First Ear Infection

[Dixielane]

Hi ladies. My DD is 11mo, EBF, and just got her first ear infection in one ear. It's not so bad, she isn't even fussy. Doc prescribed her antibiotics and I am unsure of them. Does anyone here treat ear infections alternatively? My doc said she would give her a slightly higher dose of antibiotics because she is unvax'd and bc the infection is likely pneumococcal .. Has anyone heard this?

I just know it is not good to over use antibiotics...

Sorry, First time mom and all!

[mom2happy]

None of my kids are vaxed and no way would my ped say that.

He would say to bring the baby back in two days before ever resorting to antibiotics.

I use mullein oil or garlic to help with ear pain and I'd even give ibuprofen or tylenol if the baby is expressing a lot of pain.

Does the baby have a fever or  symptoms?

[belltree]

Originally Posted by mom2happy 

None of my kids are vaxed and no way would my ped say that.

He would say to bring the baby back in two days before ever resorting to antibiotics.

I use mullein oil or garlic to help with ear pain and I'd even give ibuprofen or tylenol if the baby is expressing a lot of pain.

Does the baby have a fever or  symptoms?

Exactly that. Earinfections are painful so tylenol or ibuprofen will give all of you some relieve. Sometimes the eardrum will rupture, which hurts very badly, but it heals itself again, just keep the ear clean if that should happen.

We were never given antibiotics for an earinfection, and we had our share of those in the last winter.
 

[Dixielane]

So what can I do to treat it? She's not acting like it's painful.

She gave her 400mg amoxicillan...twice a day for 10 days. She said since ear infections can cause loss of hearing she would use Antibiotics and acted like her being unvaxed made it more risky..?

[Twinklefae]

Being unvaxxed meant she thought it was likely she had an infection that most kids are vaxxed for.

How did you discover the infection if she isn't fussy?  It's standard of care here to wait 2 or 3 days to see if it clears on it's own.  Past that I would use the antibiotics, since prolonged plugged ears aren't good for kids learning to talk.

[Sorilla]

The real problem is that is almost impossible to tel viral over bacterial infection and in the ear it can be both  . Usually, especially if it is not that hurtful you  wait until it clears off or get worth. And I would follow the natural path I was suggested before in this discussion. Good luck, and do not get discouraged if the ear infection returns, it happens all the time, not much you can do to prevent it.

[mom2happy]

Originally Posted by Dixielane 

So what can I do to treat it? She's not acting like it's painful.

She gave her 400mg amoxicillan...twice a day for 10 days. She said since ear infections can cause loss of hearing she would use Antibiotics and acted like her being unvaxed made it more risky..?

If she is not in pain that is a good sign.

I don't understand why the ped gave you the rx already.

Was it discovered at a well check or did you go the dr. because the baby is sick?

Is it possible for you to go to another ped for a 2nd opinion?

[MamatobabyA]

The last I had read, the pneumococcal vaccine protects against a very small % of ear infections. Yes, the bacteria can infect the ear, but my understanding was that it is usually responsible for recurring infection, not a single instance.  It's not even FDA approved as a vaccine for ear infections.  I think I would call and ask if you can hold off for 3 days or so and come back in for a recheck.

[Dixielane]

Originally Posted by MamatobabyA 

The last I had read, the pneumococcal vaccine protects against a very small % of ear infections. Yes, the bacteria can infect the ear, but my understanding was that it is usually responsible for recurring infection, not a single instance.  It's not even FDA approved as a vaccine for ear infections.  I think I would call and ask if you can hold off for 3 days or so and come back in for a recheck.

To answer some questions, she has been sick the last 1.5 week with a cough and clear snot. She was on a nebulizer for the cough and it's improved.

I myself am dying of allergies and I amreally wondering if she could have allergies causing all this. Pedi says no.

The pedi did a re check today for her cough when she looked in her ear and said she saw fluid and puss.

I'm not sure what course of action to take ESP when I can't visibly see signs of an infection... So I'm not sure how I could monitor it

[mom2happy]

Originally Posted by Dixielane 

Originally Posted by MamatobabyA 

The last I had read, the pneumococcal vaccine protects against a very small % of ear infections. Yes, the bacteria can infect the ear, but my understanding was that it is usually responsible for recurring infection, not a single instance.  It's not even FDA approved as a vaccine for ear infections.  I think I would call and ask if you can hold off for 3 days or so and come back in for a recheck.

To answer some questions, she has been sick the last 1.5 week with a cough and clear snot. She was on a nebulizer for the cough and it's improved.

I myself am dying of allergies and I amreally wondering if she could have allergies causing all this. Pedi says no.

The pedi did a re check today for her cough when she looked in her ear and said she saw fluid and puss.

I'm not sure what course of action to take ESP when I can't visibly see signs of an infection... So I'm not sure how I could monitor it

From my experience with 3 babes, they can take sometimes up to 3 weeks to clear from a cold. They don't know how to blow their nose or cough up mucous, so it lingers for longer.

They also have a brand new immune system that is practicing.

My DD 12 months has had 2 colds that she caught from the big kids. They were over them in a week and it took her 2-3 weeks to be boogie free.

Why is your baby on a nebulizer? Does she have asthma?

[jneff143]

I am a RN and I would STRONGLY SUGGEST that you find your child a new doc - sounds like you've got a true quack to me. Ask around everywhere parents are and try to get one who's well-loved. No one is perfect, but I would not want my child to see your lo's current doc.

[DaisyMae08]

I don't know, but my 3.5 mos old has his first ear infection and our ped. put him on 4ml of amoxicillan 3x/day for 10 days.  That is A LOT of pink goo and my poor little guy HATES it.  He was miserable with the infection though, shrieking constantly.  Tylenol for two days while the antibiotics kicked in made a WORLD of difference. 

[outlier]

 My 6 mo had his first ear infection last week.  We thought he just had a cold since he was snotty but not fussy, and the infection was found at his 6 month WBV.  Our pediatrician told us we could wait it out for a few days.  I had him checked six days later, and he had cleared it without antibiotics.

[mom2happy]

Originally Posted by DaisyMae08 

I don't know, but my 3.5 mos old has his first ear infection and our ped. put him on 4ml of amoxicillan 3x/day for 10 days.  That is A LOT of pink goo and my poor little guy HATES it.  He was miserable with the infection though, shrieking constantly.  Tylenol for two days while the antibiotics kicked in made a WORLD of difference. 

It could have been the tylenol that relieved the pain, and the infection could have cleared up itself. The problem with giving the antibiotics to soon is that you don't know if it went away naturally or if was in fact the antibiotics. A lot of times people think the drugs are what worked when the illness was actually on it's way out and it just had to run its course.

[DaisyMae08]

I'm sure it was the Tylenol that relieved the pain.  By the time I stopped using it, the infection was under control enough that he was feeling okay.  Whether that was because of the antibiotics or not, I don't know.  I do know that ear infections that don't resolve one way or another (antibiotics, on their own, alternative treatments or what have you) can be dangerous in little ones so it can be difficult to know what to do. 

[Mama2Kayla]

We just had our first ear infection here too. I took my LO to her 6 month well visit and the doc discovered an ear infection(she was recovering from a cold). She had no fever, no fussiness and was sleeping fine. OUr doc prescribed antibiotics, but I decided to wait it out. I gave her motrin the next day since she was a little fussy and put garlic oil and bm in her ears every couple hrs. It cleared up on its own.

I have 3 kids who have had various colds/fevers/sinus probs...never needed antibiotics. Most of the time all thats needed is a little time for the body's immune system to kick in and knock it out. JMHO