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Original poster

A Gooey ear again

25 replies

mummynumnum · 09/12/2007 20:23

DD has had about three ear infections recently and seems to have been continually on antibiotics. Everytime the medicine stops a gooey ear emerges. This has happened again. DD (18mths) finished medicine on Thurs and woke up today with discharge in her ear. Has anyone had experience of this? Are antibiotics the only solution?

OP posts:

Turkeyandsproutsx3 · 09/12/2007 20:26

((((lurk))))
ds3 has had 3 ear infections already and he is 8 months - my older two have never had one - someone said something about olive oil?????

DeathBySnooSnoo · 09/12/2007 20:27

my ds2 had 3 lots of AB's and still had a gooey ear(he has grommets,however,so any ear infection produces goo) so in the end he had to have his ears syringed at the hospital.

the problem is that alot of the infections are viral so AB's are useless.

DeathBySnooSnoo · 09/12/2007 20:28

olive oil is good when theres alot of wax,but not if the eardrum has popped and theres smelly gunk.

ambercat · 09/12/2007 20:33

Is the dr taking a swab to check what abs the infection is sensitive to?

Ds1 has a permenently perforated ear drum so has had loads of infections and our dr always does this. He usually ends up with ab eardrops.

Also keep the ear completely dry, no swimming and cotton wool smeared with vaseline in her ear at bath time (if she'll let you!) hth.

popmum · 09/12/2007 20:35

might be glue ear? how is her hearing? mine had this last year and it turns out this is what it was. You should ask teh gp about it - get them to refer you to ear nose and throat consultant. My ds has had grommits inserted

more info here

clutteredup · 09/12/2007 20:36

Might be an early sign of glue ear. DS had many although mostly we weren't aware of them so they weren't treated. He ended up with grommets though many years later when finally diagnosed. I don't think they do glue ear treatment until they are 2 or 3 but its worth looking out for if it persists. Sorry no advice in the meantime, we didn't know what to do and I hadn't heard of MN in those days.

clutteredup · 09/12/2007 20:37

sorry xposted popmum, right with you

notnowbernardimstuffingthebird · 09/12/2007 20:38

Have had lots of experience of this.

In the end took dd1 to a homeopath as was sick of her always being on ABs.

So far, so good... no infection for nearly a year now

Original poster

mummynumnum · 09/12/2007 20:39

Thanks for tips. Her hearing and speech is fine, but dont want it to get to point that it is affected and then have to wait ages for ENT specialist. May be a trip to docs tomorrow and talk about refferal. This time it is gooey, but she does not actually seem in pain.

OP posts:

Turkeyandsproutsx3 · 09/12/2007 20:41

what did the homeopath give her? or are you avoiding certain foods etc?

popmum · 09/12/2007 20:41

clutteredup! snap.
My ds had grommits at 18 months (privately), doing well so far. We hadn't noticed any hearing loss but a test showed moderate hearing loss and given his age we decided to go for the op (as langauage was about to start developing).
Immediately his balance improved (which again we hadn't noticed was a problem before) and within a week LOADS more words were being said!

Original poster

mummynumnum · 09/12/2007 20:46

Thinking of swopping dairy milk for goats or soya. Has anyone found it helped.

OP posts:

Cathpot · 09/12/2007 20:46

We had a run of ear infections last year that sounds similar and turned out to be the same infection not quite being cleared and then returning as we finished the course of antibiotics. The doctor finally gave us a course of antibiotics at a very low daily dose for 3 months to keep all the gunk sterile while her ears drained. It seems to have worked as we have had no problems (oh so sealing my own doom here) for 12 months. I know its not ideal to have long term antibiotics but better than an op?

notnowbernardimstuffingthebird · 09/12/2007 20:47

T and S, I've no idea what he gave her A 'remedy', he called it. All I know is that it seems to have done the trick 9fingers crossed).

He did say that a lot of dairy can lead to a child being more 'mucousy'.

NappiesLaChristmasGit · 09/12/2007 20:50

ds3 has ear infection (as part of general snotty yukkiness) atm. ds1 had repeated ear infections too. burst both drums several times, poor scrap.

i started athread yesterday asking if antibots only way to go (was only solution ever offered for ds1 and didnt seem to do him much good if you ask me) and resounding answer was no.

so we havnt gone there this time.

am playing it by ear obv (har har)

NappiesLaChristmasGit · 09/12/2007 20:52

am tempted to try homeopathy but i would pref a personal recommendation and i dont know many people round here to get one.

i do know that with homeopathy, they treat the whole person so the remedy that works for one is not what will workfor another, even if apparently identical symptoms.

Original poster

mummynumnum · 09/12/2007 20:52

Yes, thats what I have heard. she didnt have any when I breastfed and the first started when she switched to cows milk.

OP posts:

NappiesLaChristmasGit · 09/12/2007 20:54

at times like this (when theyre sick) i really wish id carried on bf for much longer.
ho hum.

Yorkiegirl · 09/12/2007 20:54

Message withdrawn

notnowbernardimstuffingthebird · 09/12/2007 20:58

I am normally a pro-conventional medicine girl.

Am tres ignorant re all things alternative.

Was very impressed by the 45min long assessment of dd1 during initial appt. He asked the most amazing range of questions which focussed not just on dd's health, but her personality, her behaviour, habits, interests etc. The principle of it definitely concerns the person as a whole, not as a set of symptoms.

yurt1 · 09/12/2007 20:58

ds3 gets them- had burst ear drums repeatedly last year. This year he's had a couple of minor infection but nothing gooey so far.

I leave them (ds1 had far too many antibs for ear infections and don't want to go down that road again). He has seen an osteopath which seemed to help (nothing gooey since, although he's a little bigger too). I use nurofen and calpol when he's in pain.

Original poster

mummynumnum · 09/12/2007 21:01

My dd's nursery always seem to be a little reluctant to let her go in if she has a gooey ear even when happy as larry.

OP posts:

Original poster

mummynumnum · 10/12/2007 13:25

More goo this morning, so took to docs and given different (and v vile tasting) antibiotics and got referral to ENT. Still considering swopping from dairy to soya or goats. Has anyone found it eased ear infections doing this?

OP posts:

yurt1 · 10/12/2007 13:40

ds3 has been on goats milk for ages, made no difference- he was all last year when his ear drum was bursting every few weeks or so.

DS1 was on cows milk when he was having his (? I think - he did go gluten free at some stage during it).

I think a lot of it is shape tbh, and as they grow older it just eases up.

Original poster

mummynumnum · 10/12/2007 13:49

Bless them eh!

OP posts:

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