How long for relief?

[Anonymous]

This is Ben’s first ear infection and day 3 of his antibiotics. How long typically does it take until the antibiotics provide relief from the pain? He really isn’t eating or sleeping well, and while it could be just from the reflux, he won’t eat from one side hardly at all – the side with the infection. I’ve been giving tylenol, but it doesn’t seem to help much.

[Anonymous]

Naomi:

After reading your other post, I am quite certain that the pain from the ear infection is what is causing him to pull off so frequently as the sucking and even more so, the swallowing, is hurting. When Kayla used to get ear infections, she used to pull off the bottle all the time. Hopefully the antibiotic will kick in soon for him and help the whole situation.

Robin

[Anonymous]

I agree with Robin. Justice did the same thing. I have heard that antibiotics don’t really help that much. There have been studies to show that an ear infection will go away in the same time if antibiotics are used or not. I used them with Justice too and was told that afterward. Also the antibiotics make the reflux worse. not sure why. You could put some breast milk in his ear or get some garlic oil from a health food store. Also, if he will let you put a warm compress on the bad ear. Justice liked laying on a warm rice sock. Not that he would lay there long though. Oh, tylenol didn’t help Justice either. We use motrin. Not sure if Ben is too young for that though. Good luck. I hope he starts feeling relief soon.

[Anonymous]

With my kids it usually seems to help the pain by the third day. However, Bryce just ended a round of antibiotics on Monday for an ear infection, and never seemed to feel better. I took him in again yesterday, and he still had an ear infection. So we had to start him on a stronger antibiotic. The same thing happened last month. Actually, I’m wondering if it’s all been the same ear infection that just has never gone away.

Anyway! My point is that sometimes they need a different antibiotic. Hopefully that isn’t the case for Ben and his infection starts to clear up soon.

Tylenol doesn’t seem to help much for earaches with my kids either. Unfortunately, you can’t give motrin until 6 months. Warm garlic oil might help ease the pain. We tried this when Isaac was a baby. Seemed to help a little.

[Anonymous]

I heard that there are pain relieving ear drops that you can get now. I’m not sure if you can get an Rx for them or if they can only be given at the doctor’s office.

Usually for my three it took 3-5 days for the antibiotic to clear up an ear infection. It took a week once with Myles. Like Heather said, sometimes they need another antibiotic because the first one doesn’t work.

I hope he’s feeling better soon.

[Anonymous]

Well, he will nurse from that side yesterday and today, so maybe that’s good news. I didn’t give him Tylenol today, and he has woken early from both of his naps though, so maybe it is still bothering him. I hope that we don’t have to do the antibiotics again. This one is giving him horrible dirty diapers all day long when normally he only goes once a day. It’s not really diarrhea, it’s just a lot of yucky poo, and it is giving him a horrible rash. I have some Nystatin cream for his bum, but still. He woke up at 6 this morning, and was awake in there, not crying, until about 7:30. When I went in to get him, he was soaked with poo! Poor guy was probably lying in it the whole time! I felt horrible!!!

I do think that you’re right Shelby about it making the reflux worse. I can’t wait until we can get this under control and only have reflux to worry about instead of all this other mess.

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