Ears & gory pic !! Toddler

[Aleshia31]

So my LG has had an ever lasting ear infection of 17 weeks !
No anti biotic would help and then all of a sudden nothing !
Then 4 weeks later this happens ! A burst ear drum with everything leaking out.!!
Has anyone had this before ?
We have an ent apt in 4 weeks

And someone from ent seen us at the hospital as I thought her brain was leaking 😂
Said that can't see much because of infection and that it's most likely not been treated properly as it's an inner ear infection !

So has anyone had this before and can give ANY KIND of advice ?
I'm worried about her hearing although she can her a crisp packet open in the next street 😂

Oh my god. Poor little love! I have no advice, but I hope she feels better soon.

Hopefully this bump will bring along someone who can help.

My ear drum burst after an infection, the GP said its not likely to result in long term damage but I was given antibiotics, does she have some now. Keep tilting her head to that side to let it drain and keep it dry.

Gosh that must have been super painful - I remember well the PRESSURE before my ear drums burst and it was decades ago!

Keeping water out, I think that was the big thing. And you know a warm hot water bottle to the side of the face can be nice - it lessens the pain a bit.

Feel for her, I had this happen a few times when I was a kid. Can't really remember how my mum dealt with it but just to assure you my hearing is fine now!

I would say definitely keep water out and keep her head draining to that side

She probably feels much better now it has burst

Poor thing

Oh bless her. Anyone know what that lump of stuff is? I've had it before too, felt like spongy tissue. Keeping it dry is an absolute must, even avoid humidity- try and do baths with ear plugs in. Plenty of rest too, lempsips might help.

Oh bless her. My ds had constant ear infections when he was little, couldn't go more than 4-6 weeks without a new one. His ear drum perforated lots of times. He had grommets in the end and they definitely helped. He has to have another operation as something inside has collapsed a bit due to the infections but his hearing is ok (lower end of normal). Ear infections are so sore, bless her.

I haven't any advice but poor baby, hope she's better soon OP

Loads of times over 3 years sadly. Grommets fixed it in the end.
She did have preventative antibiotics for a while, but this was after many infections over a long time. If its just once they will probably treat with antibiotics and ask for drops too. ENT told me that this stage antibiotics not that helpful.

Thank you everyone 🥺
The weird thing is that she doesn't or didn't seem to be in any pain!! The night before she was up and down but no crying just moaning I put it down to teething!

Good to know that I'm not alone it's so hard when no one professional wise can help especially when it had leaked for 17 weeks continuously !

Ill keep it dry she has a full head of hair so this should be fun 🥺

Will a ear drum heal on it own anyone ?

It should heal OK- very rarely someone would need an operation to mend it.
Certainly I had a few perforations and never had to have them sewn up, although I did also have grommets etc, which are just little tubes that help keep the ear tube open and draining nicely.

She just be right tough if it wasn't painful

To keep the ear dry, smear a bit of vaseline on a (not too small) bit of cotton wool and gently plug up the bowl of the ear. Don't go poking it up the tube bit, obvs.
That keeps the ear water tight.

Forgot to ask, have they swabbed it? My dd was resistant to some antibiotics. . Although ENT told me lots of times oral antibiotics were not speeding the recovery. They did give them though as she was young and frequently of concern re sepsis signs and severe infection.

And the pain always vanished after bursting. I used to stay up with her all night with her in so much pain, then suddenly boom. Then sleep. ENT said they can sometimes physically burst.
Despite our horrendous journey her hearing is still perfect. A miracle!

Thanks everyone I just want the best for her and if that's grommets then I'm more than happy !
I honestly have no idea how she's coped with the pain ! Although now she's became acquired to us going in and out her room and throwing her dummies away for attention .

She's only two I swear I'll be grey by the time summer comes 😂😂

Great trick with the Vaseline thanks !

Also the gunk how the hell is there so much in there 17 weeks it lasted and now it's all gooey again !

@CottonSock no they didn't actually ! The ent person at the hospital said amox should help - even though it hasn't for the past 3 times but who am I to say eh 😳😂

Yeah ent said at the hospital that they think there's a hole in the drum but because of the gunk can't see how big etc

So here's hoping this doesn't last another 17 fn weeks and they can see something end of December !

How do use mamas do it I'm exhausted 🥺

Just to update anyone ... ear is leaking of gunge again !

Will it ever stop 🥺

Oh my god that’s a horrific picture.

Has she been seen by a doc since it started leaking?

It leaked for 17 weeks to begin with so we were constantly at the doctors,

But it started leaking at 530 tonight so we've got the docs first thing in the morning

I feel so low
And like a bad mother because I don't know what else to do

Oh don’t feel a bad- it’s not your fault lovely!

Do push hard though for a swab test so she can get the right ABs- doctors just bung you a script for “the most likely” one, and often they are- but with a well set in infection like that, it’s time for a proper evaluation of the type of bacteria and the right AB.

Big hugs- you’re doing great!

Echo PP's suggestion of pushing for a swab! Hope it went well.

Poor love and poor you as well, hugs both of you, your not a bad mother at all.

How was Dr visit ?

They should have swabbed that. I've seen some manky ears in my job but that one is right up there!

Oh poor girl hope she's ok now, Ds2 is 17 months and has had his eardrum burst due to infection twice now - first time leaked once and then over with, 2nd time lasted 4 or 5 days of horrid, sticky gunk but then fine again. He seems to get an ear infection every time he's cutting a couple of teeth!

I did remember one more thing we tried. I took her to a&e once (sent my my gp who was also very stressed by the whole thing) and I insisted they did micro suction on the ear. I felt the wetness of the gunk just would not clear it. It helped for a bit just getting it dry. It didn't hurt her at all.

The other thing I remembered was that more than one ENT specialist told me that the ear junk was often glue rather than infected. So it didn't always respond to antibiotics. It was sometimes infected and antibiotic resistant though and they told me a few times that the drops should be more effective than oral. They tried a stronger dose once thst were normally for the eyes. Had to order that one I think.

Manually bursting the ear drum was discussed. She once has a temp spiking at 40, then going down to 35. They said her body was in shock due to pain and that Manually bursting the drum was the reserve option.

The consultant that put her on the prevention dose of antibiotics was very experienced, he's just retired. He said it was an experimental treatment that was usually used in cystic fibrosis patients. This did work for a while. A tiny dose 3x a week, but needed the active infection cleared first.

Just to repeat though, the grommets fixed it all, overnight. She was one of the worst cases they had seen I think. I wish we did the grommets sooner.

Feel free to ask any other questions as I'm sure there are things I'm forgetting. I'm trying to type everything I remember in case useful.

I could see how worried our GPs were. They sent me to hospital more than once and she was on a drip once after failing to respond to antibiotics then started vomiting.
I probably said above, she's had a full recovery after 3 years of this constantly and her hearing seems OK. Light at the end of a dark 3 year tunnel