Ear ache in 4 year old

[LBerry]

My four year old Son is suffering ear-ache. Severe tenderness around the outside, and he says it hurts inside too. We took him to the Doctors yesterday and were told that he doesn't have an ear infection. Dr also looked in his mouth, but couldn't find anything. I am sure it's not a case of attention seeking, as he jumps & cries when his ear is brushed putting on/taking off clothes. Calpol deadens the pain and helps sleep, but of course 'if symptoms persist, seek medical advice'. We have done so, and got no-where. Any suggestions?

[sqad617]

If the Dr. has checked inside the ear and said that it is O.K then that is that. Presumably you have sought a second opinion and that also produced no definative diagnosis. Difficult situation and I fear that all you can do is continue with the Calpol.

[puzzled54]

I'm usually very supportive of doctors, and don't want to upset any, but I took my toddler to the docs to have her ears checked as I thought she had an infection. Was told her ears were ok, and less than an hour later, one eardrum perforated. I'd say if you know he's not well, take him back again for another check. A doctor should never make you feel you're wasting their time with a childs ears.

[LBerry]

Many thanks for your input, hoping you're still in this link. His ear has just started 'leaking'. Does this sound liable to be a perforated eardrum?

[andrea81]

LBerry - If your son's ear is anything like my sons was, after it leaking, it should feel so much better. Try ibuprofen aswel as this will help with swelling, his glands might be up a bit and will hurt!

But having said that Puzzled54 maked a very good point, in that you know whats best, and if you're not happy, go back to Docs! x x

[flump1]

Hi LBerry , is there any chance a foreign body may have found its way into his ear? If it doesn't settle soon i would seek further advice. Children are good at putting things in their ears, noses that they shouldn't. Bless em ! Sometimes these things are so tiny they may not be seen at first. I hope it soon clears up for the little fella.

[puzzled54]

Sorry I wasn't around to reply before. When my daughters eardrum perforated, she had a terrible screaming fit and I knew she was in pain, but she was only a toddler so couldn't tell me what was wrong. After that, the pain went as the pressure on the eardrum eased, and gunk started coming out of her ear. I phoned the doctors and was told she needed anti biotic ear drops.

Hope your son is feeling better now. Why not phone the surgery in the morning and tell them about the leakage.

[ilsonchick]

Put cotton wool into the ear with warm olive oil on to sooth the pain. Then book another doctors appointment and tell them your not happy and that your son doesnt make a fuss over nothing x

[MrXLA]

I'm going to ignore most of the inappropriate comments made above.
However do NOT put cotton buds in your child's ear (as suggested above) I'm reliably informed that one should NEVER place anything smaller than their elbow in their ear.
I cannot comment on your child's ear/s other than to say I hope all is resolved soon and I agree that it would perhaps be appropriate to return to your GP if you feel necessary (remember it is possible that at the time your child presented at the GP originally that there was no clinical signs to suggest that further intervention was necessary, there may be now).

[MrXLA]

Also I'd like to make everyone aware (and I had until recently believed this to be common sense!!!) that medicine is far from an exact science, medical conditions do not come with labels that state:
' I am X treat me with Y'
Nor do they present exactly as they appear in a text book (sometimes they do).
This means that diagnosis comes from knowledge, clinical skill and experience its not always easy.
People assume that they know best, and sometimes this is the case, especially since in the case of a mother they will be acutely aware when their child is unwell.
However a GP has trained for 5-6 years as undergraduate student, then 4 years hospital training followed by a year in practice as a 'GP registrar' before becoming a 'fully fledged GP' MINIMUM!!!! so please you might know best, but excercise a bit of respect.

[puzzled54]

I am aware that medicine is not an exact science, but I used my experience as an example that sometimes things can be missed, and hope you are not accusing me of making inappropriate comments.

[puzzled54]

That was meant for MrXLA - and no one mentioned cotton buds except you MrXLA.

[MrXLA]

I do apologise puzzled54 I was referring to ilsonchick's post in which it was suggest that one place 'cotton wool into the ear with warm olive oil...'

[MrXLA]

I personally commend anyone who has chosen to work for the NHS, which in my view is one of the worst organisations to work for due to the complete lack of regard for the conditions its staff work in, not to mention the patients!!!
Compound that with the fact that the general public seem to have a complete lack of respect or appreciation for their hard work, rarely citing the positive and all too quick to highlight the negative and I'm left wondering why these people bother....

However I'm glad and grateful that they do and I accept like all humans that they make mistakes.

[tracymort]

After the leakage things should get better, the pressure has been released. Doctors now rarely unless really bad prescribe antibs for ear infections. Studies noticed they made no difference to the time it takes to get better.
I'm lucky and am breastfeeding at the moment an breastmilk contains a natural antibiotic and anti inflammatory so I use that on my children's ear aches.
Garlic and olive oil is pretty good too.

[sqad617]

With no disrespect to traceymort, I would like to know which studies show that antibiotics make no difference to the outcome of middle ear infections. Up until the 1940, mastoiditis following middle ear infections was a common cause of brain abscess and occasionall death. Now probably 99% of Drs have never seen an acute mastoid, due entirely to the use of antibiotics.
I may have miised the point but in her ultimate paragraph, is tracemort saying that she puts breast milk in her childs ear for ear infections?