maize Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 My two year old has an ear infection, single side. The Dr gave me an antibiotic prescription yesterday but confirmed that the current medical advice is that it may be better to let her get over it on her own unless things get worse. So I haven't filled the prescription yet. She's been running a fever between 102 and 103 and is obviously pretty miserable but apparently not experiencing a lot of ear pain. She's refusing ibuprofen. Just wondering if anyone has taken the wait and see approach to an ear infection and what their experience was. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinnia Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 (edited) I usually wait and see. Our docs have been doing that for a few years. I have one child that mildly complains of ear pain, then it gets acute quickly. That happened one time with him in the night, and we did comfort measures and put him to bed. A few hours later, he woke with a cry, and it began to ooze out of his ear. His eardrum had perforated. That's like worst case scenario, and the doc was all, welll.....no big deal. He has not shown adverse affects from that. Edited November 4, 2017 by Zinnia 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 A Chiro visit usually clears them up quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnwife Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 I would wait and see.However, I'd be putting warm olive oil (a couple drops...warm not hot!) in her ear in the meantime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 When I took the wait and see approach, it resulted in two ruptured eardrums, two trips to the doctor (to get antibiotics and then to check on the status of the eardrums), and a trip to the audiologist that included a full hearing test in a sound proof room. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 If I were going to try wait and see, I'd probably at least go with Vitamin C to tolerance(by mouth) and some warm garlic oil or garlic in olive oil in the ears. I've had some reasonably okay experiences with alternatives to antibiotics rx, but not really good experience with doing nothing for an ear. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 A Chiro visit usually clears them up quickly. :iagree: If I were going to try wait and see, I'd probably at least go with Vitamin C to tolerance(by mouth) and some warm garlic oil or garlic in olive oil in the ears. I've had some reasonably okay experiences with alternatives to antibiotics rx, but not really good experience with doing nothing for an ear. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherGoose Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 My doctor gives rx drops for ear pain that help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Prior to my youngest getting her cochlear implant, I took a “wait 2-3 days before filling the prescriptionâ€. It was about 50/50 it clearing up on its own vs. needing antibiotics. No ruptured eardrum or anything like that. Now with the implant, she needs antibiotics straight away because an infection could lead to meningitis. Fortunately she is old enough to be past peak susceptibility for infection Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCB Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Studies have shown that ear infections tend to get better in the same amount of time if you take antibiotics or if you don't. I took the wait and see approach with my dds when they were small but definitely gave them pain medication - ibuprofen if possible to help with the inflammation. If dd seemed really unwell we would then start the antibiotics, but I found that if she fought it off herself it was usually longer before the next one. I'm all for not giving antibiotics if at all possible, but of course giving them if they really were necessary. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 (edited) My kids are a long way past toddler-hood, but luckily, they rarely needed antibiotics for ear infections. We always used the wait and see approach, using pain relievers, warm compresses, and drops of warm oil. Edited November 4, 2017 by jen3kids 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 I still get them fairly frequently as an adult and the wait and see approach has never resulted in them clearing up on their own for me. And for my kids....it seemed like every time I took them in for a well child appointment, they had an ear infection but weren't complaining about it. If it was bad enough that they were complaining, it was REALLY bad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 For those that wish to do the wait and see approach ask your doctor about the ear numbing drops. They are wonderful for the pain. You can't use them with ear tubes or a ruptured ear drum though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Our ped recommended garlic oil as a first line of treatment (you basically simmer garlic cloves in olive oil and then put a few drops, warm not hot, into the ear canal.) The garlic has antibiotic properties. If it didn't clear up by I want to say 4 days, then we were to fill the Rx. Of course, use tylenol for pain/fever relief too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 We always filled the prescriptions immediately. