EAR INFECTION...AFTER EAR INFECTION, AFTER EAR INFECTION....

[HeartRN]

Anybody have any experience with this? We are on our third or fourth antibiotic since January...Needless to say, nobody is really sleeping in our house (refer to "Cries in the Night Post"....now I know this was all from ear infections!). Today we went back to the ped and the same ear is stil infected as it was in early Feb. Apparently the next step if this antibiotic doesn't work is to 1. Wait until Spring( because if we went to the ENT now, this is what they'd say) 2. See a Ped ENT for possible tubes. The ped today suspects that Keelin has chronic fluid in her ears and that they just keep getting reinfected. I'd almost rather do tubes sooner than later because I worry about permanent ear damage. Plus, my poor angel isn't getting good sleep at all (nor are we, needless to say), and life continues to go on, of course, with work, daycare, etc etc. *sigh* give me strength....The other fun piece to all of this is DH's dissertation for PhD is due in one week, and my MIL/SIL are coming to visit Sunday, and DH's car is broken down. When it rains, it pours.... Any insight people have regarding the ear thing would be appreciated. Thanks for letting me vent!

[Vanquisher]

My son went through this when he was an infant. He couldn't get rid of ear infections at all, no matter what antibiotic they threw at him. He started getting them when he was 9 months old, and it didn't stop until we had tubes put in when he was 14 months old. He was a new child after that, and we felt a lot better too. His tubes actually stayed in his ears until they dislodged when he was 4 years old. In all that time he didn't get one ear infection. Finally, he ended up with another ear infection. The tubes were in his ear canals but no longer in his ear drums. I took him in to the ENT because of his ear history, and I also wanted to have his hearing checked because sometimes it seemed like he didn't hear me.

The ENT had to remove the tubes from his ear canals, and diagnosed his ear infection. They gave him a hearing test and he failed. We took him back in a few weeks later after the infection had healed and I hoped that somehow the infection was causing it. Anyway, as it turns out, he is profoundly deaf in the one ear, it was missed in several hearing exams, including when he had the ear tubes put in, his newborn screen, and when he started speech therapy after a mouth reconstructive surgey. It is a sensorineuro loss and was not caused by the infections. We don't know when it happened. He could have been born with it, but we have no idea. We had to CT his head, and rule out some yucky conditions, trying to figure it what may have caused it, and if it is anything alarming. Anyway, we still don't know what caused the loss, BUT, I am so happy we had the tubes put in when he was a baby. If he would have had any scarring to his other ear, we could have been in a more dire circumstance. As it is he wears an aid on the one ear, but it doesn't help him a lot. The other ear is fine. I can't help but think that maybe those ear tubes saved his ear.

My sister had repeated infections when she was a child, and has hearing loss in both ears caused by the scarring of the infections. She actually had three sets of tubes because she had so many infections. From my understanding the infections cause much more damage than ear tubes.

Anyway, my point is, that I think it is a good way to go when antibiotics aren't working. I would do it again. For now, any time my son has a probably ear infection, and he has had a few since then, we fight it right of the bat with semi-strong antibiotics, to protect the hearing that he has in his ears. Good thing my pediatrician just asks me what works for my son, otherwise I'd be shopping for a new one. I've been told that depending on your region of the country, a lot of bugs are very resistant to amoxicillan, and after having it fail to cure my kids bugs several times, I have a bad taste in my mouth for it.

That got off on a tangent. Anyway, I'd get the tubes. I think it is the right decision.

When it rains, it pours! You are right!

You have my sympathy re: the ear infections. Our oldest had 4 her first winter (from about 6 months to 10 months old). She started sleeping through the night at 8 weeks -- all by herself and with no effort on our part. Well, that was all shot to hell when she started getting ear infections. She had unusual symptoms in that she wasn't that sick during the day -- not very fussy, low hard to notice fever, etc. I realize the difference since my baby had a an ear infection (much different!).

Anyway, she went through a bunch of antiobiotics and I remember the one after augmentin being horrible. It worked, though. Her 4th infection was in April and it cleared so we waited until the fall to do anything else. The next year she had only 2 that cleared up with treatment and none the year after that. I don't remember hearing anything about "chronic fluid" so I think ours was a different situation.

It sucks and it certainly affects sleep patterns. I think they feel it more at night with lying down and just being quiet and having fewer distractions.

Our new ped had us try something interesting on the last ear infection with my youngest. He gave us the prescription for antibiotics but asked us to wait 48 hours to fill it. I almost caved at 36 hours, but sure enough after 48, she was better and it cleared up. That never would have worked with my oldest because I know that, looking back, some times she had the infection for more than a few days (and I had let her cry it out at night ).

I hope she starts feeling better soon and you all get some good rest. And that the car gets fixed quickly and cheaply, your visiting family doesn't drive you bonkers, and the dissertation goes off without a hitch. Phew!!

[Rapunzel]

You've got my empathy as well!

My twin daughters both had chronic ear infections as babies. They were on just about every antibiotic known to man! One of them now has very bad reactions to an antibiotic family.

The infections didn't cease until after both girls had ear tubes placed in each of their ears. All but one ear tube in one daughter fell out on their own much later. The final one was removed by an ENT. Since then only one daughter has had a single ear infection and that was this last winter (they're turning six - so that's almost no infections for about five years).

I'm so sorry - it's a really obnoxious and unnerving thing for the child and the parents....

Jennifer

[DCJenn]

I wish they'd had ear tubes when I was a tyke. I STILL get ear infections and when I swim I have to be extra careful. I had an ear infection when Rick and I were dating and the doc I saw was like "WOW, would you look at your ear canals..." So, of course the med student boyfriend had to rip out the old otoscope and check things out for himself.

I DO have scarring and it probably does impact my hearing. I also have chronic fluid in my ears in the winter.

Go for the tubes. I'd get them now if there was any hope of fixing things.

Jenn

Empathy here too.

Took Henry in for his 12 mo today and yep. another ear infection. Augmentin does horrible things to him, bad diarreah and blistering diaper rash. This is his 4th since the fall. Hopefull cefzil(? don't have the bottle handy) will work again this time.


My older son, who was born at the end of May, still hasn't had an ef.

[HeartRN]

Thanks for all the responses and empathy, everybody! We started zithromax today...bad diarrhea already and we have the numbing ear drops. I guess we'll just wait and see...I found the one post interesting about certain areas of the country having resistant bugs to amoxi....it's funny, but I think that is one drug we haven't tried yet. Iwonder if that's why.....I guess the procedure is a quick one if she does get tubes. Of course DH and I know too much when it comes to complications of ANYBODY going under general anesthesia, no matter how short a period, but I'm sure we'll be fine if it's what's recommended. Thanks again for all the advice. I'm sorry for anybody who has or is going through the same thing!!!!

Ohhhh....I forgot about those numbing drops. I think they really helped (after she endured having them put in).
Hoping you get some better rest tonight.

[BonBon]

Oh Marla, I hope your little buttercup feels better soon!