I'm so scared for my baby. Need help asap!

[Mommyintraining2]

DD 7 months was diagnosed with ear infections last night with 104.5. Doc wanted to give her amoxicillin (anti-biotic). She gave her Motrin which brought fever down and she seemed much better. I chose to hold off on anti-biiotic. I'm treating her with garlic/mullein oil.

This morning, she was great. Then this afternoon she got bad again. If I give her a bath or Motrin, temp goes down a little, then goes back up. I am so scared. She's at 103.5 right now. Called doc again. Told me to give her anti-biotic. I'm not sure what to do. And I'm scared of meningitis. I hope someone has some suggestions.

[justicedante]

Hugs mama! I know how worrisome fevers are. I find this article very helpful:
http://www.mothering.com/articles/gr...ng_crisis.html

[justicedante]

This may be helpful too:
http://www.mothering.com/articles/gr...-remedies.html

[Amila]

My DD always ran high fevers as a baby (Like 105-106). It is fairly common and normal. By giving her Motrin you are interrupting the fever doing its job in killing off the infection. I have treated my babes with Tylenol in the past, but only is they were MISERABLE and unable to sleep, not simply for a fever.

Signs of Meningitis: Stiff neck, lethargic (floppy), and sensitivity to light (bring her near a lamp and see if the light bothers her more than usual).

She will be just fine!!!!

[Mommyintraining2]

Thank you for the articles. I appreciate the insight and perspective.

Normally I wouldn't worry too much. But with the fever trying to go up to 105, I get nervous. Also, she is very stiff. I can't tell if she is trying to hold her neck straight because of pain in that area or just because she is achey all over. A midwife mentioned testing her out by holding her head straight and then bending her chin to her chest. Meningitis will cause excruciating pain. I tried this and she definitely doesn't like it and cried, but she was crying anyway. A couple of times she did look down when I placed a blinking light down by her stomach. She didn't look for long though.

I know I'm probably just being overly worried. This is the first time I have dealt with such a high fever. We have been bringing it down when it hits over 104 degrees. But I wonder if I should just let her go and burn out whatever she is fighting.

[Jojo F.]

We have fevers for a reason- to kill off any invading bacteria/virus. If E. has a low grade fever I give hime a nice warm bath. Just enough to soothe but just enough to keep him nice and warm to kill off some of the bacteria/virus(You don't really know what it is at the time)

I'd error on the cautious side. Did you continue with the mullien/garlic? I'd add a few drops of BM in the actual ear too. The best of luck to you!!

From my friend Lemon Juice- From Dr. Kupperberg

ACONITE- High fever, sudden onset, dry fever, restless croup

ANTIMONIUM TARTARICUM- loose, rattly cough

ARNICA- bruises,contusion,sprain-first thing to do in head trauma

BELLADONNA-high fever,sudden onset,more delirious,hallucinations

CHAMOMILLA-high fever,irritable,inconsolabl; ie:teething,earache

CHINA-flu with fatigue,relapsing fever,aches,chills,malodorous diarrhea

EUPATORIUM-flu with bone pain restlessness,severe headache,thirsty

FERRUM PHOS-early stages of cold,pale with flush on top, sensitive/irritable

GELSEMIUM- flu with fatigue,lethargy,apathy,dullness,not thirsty

HEPAR SULPHURICUM-colored discharge,yellow or green,irritable,fussy

HYPERICUM-nerve pain: toothache or tooth injury,also fingers in the car door, etc

MERCURIOUS VIVUS-sore throat,tonsillitis,with bad breath,coated,rufled tongue

OSCILLOCOCCINUM-generic flu prevention, before the flu

PULSATILLA-fevers,colds,earache,when acting unusually mild,gentle,weepy

RUTA-sprains

SPONGIA-wheezing asthma

All remedies can be used in the 12c or 30c potency. Dosing is 3-4 pellets, frequency depends on severity and acuteness of symptoms. **Oscillococcinum dose is 10-15 of the small pellets-not the whole vial.

[Ackray]

When my baby had bacterial meningitis she was too sick to cry and had a fever of 107.

You are talking about a 7 MONTH old baby with a high fever and a diagnosed ear infection. Give her the antibiotics!

[2xy]

Originally Posted by Ackray

You are talking about a 7 MONTH old baby with a high fever and a diagnosed ear infection. Give her the antibiotics!

