Ear Infections!

JesusIsLife

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Ha, mine has already started.  Just last week my 18mo.  had a sinus infection, which led to an upper respritory infection and an ear infection in both ears.  It can make for really long and uncomfortable nights.  I slept on the floor next to her bed so I was right there every time she woke up screaming. 

Coping, wow, that can be a tough one.  I usually just give her as much time and attention as she wants.  We watch movies together or just hold her if she wants.  Needless to say when she is sick she gets even more spoiled.  It's so hard at an age where they can't tell you what hurts.  When the hubby gets home I get a break, and go take a nice LONG bubble bath....if I don't feel too guitly.

Presctiptions....I had three and they were 50.00, plus the cost of the doctors visit.  They sure did the trick, especially the ear drops that numb the pain!!

She is back to herself now, getting into everything! :D
 
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Blynn

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I have been so blessed that my three have never had an ear infection! I think we have been close a couple of times, but they have never come down with an ear infection.

I became concerned a few years ago when eveytime I took my son to the doctor he was given an antibiotic. He got a bacterial infection while on antibiotics. :( He required a very strong antibiotic to cure this. I switched doctors and learned that your child does not need an antibiotic everytime they are sick. If they have an infection yes. If it is a cold or viral they do not need one. My children do not get sick like they use to since they do not take antibiotics everytime that they are ill.
 
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Dewjunkie

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My older daughter was constantly battling ear infections. She had tubes inserted twice, and her adenoid removed to ease pressure on her ear canals. Poor baby suffered a lot with them. We had a lot of sleepless nights with her. (But, no more ear infections in Heaven!!)

My younger daughter has never had an ear infection. (Praise God!) she is battling a bit of a cold right now, and like JIL said, I spoil her when she feels icky. I normally dose her up with PediaCare for infants, and it does the trick fairly quick. I only resort to a doctor visit if her symptoms persist. I think doctors are only necessary if rest and OTC medications can't cure the ill.
 
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VOW

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Overuse of antibiotics is a very real concern. Some parents feel if they don't take a prescription away from a doctor visit, they haven't gotten their money's worth. You gotta admit, with all the hassle and expense and time it takes to go see the doctor, being told that saline nasal spray is what you need seems rather frustrating.

One thing you can do to insure your child (or yourself!) isn't culturing a new "superbug" is to TAKE ALL OF THE ANTIBIOTIC THAT IS PRESCRIBED. Too many people stop the medication after they start to feel better, which is just about the worst thing a person can do. Then if they start to feel cruddy again (or get sick with an entirely different ailment), out comes the leftover antibiotic, and the person will think just a pill or two will put them back on track.

All that accomplishes is killing off the weak bugs, and leaving the macho bugs behind, to collaborate on how they'll knock you flat on your back.

My husband was one of those idiots. I can't even begin to tell you the times he'd crawl to the doctor half dead, come home with a prescription, and then just take the pills for a few days.

He got his just desserts. After having several SERIOUS bouts of tonsillitis, the Army doctors finally agreed his tonsils were fighting for the enemy, and needed to come out. Mister Macho Army Man came through the surgery just fine, and was discharged from the hospital the next day.

The superbugs which had been lurking in the nooks and crannies of his body called in all their friends, and threw a massive party. Hubster had to be re-admitted to the hospital, where he spent the next WEEK, receiving turbo-charged, IV antibiotics that felt like acid was being dripped into his veins.

He takes all of his medicine now.


Peace,
~VOW
 
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lucypevensie

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My daughter fought 10 ear infections in her first year of life:(. She had tubes put in when she was 13 months old finally. Our pediatrician is one of those who jumps to prescribe a drug for everything. I let her do it. Our ear-nose-throat doc told me after her sugery that it is OKAY to let an ear infection run its course in order to strengthen her own immune system to fight its own battles instead of a drug. Just use common sense. Even after tubes she continued to get infections. I followed the ENT's advice and let them go away on their own. I wish I had done that way back a long time ago. She had about five more after the tubes and has had NO ear infections since then. She may have just "grown out of it" I suppose, but who knows....
 
