Toddler oozing ear and temp- PLEASE please HELP

[wefly]

So worried my little girl (22 months) has been under the weather all day with temp and grizzly. Put it down to teething.

This evening her temp shot up to 39 and I noticed her ear was oozing thick yellow fluid.

I gave her a lukewarm warm bath and her temp came down to 37ish.

She's now in bed asleep.

Is this an ear infection?!

Should I be worried?

Not emergency worried, but I would call OOH she might need antibiotics.

What is the stuff coming out? Is it burst ear drum do you think?

It sounds like an ear infection - at the least - last time I was at GP with a child with an ear infection they sent us away again and told me that they don’t prescribe antibiotics for it anymore.
In the absence of any other symptoms I’d just keep an eye until the morning - calpol if possible to keep her pain down (it is so so sore) and her temperature. I am NOT a medical professional though, just a mum.
If still bad in the morning though, get to the GP and see what they say. Is she pulling at her ear at all?

Call 111 and speak to them, they will assess how serious it is and signpost you accordingly

Sounds like her ear drum has burst to me. My kids have had this in the past. Keep up with the calpol and contact the doctor in the morning

Possibly but only a doctor can answer for sure. Ear drums bursting can relieve a lot of the pain, and they usually heal pretty easily. She may still need ABs though so best to get seen when you can?

DD2 had an ear infection during covid which involved yellow pus oozing out of her ear. She had 2 courses of antibiotics before it cleared up.

It sounds an awful lot like a burst ear drum.

Keep an eye tonight, if her temp stays ok then call the GP tomorrow and ask if they want to see her. As PP have said once it’s burst it’s normally much better, but as she’s young I’d still want to chat to someone tomorrow in case they want to look at it.

Call 111. It’s not an emergency but you do need dc to be checked out by a GP and prob need antibiotics. This nhs website explains it well: www.nhs.uk/conditions/ear-infections/

My youngest had a burst ear drum a couple of months ago and antibiotics were needed so I'd book a GP appointment. I think older children they sometimes don't treat but as she's not 2 yet I should think they'll treat it.

Thanks guys.

It's weird because whilst she's been grizzly she didn't seem to be in that much pain. I've heard the pain before a perforation is incredible and she's not been screaming or crying just a bit whingey.. x

My daughter got a burst ear drum 10 days ago. She was in pain and grizzly all day. Screamed out in pain and pus and blood starting oozing out and the pain stopped. They gave antibiotics for 7 days for her. This is her 5th burst ear drum so we are getting used to it now.

DD4 complained of ear ache so took her to docs and they said a bulging ear drum. They gave her 5 days of antibiotics. I would either call out of hours tonight if she's unsettled or temp not coming down or take her to the docs tomorrow morning x

It's genuinely horrendous - I remember lying on the sofa fully sobbing from the pain, and that was as an adult! - so if she's powered through that on just a bit of whinging then she's made of tough stuff!

I suggest nurofen if you have it!

DD had an ear infection that resulted in a burst ear drum. She was just about able to express that it hurt and she just seemed disoriented and out of sorts. If the ear drum bursts it relieves the tension.
GP they do give antibiotics if the ear drum bursts so I agree with pp, 111 call. They may say if she’s settled, pain relief overnight and GP in the morning. Hope she’s better soon.

Def call 111 and ask for advice. I would still take her to the GP tomorrow but it may be that tonight you get sent to OOH.

When this happened with my little boy he had anti biotics and calpol/nurofen. It was a burst eardrum with no real signs other than the leaking ear and temp- no noticeable ear ache before or pulling his ear etc. I'd ring 111 if I was you 😊

My son had lots of pain, temp then oozing ears. In his case it was blocked ears with wax that water had got trapped behind causing infection. The oozing was melted ear wax from the temp. Gp really didn't want to do anything about it

Given her temperature is controllable with medicine, she's asleep, not distressed etc, I don't see the merits in waking her up, disrupting healing sleep and taking her to OOH. But I would get a GP appointment in the morning. This has happened to my daughter too and she was given a course of antibiotics.

We actually saw an ENT specialist as my youngest got ear infections, temperatures and then the yellow fluid leaking out of her ear often when she was around 18 months. Pretty much every time she got a cold actually. I was so worried as I thought it meant her ear drum was perforating every time. The specialist actually said it's a good thing to happen as the infection comes out and the ear drum heals with no problems. If your dc has been in pain you might find that this actually gives them some relief.

If temp continues or they're still unwell definitely see someone though. Mine had antibiotics a lot at that age for it which is sometimes necessary but then comes with its own issues.

If in doubt see a doctor tomorrow.

Perforated ear drum by the sounds of it. My DD got these quite often. GP says once the fluid comes out it should ease the pain. Definitely call out of hours!

Sorry I saw she isn't in much pain. Keep up the calpol and call GP first thing x

If she's settled and sleeping I would wait til morning and ring GP for an urgent appointment. She'll probably need antibiotics. Hope you and she get some sleep 💐