Is this normal for a ‘mild’ toddler ear infection?

[PipL91]

My little boy is 3yo and had mild cold symptoms Saturday/Sunday.

Monday morning he said he had headache but again seemed okay. By Monday afternoon he was wailing in agony, couldn’t move his head. Neurofen helped for a few hours but went quickly downhill way before next dose due. We ended up seeing an out of hours GP who said he had a mild ear infection in one ear and gave him antibiotics. Currently his symptoms are -

• very stiff neck/head especially on the side of ear infection
• very pale
• off most food
• unable to sleep and wailing after 20-30 minutes
• mostly just wants to lay down with tiny bits of playing
• sporadic blood in snot

He doesn’t seem to really have a fever which is odd, I’m just confused how he can seem so unwell with a mild infection, we’ve had bad infections in the past where he’s seemed overall less ill.

Are you still giving him any type of painkiller? Ear infections can be extremely painful, even if only a mild infection.

If your DS only started antibiotics yesterday, then it’s probably way too soon to see much of an improvement.

Yes we are alternating calpol and Neurofen, calpol seems to have very little impact, Neurofen he seems a little better for an hour maybe. I just can’t believe how quickly he went down hill and how unlike himself he seems.

Very possibly a bulging ear drum? That can happen with an ear infection, and it is extremely painful. My DS had that a few years ago. My DS had a mild ear infection, took antibiotics for a week, then the bulging ear drum started. So had to have a second week of antibiotics. We were told to see a GP if he seemed to be any worse after starting the second course of antibiotics.

It’s probably best to either try to see your GP to get your DS checked (if they’re open today) or call 111 for another OOH gp appointment.