Ear infections - do they just clear up naturally?
Discussion
Our 13 month year old girl has had an ear infection for the last week or so (plus she caught a vomiting virus - not a fun week in our household) but refuses to ingest anti-biotics.
The "banana" amoxycilin was always spat out and the new stuff last night made her gag and vomit all over the carpet!
If we keep the calpol / baby nurofen going, do these things eventually clear up naturally as we are fighting a losing battle with the meds - even putting a little on a spoon with her favorite lunch resulted in spitting...
The "banana" amoxycilin was always spat out and the new stuff last night made her gag and vomit all over the carpet!
If we keep the calpol / baby nurofen going, do these things eventually clear up naturally as we are fighting a losing battle with the meds - even putting a little on a spoon with her favorite lunch resulted in spitting...
Pickled Piper said:
They can do but no gaurantees. (I'm not medically qualified)
Have you tried sneaking up on her, distracting her with something and squirting it in with one of those plastic syringes? Mine used to do the same. Stubborn little things aren't they.
pp
Yeah, that's what we did last night but the room turned a violent rainbow colour shortly afterwards!Have you tried sneaking up on her, distracting her with something and squirting it in with one of those plastic syringes? Mine used to do the same. Stubborn little things aren't they.
pp
You can get topical antibiotics for ear infections , just a couple of drops in the ear a couple of times a day, I've found them to be very quick and effective, no idea if the are suitable for young children.
I seem to recall my daughter being prescribed something akin to Piriton when she had an ear infection but she was around 5 years old at the time.
I seem to recall my daughter being prescribed something akin to Piriton when she had an ear infection but she was around 5 years old at the time.
I wouldn't like to assume that it will go away. It may, but it could take some time and it could lead to permanent hearing damage and pain along the way. I have an ear infection that has been hanging around for over 2 months now, 2 lots of Amoxicillin and Gentisone (Gentamicin) ear drops helped, and got it about 90% sorted, but it keeps coming back. I'm not on a different sort of antibiotic tablets and ear drops which will hopefully see it off, but I can see that unassisted it could hang around for a long time.
On a small child there is always going to be a higher risk than a fully grown adult. I think I would ask the GP's advice, they may want to try ear drops, possibly with an injection to boost it. Obviously try the yoghurt first
On a small child there is always going to be a higher risk than a fully grown adult. I think I would ask the GP's advice, they may want to try ear drops, possibly with an injection to boost it. Obviously try the yoghurt first
My son had a bad ear infection when he was around this age....we ended up having to take him to hospital who gave a stronger anti biotic (Co-Amoxiclav) than the banana stuff ....that wasn't enough and ended up taking him to the Royal ENT who had to vacumn the puss out and gave us ear drops to help it clear up.
You shouldn't mess around with ear infections they can get serious. The nerve that controls all the facial muscles passes through the bone just behind your ear, inflamation can put pressure on the nerve and cause Bells Palsy. My little lad didn't get Bells Palsy but he did end up with a bit of a squint when he smiled for a month or two.
The hospital also said that Ibuprofen in their experience is better at dealing with the pain/fever associated with ear infections though you can administer both paracetemol and ibuprofen if need be. I had to work out a timetable so that they were given alternately with nothing more than a two hour gap during the day from one to the other. If he went more than a couple of hours his temp was back up to 40.
I can look up the ear drops tonight when I get home if you want.
As for giving medicine brute force and a syringe is the way to go. It's not nice doing it but needs must.
You shouldn't mess around with ear infections they can get serious. The nerve that controls all the facial muscles passes through the bone just behind your ear, inflamation can put pressure on the nerve and cause Bells Palsy. My little lad didn't get Bells Palsy but he did end up with a bit of a squint when he smiled for a month or two.
The hospital also said that Ibuprofen in their experience is better at dealing with the pain/fever associated with ear infections though you can administer both paracetemol and ibuprofen if need be. I had to work out a timetable so that they were given alternately with nothing more than a two hour gap during the day from one to the other. If he went more than a couple of hours his temp was back up to 40.
I can look up the ear drops tonight when I get home if you want.
As for giving medicine brute force and a syringe is the way to go. It's not nice doing it but needs must.