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 We always did wait and see with our kids. It generally worked out fine, but my kids weren't very prone to ear infections. Younger dd commented the other day that she's never taken antibiotics, which hadn't crossed my mind. I used to have a book on the subject https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Childhood-Ear-Infections-Alternative/dp/155643216X which I think listed various other ideas to try. OTOH, dh always tended to have sort of swampy ears, which get infected and need antibiotics -- his sister (who has the same issue) says she was told it had something to do with the shape of their Eustachian tubes. SIL goes to a chiropractor who apparently deals appropriately with it for her. Other than that, wait-and-see doesn't work for them. Actually, now that I think about it, dh hasn't had an ear infection for a really long time. Interesting. He does a lot of diet and health things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 My mom always took a wait and see approach with me and each and every time my ear drums ruptured. I continued to get infections every 6-8 months well into my 30s - the kind of pain that even vicodin doesn't touch. Now my ears have so much scar tissue that I can't equalize my ears, and have hearing issues. I will never wait and see with ear pain. Me either. My parents never treated anything unless it got terribly serious. I still get ear infections. Only one of my kids has ever had one. But I find mine are excruciating painful. It feels like someone is constantly knifing my eardrum. And the drops in the ear? Burns like salt in a wound. I don’t think antibiotics are for every sniffle, but I always fill antibiotics for ears. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 (edited) I'm definitely not a run-to-the-doctor-for-every-little-thing type of person, but I don't mess around with ear infections. It's not worth the risk for me. An ear infection is one thing I always want to actively treat. Edited November 4, 2017 by MercyA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Mine rarely get/got "ear infections". Our doctor deeply resented the idea that so many doctors automatically diagnose the presence of fluid as an infection. He gave pain drops and gum to chew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 We had frequent ear infections here. I wait and see only with older children who can communicate their symptoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Outer ear I treat with tea tree oil drops. Inner I do antibiotics first thing. I know people who have suffered permanent hearing loss due to damage from infections. I also think chiro is a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twolittleboys Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Our doctor recommended a home remedy while waiting: Heat up a little bit of olive oil with a few drops of lemon juice until it is pleasantly warm and pour in the affected ear. We have used this quite a bit and rarely have needed antibiotics since! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 I would still give ibuprofen for a high fever and a “pretty miserable†child. My kids were fortunate as neither one had ear infections except for a couple bouts of swimmer’s ear. I usually don’t take them (or myself) to the doctor until after the “wait and see†period has elapsed, so I’ve never not filled a prescription. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashfern Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 I always do wait & see plus chiropractor. I would have the child lay on a hot water bottle (not too hot for the kiddo) since she won't take ibuprofen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 I have done it done ways. How does chiro help? What does it do to fight the infection? Curious b/c I have used acupuncture fir many things like this, but never chiro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 I always did that---and that was 15-20 years ago. (My guys are grown.) I rarely filled the antibiotic. I did make sure we had a prescription for pain-relieving drops. Had the pain been bad, I would have filled the prescription. However, your child has a significantly elevated fever. Was it that high at the doctor's when s/he said wait and see? What parameters did the doctor give you for what symptoms would necessitate the antibiotic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandwalker Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Our ped recommended garlic oil as a first line of treatment (you basically simmer garlic cloves in olive oil and then put a few drops, warm not hot, into the ear canal.) The garlic has antibiotic properties. If it didn't clear up by I want to say 4 days, then we were to fill the Rx. Of course, use tylenol for pain/fever relief too. My mom did this for us in the 1960s. They always cleared up, no antibiotics needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted November 4, 2017 Author Share Posted November 4, 2017 I always did that---and that was 15-20 years ago. (My guys are grown.) I rarely filled the antibiotic. I did make sure we had a prescription for pain-relieving drops. Had the pain been bad, I would have filled the prescription. However, your child has a significantly elevated fever. Was it that high at the doctor's when s/he said wait and see? What parameters did the doctor give you for what symptoms would necessitate the antibiotic? Yes, the fever was there at the doctor visit. The doctor said if she seemed to be getting worse OR was not getting better within two or three days to give the antibiotic. We are an ear infection prone family, I'm guessing something about the shape of the eustachian tubes. Also at least one child had overgrown adenoids that were blocking 95% of his nasal passage and had to be removed--seems that could contribute to ear infections as well. That child had ruptured ear drums and we don't know from when (just that scarring is visible)--I know he was treated for multiple infections. We have usually treated, but they were also almost always double infections and the guidelines on that in young children recommend treatment. This child hasn't had them before though, at least not that I remember. I really don't want to mess up gut bacteria unnecessarily. She's still running a fever but I don't think as high. She's up and playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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