Antibiotics for ear infection or wait and see?

[Amyloumummy]

My daughter got sent home from school today with painful earache. So I gave her ibuprofen and took to the drs. Doctor prescribed antibiotics as she said the ear looked pink inside so looks like infection, but couldn’t see much as loads of wax. We don’t like giving her antibiotics unless completely necessary so I’m not sure whether to give them to her or wait and see if it clears up on it’s own. A bit of googling suggests antibiotics aren’t usually necessary and usually clear up on their own after a few days. They wouldn’t be any use it it turns out to be viral. I’m not sure if the doctor just wanted to reassure me that she was doing something, I wished I’d have brought this up at the time! I asked the pharmacist and they just said it’s up to you, so not much help!

Just wondered if anyone had any experience with either scenario. What would you do?

When I’ve given her antibiotics in the past, I couldn’t get them down her, she was pretty young though so maybe it will be better this time! And I know it’s not good when they don’t complete the full course. Not sure what to do!

Thanks!

I’ve found they don’t prescribe them as the first port of call, and when my dd has had them it was only after having had symptoms for over 3 days, and dr said the fact that it was only one ear suggested bacterial not viral... so based on that I did give them to her and would in the future. I think they wouldn’t have prescribed them if they didn’t think it was necessary given there’s a huge nationwide call to cut down the amount of antibiotics used.

DD2 gets chronic ear infections. I’d say it depends how poorly she is - if in lots of pain and/or with a high temperature then we give antibiotics, if not then just wait until it clears up by itself.

I would get a decongestant nose spray (to use as intended: in the nose) to relieve the pressure on the ear.
hope she feels better soon!

I would give antibiotics for an ear infection. Usually I agree with you about not wanting to give antibiotics for every little thing, but as a child I had a horrible ear infection that developed into something much more serious and I ended up in hospital. So now it's the thing I panic about most in my own daughter.

I would give them. I once delayed with DS and he ended up in bed in agony for 10 days.

DS (3yrs) had suspected ear infection a fortnight ago. Took him to docs as temp kept going to 40. Doc said most ear infections are viral and last around 48hrs. We were to come back if things got worse or no improvement within 3 days. Temp started to come down and he seemed to be getting better.
Next evening he came out with a rash and gp diagnosed scarlet fever and a 10 day course of antibiotics. Luckily he wasn't overly poorly with it but getting him to take the medicine took an awful lot of bribery. Not sure that's much help!

I would give them to her
They don't give them out easily anymore so obviously the Dr thought it was worth it

If not entirely sure, you could get something to "dewax" her, and see how she feels.

If she improves from that, then just keep the script incase she should go bad again (with her earache) in the next couple days.

Sometimes, waxy ears themselves can be a sign of an infection.

It's quite easy to get outer ear infections. It's the inner ear that's worrying.

Has she been swimming recently? Or even (we've all done it) had an itchy ear n used a cotton bud (or something else small enough) to scratch it?

Our ears (bit between outside n inside (inside being past the ear drum)) are quite prone to infections, from not drying properly, ear buds, over use/sharing ear pods, sharing headphones or wearing for hours n getting sweaty ear... All this can get you "infected"! lol

Do what the doc says and give them to her. They wouldn’t have given you them if she didn’t need them. Ear infection can et very nasty very fast I wouldn’t risk complications.

My question to myself would be 'why did i take her to the doctor?'

And then I would give her the antibiotic the doctor prescribed.

When ds last had an ear infection we were told most are viral and if he was still suffering on day 5 they would give antibiotics. We didn’t need them in the end but although he would cry with the pain once he had painkillers he was back to being fine again. I suppose it depends how poorly she is in herself and how painful her ears are. If she is bad with them I would give her the antibiotics.

Wrap a hot water bottle in a towel. Get her to lie down with her ear on top of the hot water bottle. The wax should melt onto the towel.

Ear infections are so painful. Still traumatised from mine last year!
My advice would be to take the antibiotics if the doctor says to, it's not worth it getting hold like mine did ( I didn't get the right antibiotic for weeks!)

Thanks so much for your advise everyone! She woke up fine this morning, I was expecting her to wake up in the night with pain but she didn’t. So she’s gone to school and I’ve held off on the antibiotics for now. I’ve spoken to the dr that saw us this morning and she said as she seems fine just keep the antibiotics in the fridge and if she starts complaining of earache again then give it to her. So I’m happy with that, it’s what my gut was telling me to do.

By the way, I took ibuprofen to the school thinking they could give it to her if she gets ear ache again, to save waiting for me to go. But they said that they don’t administer anything, is that the same with all schools? She’s only in reception so this is the first time this has come up, when she was at nursery they would always give calpol if they thought the child needed it (with my consent). Just thinking that it’s not going to be ideal for a parent to go to school every day to give calpol!

reg school totally normal ime.

they might administer prescribed medjcation but anything otc (even if sensible & needed) they will not.