ear infection in baby

73trix

Little guy had his 4 month jabs yesterday and about an hour later got very irritable which we put down to tiredness as he hadn't napped all day. Tried and failed with nap for 2 hrs and eventually decided to put him down an hour early as he was so wrecked and v cranky. Things went bad to worse as he was a demon then, would not do down and basically screamed for about 3'-4 hrs. Tried one dose Calpo but after couple hours no change.l We were suspect of jabs as he is never like that and nearly always goes to bed easily. Anyway we were worried and got care doc who diagnosed ear infection. Said it was coincidence about jab. She also said it can come on as pain quickly. He had been in great form til after jab. She said babies get lot of pain with ear infection and prescribed anti biotic. He is only 4 months and I'm 90%bfing. Disappointed he needs anti b already given bfing but relieved it is nothing serious of course. Has anyone had this with a baby this young?

cyning

On our 7th or 8th ear infection with my just 11 month old here who's also completely breastfed never had a bottle... It's just the way it goes sometimes we had one after our 4 months vax too: it is very painful for them so I keep the painkillers up, and let them feed feed feed because the sucking will help the pressure in their ears. She had her first ear infection at 4 weeks but also had pneumonia so we worried more about that! I find paralink and neurofen suppositories more effective... It does pass. It's just frustrating!

pwurple

Some babies are just prone to them... Could be shape of their inner ear etc.

Bfing really not going to change their anatomy.

73trix

Thanks. Guess you are right there!

Do the antibiotics make baby more drowsy? He's been sleeping all night bar one feed and normally is full of beans by 6.30/7 and this morning he's still asleep at 8.15 which is very unusual. He woke at 7 and I tried to feed him but he kept falling asleep on boob so put him back down and he's conked! :-/

cyning

I think it's the fighting off the infection that makes them drowsier rather than the antibiotic.

73trix

Ok. It's not like him to still be sleeping.

cyning

My little one sleeps a lot to fight off anything: it's nothing to really worry about in general. I know the first time they are sick is so hard x

RentDayBlues

73trix wrote: »

Ok. It's not like him to still be sleeping.

As cyning said they really do use sleep to help them get better. When my first was 16 months she had an ear infection and slept 39 hours within a 48 hour period - would have slept more had we not lifted her to make her eat! In the end it was what she needed to help her get better.

73trix

He has increased poos now! Gone from one every 3-4 days to several a day! Side effects of anti b?? He doesn't seem bothered by it. I was googling diarrea and lots of advice is to keep breastfeeding but more frequently if possible and it will clear. No sign of dehydration. Seems pretty good otherwise. Anyone have this experience?
Btw feels like the old days with several poos!

Sligo1

Yes antibiotics can cause more frequent and dirty stools. It's prob just a side effect of the antibiotics. If you however feel your baby is becoming dehydrated or starts vomiting I would get him checked with the GP as it could be a bug. Hope he is feeling better soon. Keep him well hydrated in the meantime

bp

Just plenty and cuddles, rest and water - that is what babies need if on antibiotics. When mine is sick she sleeps a lot and doesn't really eat. I gave cooled boiled water before the year mark

73trix

I'm bfing more often. Should I also give cooled boiled water? He's 4 months and has never had it. I was worried it might water down the goodness of the breast milk cos read somewhere about not giving breasfed babies water yet. ??? Tho....

cyning

Nope just bmilk: we get lots of dirty nappies with antibiotics. There's no need to give water. If you are worried give GP a ring or nurseline if you have health insurance.

Sligo1

No need at all to give water if he is taking plenty of BM and having wet and dirty nappies.

bp

Oh thought babba was older than 4 months - bf perfect as the others have said as long as nappies are dirty and wet

uck51js9zml2yt

My son got frequent ear infections due as we later found out to his ear drum growing into the ear. It was finally diagnosed when he we had his hearing tested and was referred to a consultant in the hermitage. He had mastoid surgery at 2 1/2 years of age in Tallaght to correct it but still gets them but not as often. Its part of the course at this this stage.
Hes under a consultant in tallaght for follow up.

