hours.

It's true that docs don't always give anti-bs for ear infections but they do sometimes, and it is important that your ds sees a doc. he will last till Monday though: neurofen is good, plus hot water bottle under the ear.

Thanks, I'll try the doctors in the morning if he's no better. I think he's gone to sleep poor lamb. I didn't know they didn't give a/b's for ear infections anymore.

hopefully the medicine will keep him comfortable until you get to a gp tomorrow. if it gets a lot worse take him to drs straight away. dd1 had earache during the day I thought it was teething then it got really bad in the middle of the night and within 3 hours her eardrum had perforated.

My GP says that most ear infections clear up of their own accord withint 4/5 days without a/b - but if he's rough, still wouldn't hurt to have it checked out - hope you don't have a rough night

best to get him checked in the morning. if he is sleeping it isnt worth waking him now.

dd2 suffered a bad ear infection a while back, only knew when she shrieked duringthe night, no complaining before or anything. GP gave her anti biotics and warned us that the eardrum was close to bursting.

Yeah he's sleeping. We know he's not feeling too good when he takes himself to bed early. I think he inherited my gene for acting all pathetic when I'm ill! He was complaining even putting his pjs on that it was hurting his ear. Will see how he is in the morning and make a decision from there...Thanks so much for everyones replys

Ended up taking DS1 to the doctors clinic at the local hospital this morning. He had thick green snot coming out of his ear this morning YUK!! Anyway she gave him antibiotics and just said he had a really bad ear infection.