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Ear infections in infants?
Okay, shamelessly asking this again. I got a few answers last time but wonder if ear infections can be missed by a family doctor?
Below is my original question.
A while ago I noticed a lot of crying and ear pulling on my then nearly 7 month old son. He was found to have a small amount of fluid on his ears and was given some antibiotics to clear it up. Apparently the ears are last part of the body that antibiotics reach so it takes a while for them to work.
Anyhow, my son is now 8 months old and I have had him back at the doctor a couple of times as he still crys a lot at night, wakes frequently and pulls at his ears. Sometimes he crys excessively at night in bed (we co-sleep, no rude comments on that thank you).
The doctor says there is still a bit of fluid on his ears but is reluctant, quite rightly so to give him more antibiotics.
Probably no one here is an expert but I wonder if anyone has had experience with this. Do you think he can still have a problem (more than just fluid) with sore ears and simply not picked up by my family doctor? Family doctors, bless them are fantastic but they have to know so much about everything that it would be impossible for them to specialise in everything. Or am I paranoid and it simply teething (sometimes I think it is) and normal night awakenings?
Your experience would be well received thanks.
3 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavourite answer
Good for you on the cosleeping. We also cosleep, are still breastfeeding, and babywear. :)
I can't say what the fluid is, but I can confidently say that you do NOT need antibiotics for most ear infections! I wish doctors would stop prescribing unnecessary medications.
You need some Garlic Mullein Oil. You can find it at almost any health foods store.
Garlic is a natural antibiotic, and Mullein Flower immediately helps with the pain.
I was so scared at first to not give my baby antibiotics since the doctors all look at you like you are crazy and hurting your child (the same looks you get when you say you co-sleep), but after a couple days the ear infection was gone!!
My little one also had lots of ear infections, and our lives got so much easier when we started the natural stuff rather than the antibiotics. Antibiotics don't even relieve the pain! Also, most doctors don't even tell you that if antibiotics are prescribed, they should also be taking probiotics (and no, just eating yogurt is not enough).
This is a really great article.. I am sure it will help.
Source(s): Also, are you breastfeeding? This will also sound strange, but you can alternate garlic mullein oil with breastmilk. It has many uses. :) (and yes, on the second opinion as well for the fluid in the ears..) - beetlemilkLv 71 decade ago
I have a son who had a lot of ear infections, and I have been plagued with them my whole life. Yes, a pediatrician can miss it, also they don't necessarily clear up. Your best bet is to make an appointment with a pediatric ENT. I have been to the ER twice in the past 3weeks, been on 2 antibiotics, still on augmentin yet still have an ear infection. My appt. is Tuesday with ENT.
Once I brought my son when he was a couple years old to the ENT. The ENT was very upset that the pediatrician had put him on a medication that did not address the 'granulose tissue'. He looked in his ear for 5 seconds and said that medicine that the pediatrician prescribed will never clear up the granular tissue infection. Its the wrong med he is on, that is why its not clearing up. He gave him something else, better in 2 days.
Another thing that I don't like in ear infections that pediatricians are blase about is the lack of follow up appointments. Always push for a follow up to make sure its cleared up, in little guys especially its hard to tell its better. I have been rolling with this ear infection since March and I can talk and have been to several docs (2 in ER, 1 pcp) Prolonged ear infections can be very detrimental to development. My son developed POAD (Post otitis something disorder), a disorder from chronic ear infections where he doesn't rely on the sense of hearing, so essentially an auditory processing disorder.
Source(s): nurse chronic outer and middle ear infections in self and 1 son - Anonymous1 decade ago
It may be part paranoia and part misdiagnosis. There is always that possibility that the doctor missed something (what doctors do is called a PRACTICE for good reason) you might try taking him to another doctor. Or even a home remedy is better than any drugs the doctor will give your kid. These signs may also just be your childs own weird quirks. Give it time and if you're really worried see another doctor.