I agree.

I'm also not sure what the point is of calling or seeing a doctor if you're not willing to use the prescribed treatment.

[MyLilPwny]

According to Mendelsohn in How to Raise a Healthy Child In Spite of Your Doctor: "the symptoms of meningitis may includea stiff neck (but not necessarily), a persistent headache, vomiting, fever, and convulsions in infants...If your child has an unexplained fever for three or four days, accompanied by drowsiness, vomitting, a shrill cry, and possibly a stiff neck, it is time to suspect meningitis. Some of these symptoms are also present with influenza. You can distinguish meningitis by the last two, particularly the shrill cry. If your child has this, insist that your doctor perform the appropriate tests, which may include a spinal tap. In that event, if he doesn't find the spinal canal on the first or second attempt, tell him to stop trying and call another doctor.

Antibiotics have reduced mortality from this dread disease from 95 percent to 5 percent. That's why correct, early diagnosis of the disease is a matter of life or death."

I'd make sure you have a correct diagnosis before giving the antibiotics because if its just a regular ear infection, antibiotics are ineffective, since antibiotics are for bacteria. Also, ear infections don't appear to be a symtom of meningitis. Mendelsohn says he'd only give antibiotics for an ear infection if pus were coming out of the ear, otherwise he never prescribes antibiotics for ear infections.

[Th1Th2]

There must be a reason why your baby had an ear infection. Find the cause and the cure will follow. But giving fever-reducing drugs and empiric antibiotics is a shot in the dark and will only result to recurring fevers and ear infections subsequently.

[didelphus]

Personally, I'd give her the antibiotics at this point. I fought ear infections naturally when my third was a baby with no luck until the gunk in his ear finally turned to glue and hindered his hearing. After that I've used antibiotics. I guess there's a time and a place.

[D_McG]

Originally Posted by Ackray

You are talking about a 7 MONTH old baby with a high fever and a diagnosed ear infection. Give her the antibiotics!

Seriously. Why are you allowing her to remain in pain?

[skai]

Originally Posted by D_McG

Seriously. Why are you allowing her to remain in pain?

:

Give her the antibiotics.

[aprildawn]

I agree with the PPs who say to go ahead and treat with the antibiotics. My DD2 had persistent, recurrent ear infections. She was miserable and her hearing became impaired. As for the mullin and garlic, if the ear drum ruptures you don't want to be putting any drops in her ears. I tried the mullin and garlic to no avail. I needlessly kept my baby in pain for too long.

I'm all for "wait and see," and so was our doctor. But, there comes a time when the infection has gone on long enough, and the baby is in so much pain that the antibiotics are a good thing.

Ear pain is horrible.

[aydensmama]

I was thinking- give her the antibiotics as well, but I totally respect if you are trying to avoid.

With ds1, he started getting ear infections around 18 mths. Some I treated with the antiobiotics, some without. I always always always treated everything else naturally and then added other supplements to help while he was on a round of antibiotics. If he was in pain, really fussy or high fevers (103-104) we would do antiobiotics, garlic mullen oil, tylenol as needed, probitoics, garlic internally, and vit c. If it was a mild infections I would do all above without the antiobiotics.

Doing that for me helped me feel better about an infection becoming worse...just my 2 cents....

[Amylcd]

Originally Posted by skai

:

Give her the antibiotics.

I agree.

[cjmz]

I guess I am not understanding why you do not want to give her the antibiotics to get rid of the infection?

[mysticmomma]

But most ear infections are caused by viruses. And of course she can seek advice of a medical professional without following it. How many of us have refused induction, c-section or antibiotics ourselves?

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Giving the tylenol is going to help relieve the pain she is in. If you have ever had a ear infection you know exactly how badly that hurts

I agree with abx when ds got a double ear infection on his first bday and we ended up in the ER because he was HURTING so badly I gave the abx without a second thought and within 12 hours he wasnt in pain any more.

[an_aurora]

I'd give her the abx as well. DD1 has had two ear infections in the past that we have treated with garlic and olive oil like normal. The second time, it cleared up for about a week and then suddenly she was very lethargic and running a 103 fever. She was miserable and limp so I took her to urgent care. Her fever was 104.9 and I took the abx. This was her first time ever on abx and her infection wasn't responding to our home remedies. Sometimes it's just necessary, IMO.