We initially went public and gave up and got a private consultation. He has an appointment in days as opposed to a year for the public.
The consultant bumped people down the list so he could do him in tallaght. It was the worst case he'd seen in 25 years and was at the acute phase...I shudder to think of the effect on him if we waited for the public consultation.

The point....he recommended drops as opposed to oral antibiotics as they worked directly on the source of the infection. Plus they dont wreck the digestive system.

What we have found the last few infections was that the cause was fungal (thrush) .

Obviously I'm not giving medical advice, just my experience.

Its worth talking to your GP about alternatives. Did he/she take a swab to get it checked for the cause.? Its no point giving out antibiotics blindly. At least if swabs are taken and infections recur a pattern can emerge.



CYNING - 8 infections in 11 months isn't something I'd just settle on a GP with. The €140 we spent on a private visit with a specialist was worth ever penny(cent). It saved my sons life.

73trix

It was care doc and no swab, just examined his er. He had a cold the previous few days and she said it had spread. Hope your lo is doing well.

cyning

We are under a paediatrician aswell and have a referral to an ENT privately now too so should be in the next few weeks: we get the antibiotic ear drops too in conjunction with the oral antibiotics they really are great. Unfortunately with us until December the ear infections were secondary to all the rest of the infections she was picking up... Just hoping grommets will help her! Hence not getting referred until now. Hope he's doing ok now: going privately does make a massive difference I wish it didn't though.

73trix how's he doing now?

vonievega

Babies do get cranky after the injections. and their skin is so soft and tender you'd have to gentle with them. Ears, nose, throat get infected in babies due to teething plus they don't seem to have the immunity to fight them off. Imagine the pain of an ear ache yourself.
Just a coincidence it happened at same time as injection
Babies, some at least get loads of ENT infections. Thank God for antibiotics. He'll be right as rain in 24 hours.

uck51js9zml2yt

cyning wrote: »

We are under a paediatrician aswell and have a referral to an ENT privately now too so should be in the next few weeks: we get the antibiotic ear drops too in conjunction with the oral antibiotics they really are great. Unfortunately with us until December the ear infections were secondary to all the rest of the infections she was picking up... Just hoping grommets will help her! Hence not getting referred until now. Hope he's doing ok now: going privately does make a massive difference I wish it didn't though.

73trix how's he doing now?

Glad you're getting his ear seen to. Where are you being seen?

This is what my son had.

My son got a grommet in one ear in the hermitage and the investigation of the bad ear led to 3 hours of surgery in Tallaght.

I was talking to my contact in tallaght last night and she said the consultant said to bring him into the next clinic. The good news is that his GP checked him today and the infection has cleared up with the canesten drops.
To top it all off he got his finger caught in the bedroom door this evening...it never ends:D

cyning

Oh god tatranska that sounds awful we are going to limerick because Kerry won't do them under 18 months and I'm not prepared to wait: at the moment the only way she will sleep is lying across my belly with her head on the mattress so that her head is much lower than the rest of her. The pain is just unreal: we use voltarol now when the pain gets bad and are on a prophylactic antibiotic to try help in the meantime. They are such a curse.

So glad he's going better: his poor finger though!

73trix

Tatranska and Cyning, your poor kiddies - they have been having a tough time!

My guy I such better thanks. No indication of pain beyond one day of anti b. A bit clingy and unsettled for couple of days but right as rain now...phew.

cyning

That's brilliant 73trix! Delighted he's doing better.

uck51js9zml2yt

cyning wrote: »

Oh god tatranska that sounds awful we are going to limerick because Kerry won't do them under 18 months and I'm not prepared to wait: at the moment the only way she will sleep is lying across my belly with her head on the mattress so that her head is much lower than the rest of her. The pain is just unreal: we use voltarol now when the pain gets bad and are on a prophylactic antibiotic to try help in the meantime. They are such a curse.

So glad he's going better: his poor finger though!