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LilyLamb

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My youngest has had the worse of all five children with ear infections, but not nearly as bad as some children go through ... he just had an ear infection a couple of weeks ago - his last one was around age two - he's five now and in Kindergarten. I have to be alert to any medical symptoms or he'll have a bad bout of asthma so we caught this one pretty quick. Our doctor prescribed the zithromax antibiotic - once a day for six days, rather than the usual five days - there was an extra spoonful so I gave it to him for seven days - like VOW said, use all of the medicine.

We had to put him on the nebulizer machine two evenings while he was getting through this stage (his asthma is aggravated by colds) ... but he's fine now ... hopefully we won't have anymore problems this winter.

I really like that zithromax - I know it's more expensive (our insurance covers a good chunk of it so that it's only $20) - but it works fast and it's only one dose a day.

I really didn't have any problems with him this time - when he was still toddling around and had an ear infection there was a need for more cuddling and comforting - but this time the tylenol and occassional sympathetic hugs got him through :) The only thing that kept him up during the night was the asthma (coughing) not the pain of the infection.



((((((hugs to all the moms/dads who have to deal with ear infections))))))
 
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Vow, you are bringing back the memories for me! Ear infections, sinus infections, allergies, asthma and neb. machines, I know them all too well. Two of the three of mine had to have tonsils and adnoids removed. One had the tubes put in the ears. I guess I have been real lucky. The tubes were a blessing for one. Kept them for over a year and has now been infection free for five years. Praise the Lord for that!
 
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VOW

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Well, I served my time in Ear Infection Hell, because my son had the tubes put in THREE times. The first time we were dealing with all the hassles of the Military Medical System, too. The Pediatrics clinic SOP was to just keep treating the infections, and you had to get a referral by Peds before you could see ENT. One of the doctors mistook "a temperature of 101 degrees with a forehead thermometer" as "a temperature of 104" and we got the referral to ENT. ENT wondered why the kid hadn't been referred long before then!

My son was 13 months old when he had the tubes put in. He had not walked by that age, although he WANTED to, desperately. I couldn't get the pediatricians to agree with me that the ear infections were screwing up his balance and thereby affecting his ability to walk. Well, guess what? THAT weekend he had the tubes put in, HE WALKED.

I don't know if I agree with "letting the infection run its course" if a child does NOT have the tubes in the ears. The infection and fluid in the middle ear builds up a terrible, painful pressure, and unless the body defense systems can attack the infection right away, the ear drum can burst. We're talking excruciating here! IF the tubes are in place, it might be possible to let the infection run its course, but only if the tubes remain open, and the nastiness can drain to the outside. However, tubes have a little trick of gettng plugged up, and then it's pain and pressure all over again.

The body also expels the tubes on its own, after a while.

My son had the tubes put in a total of three times.

The BEST thing for ear infections, unfortunately, is just waiting until the kid grows out of them.

Oh, my, I remember the semi-permanent stain on the refrigerator door shelf from the bottles of pink bubblegum medicine!!



Peace,
~VOW
 
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GritsnGrace

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Boy!! Does this bring back memories!! My daughter also had tubes put in 3 times, the first being when she was just 9 months old! Her first ear infection, she was less than a month old! It got to a point where I could place my hand on her forehead, and tell you what her temp was before I even used the thermometer!! She had her tonsils and adenoids out with her second set of tubes at 2 1/2 years. Her third was when she was 5. Her ENT said these would be permanent tubes, they would not just come out like most sets do. Her ear infections seemed to come to a halt after that. Oh, and the oink bubble gum medicine wouldn't even touch hers, they went up 3 steps each time to Ceclor, and finally, they just started prescribing Ceclor!! She's 17 now, and has very little trouble with her ears. I think she has a minor hearing loss due to scar tissue, but it is barely noticeable, just low tones she can't hear. Soooo glad that is over!!! :clap:
 
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