Drainage

[Anonymous]

Ben has tubes and hasn’t had an ear infection since the surgery. He has been teething (2 yr. molars) and has a runny nose, and today I noticed that he had some funky ear wax. He has always had a bunch of ear wax, but I started to wonder if maybe this wasn’t drainage from his tubes (an infection).

For those of you with tubed kids , what does drainage look like? So gross, I know.

[Anonymous]

Ashlynn had a thick wax drainage at one time that turned to a snotty slimey drainage, The second time it was a brownish color drainage and each time she had this drainage she had a ear infecton. Hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

Did Ashlynn have a fever with this? Ben doesn’t, but that isn’t altogether new for him.

I would describe his drainage as brownish. I just wondered if it could simply be fluid that is draining (and cleaning his dirty ear in the process) and not necessarily an infection.

ETA: I forgot, it also smells kinda gross. That’s actually how I noticed it the first time.

Bensmama2008-12-15 19:02:40

[Anonymous]

No each time she had no fever. I took her to the dr because of the drainage.

[Anonymous]

Don’t quote me on this…but I am pretty sure I remember that drainage with tubes is a pretty clear sign of infection. I only remember that because ear infections were ALWAYS a guessing game for us (b/c Sarah never ran a fever either…just cranky, poor sleep, etc…) I remember thinking how great it would be to have a CLEAR sign (drainage) that she had an ear infection!!!

However, I am pretty sure they can still have an infection, even WITHOUT drainage though. I’d take him in to be looked it.

He’s had it tubes for a while, right?? I am thinking it’s been a long time…Sarah’s fell out at exactly the 6 month mark. Grrr!

Good luck Naomi!

[Anonymous]

Hey Naomi

Danika my 3yo who also has tubes has not had a ear infection since her 2nd set of tubes and her adenoids where removed. Each time Ashlynn has had drainage from her ear she also was having a runny nose and also cutting a few teeth. But again each time we had drainage we had no fever. Hope Ben is ok. Ashlynn is going to have a scope after the first of the year.

Just like Amy said I was told by some of my friends that drainage was a clear sign of infection. Ashlynn was put on ear drops plus a antibotic.

Amy Danika’s first set of tubes only lasted 6 months also.

stcwatt2008-12-16 07:15:32

[Anonymous]

My boys both had mixture of thick waxy drainage as well as sometimes more liquidy? not sure how to describe it, but they would almost be wet on their faces near their ears? Anyway, even if they had infection they were not in that awful pain because the tubes allowed them not to have that horrible pressure, so we rarely did antibiotics once we got the tubes for ear infections as they would clear up on their own most times and without discomfort. If the boys appeared to be in pain that tylenol was not enough, then I would take them to the doc to have them checked….

Hang in there!

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone. He had crusty dried stuff all around the ear this morning, so I called the ENT. They can’t get us in until next week when we will be out of town! So, the nurse is going to call me back about what to do in the meantime. I guess I could try getting him in with the pediatrician, but I’m loath to take him to that place this germy time of year!

He doesn’t seem to be in pain either, but his sleep has been lousy. I’d just chalked it up to the teeth, but maybe his ears were bugging him. He hasn’t been pulling on them, or acted like they hurt though.

And yes, Amy, he’s had the tubes for over a year, and this is the first sign of any problem since the surgery. I am SO thankful for them and SO glad that they didn’t fall out right away.

[Anonymous]

When Ash did have her ear infections we had better luck at her gen. ped because I could get in easier. Plus her ent told us to follow with her gen. ped if we did have any ear infections.

[Author]

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