You're doing right not to wait. If we had waited the results would have been unthinkable.
Let me know how you get on!

I brought him into temple st with his finger today. The tip is broken and we have to go to the plastic surgery clinic in the morning.

Who would want to have kids if they knew of all the problems they would have as they grew up:D

cyning

I keep saying If this one was my first we would have had no second she's finally improved a bit today after a full week of antibiotics and antibiotic ear drops.

That sounds so nasty I hope it's ok: and that ye get on well at clinic!

RentDayBlues

cyning wrote: »

I keep saying If this one was my first we would have had no second she's finally improved a bit today after a full week of antibiotics and antibiotic ear drops.

That sounds so nasty I hope it's ok: and that ye get on well at clinic!

Cyning, my heart goes out to you. I was describing your situation to my husband and said I couldn't believe how much you had to deal with in such a short space of time. My first has ear infections from 12 months to 22 months when she got grommits but if that was to be my second at the age of yours I don't think we could have coped.

It was one thing dealing with a sick toddler but dealing with a tiny sick baby is another world! I really hope the gromit surgery works and you all get some respite

cyning

We are very lucky in the sense that there's nothing seriously wrong with her: she's not immuno compromised, she doesn't have cf, inhalers & singulair have saved her chest this winter... It could be much worse

uck51js9zml2yt

Just back from Temple St. The finger didn't need surgery thankfully. We're back on Friday at 7.30 am He just has to take another course of antibiotics

Suucee

tatranska that sounds so scary. glad he is doing better. hope the finger ok soon.
73cat hope you LO doing well.
cyning hope S gets sorted soon. be sure to keep us informed.
my daughter had her first ear infection at 17 mnths and had them very very regularly from then on. literally every second week. she also had very few words. we were reffered to ent at 20 mnths . she was so bad we paid to go private. we were looking at a 6-12 mnth wait for her grommets. she was sick again a week later so my parents offered the €1500 for the grommets privetly. she had the opp the 3 weeks later at 21 mnths.
her speech came on in leaps and bounds.
shes now 34 mnths (13 mnths since grommets) and has started complaining again although has had only 1 infection in that 13 mnths. grommets have moved and look to be coming out. she has increased sensitivty and her baby brothet crying drives her demented or music in gymboree .
gp has reffered us back to ent again as dont want to wait for her to get very bad . unfortunetly we are looking at about 6 mnth wait.
if shr does start gettin worse we will scrape it together to go private. it really is ridiculous. i was looking at at least 6 mnth wait and only 3 weeks when paying .

cyning

Meeting ENT tomorrow for first consultation: realised S has stopped babbling and I'm not sure when she stopped: she just shrieks when looking for something. Was talking to phn today so she said that it's likely she's not hearing herself: not to worry yet but to keep in touch with her.

Suuccee it's ridiculous the waiting times: tomorrow's appt is €130 and while I can claim 75% of it back in December it's on top of €50 I spent in chemist today, €80 on paed last week, €80 on chemist last week, (€51 on a spacer for the inhaler that doesn't come under DPS). Cost shouldn't come into it with small kids but it does

uck51js9zml2yt

cyning wrote: »

Meeting ENT tomorrow for first consultation: realised S has stopped babbling and I'm not sure when she stopped: she just shrieks when looking for something. Was talking to phn today so she said that it's likely she's not hearing herself: not to worry yet but to keep in touch with her.

Suuccee it's ridiculous the waiting times: tomorrow's appt is €130 and while I can claim 75% of it back in December it's on top of €50 I spent in chemist today, €80 on paed last week, €80 on chemist last week, (€51 on a spacer for the inhaler that doesn't come under DPS). Cost shouldn't come into it with small kids but it does

How did the consultation go?

We were back with the consultant in tallaght this morning. He thinks the skin is regrowing inside the ear drum,
He has us scheduled in the next 6 -8 weeks for investigative surgery.
He needs to snip the ear drum and take a look,
If he finds what he think is there,we're looking at another booking for a 2 hour operation to clean out the inner ear:(