Cheib said:
My son had a bad ear infection when he was around this age....we ended up having to take him to hospital who gave a stronger anti biotic (Co-Amoxiclav) than the banana stuff ....that wasn't enough and ended up taking him to the Royal ENT who had to vacumn the puss out and gave us ear drops to help it clear up.
You shouldn't mess around with ear infections they can get serious. The nerve that controls all the facial muscles passes through the bone just behind your ear, inflamation can put pressure on the nerve and cause Bells Palsy. My little lad didn't get Bells Palsy but he did end up with a bit of a squint when he smiled for a month or two.
The hospital also said that Ibuprofen in their experience is better at dealing with the pain/fever associated with ear infections though you can administer both paracetemol and ibuprofen if need be. I had to work out a timetable so that they were given alternately with nothing more than a two hour gap during the day from one to the other. If he went more than a couple of hours his temp was back up to 40.
I can look up the ear drops tonight when I get home if you want.
As for giving medicine brute force and a syringe is the way to go. It's not nice doing it but needs must.
Chieb - would be great of you could let me know what the ear-drops were.You shouldn't mess around with ear infections they can get serious. The nerve that controls all the facial muscles passes through the bone just behind your ear, inflamation can put pressure on the nerve and cause Bells Palsy. My little lad didn't get Bells Palsy but he did end up with a bit of a squint when he smiled for a month or two.
The hospital also said that Ibuprofen in their experience is better at dealing with the pain/fever associated with ear infections though you can administer both paracetemol and ibuprofen if need be. I had to work out a timetable so that they were given alternately with nothing more than a two hour gap during the day from one to the other. If he went more than a couple of hours his temp was back up to 40.
I can look up the ear drops tonight when I get home if you want.
As for giving medicine brute force and a syringe is the way to go. It's not nice doing it but needs must.
Cheers
Ed
The ear drops were called Lococorten Vioform, just looked though only for two year olds and above...my son must have just turned 2 when he had his ear infection.
I'd persist with the anti biotics...get it in her mouth with a syringe and make sure she doesn't spit it out! Not easy but wait til she's older and stronger.
I'd persist with the anti biotics...get it in her mouth with a syringe and make sure she doesn't spit it out! Not easy but wait til she's older and stronger.
Ring GP, ask for help.
I'm thinking about the possibility of giving the antibiotics as an injection - no idea if this is plausible or not, but if you genuinely can't get them down her throat then someone's going to need to come up with something else!
I'll remember the sight of my folks wrestling with my 3 year old sister for the rest of my days... she had impetigo, so those antibiotics were really needed but she was a big, strong toddler (now a rower!) and they had a hell of a time getting them down her.
I've heard that if you do the syringe thing, put it against her cheek rather than down the middle to reduce the likelihood of gagging. Works with cats too.
Good luck! Poor kiddo, ear infections hurt.
I'm thinking about the possibility of giving the antibiotics as an injection - no idea if this is plausible or not, but if you genuinely can't get them down her throat then someone's going to need to come up with something else!
I'll remember the sight of my folks wrestling with my 3 year old sister for the rest of my days... she had impetigo, so those antibiotics were really needed but she was a big, strong toddler (now a rower!) and they had a hell of a time getting them down her.
I've heard that if you do the syringe thing, put it against her cheek rather than down the middle to reduce the likelihood of gagging. Works with cats too.
Good luck! Poor kiddo, ear infections hurt.
BlackVanDyke said:
I've heard that if you do the syringe thing, put it against her cheek rather than down the middle to reduce the likelihood of gagging. Works with cats too.
Good luck! Poor kiddo, ear infections hurt.
This...use a kiddie's neurofen syringe (the orange and clear one)....you have to man up and do it, with the first 2 kids, went through the vomiting bit, once they realise they are going to get it one way or another, they settle down after the first few doses. Good luck! Poor kiddo, ear infections hurt.
it's got the point that if one of them needs antibiotics, the other 3 kids now line up wanting some.
The antibiotics need to get in, risk of long term effects, glue ear, etc. banana flavoured amoxycillin is usually first line choice unless recurrent infections where something else might be needed. Get the GP to look at the tonsils at the same time and if recurrent, get their hearing tested.
Glue ear often only gets picked sometimes when child falling behind at school and the penny drops that the child cannot hear properly. Amazing how they compensate and is not picked up until you look for it.
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