Ear Infection Ruptured Eardrum Antibiotic Resistance Kids

We are hopefully on the upswing from the latest round of illness. Two weeks ago my 6 year old came home from school looking very pale with red circles around his eyes. His temperature was ok though, so I thought he was just tired. Well, about 5:00 the next morning he woke up vomiting with a 104 fever. That was it for the vomiting, but he had a sore throat. I figured it was a flu because his temperature was so high. I started him on Vitamin C and Hyland Cold n Cough syrup. The next night he started complaining of ear pain. I prefer to use the 3 or 4 day wait n see approach because he's allergic to amoxicillin/penicillin and cephalosporin. So far he's ok with azithromycin. 2 days later he still had ear pain, so I gave him 1 Hyland Earache tablet. A half hour later, he had a little blood come out of his ear. I don't know if the Hyland earache tablet caused it or if it would have happened anyways. He had the earache tablets a couple of times last winter and was ok with them. It's hard to say, but I probably will not be using them again. Normal dose is 4 tablets and he just had 1.
The next day, a Sunday, he woke up with a little crusted blood in his ear. I called his doctor and they said to take him to urgent care or keep a good eye on him and bring him in the next day. Last year we had a very bad experience with urgent care. The urgent care doctor said he had an ear infection, but refused to give him azithromycin saying it's not really used anymore for ear infections and gave us clindamycin instead, which is used in dentistry. Well, one dose of that gave him diarrhea and SEVERE stomach pains for 8 hours.
I decided to take a chance and wait until the next day. He had more crusty blood the next morning. I called the doctor and brought him in. She gave him a dose of Children's Advil and a prescription for azithromycin. The doctor didn't know if his eardrum had ruptured because it was so caked full she couldn't see anything.
The Children's Advil brought his fever right down to a normal temperature. 8 hours later when it wore off, his temperature shot right back up to 104. He was supposed to have another dose of Children's Advil, but refused and went to sleep instead. Luckily, the next day, Tuesday, his fever broke. By Thursday his ear finally stopped hurting. He still couldn't hear out of it though.
By the following Monday, he still couldn't hear out of it, so at bath time, I held a warm wash cloth up behind his ear. After the bath he said his hearing came back. I don't know if the warm wash cloth did the trick, or if it was a coincidence, but the next time he complains of ear pain I will be using a warm wash cloth behind the ear.
See, ear infections occur because fluid builds up in the Eustachian tube, which is a breeding ground for germs. In adults, the Eustachian tube runs straight up. In kids, the Eustachian tube runs at an angle making it easier for bacteria and fluid to collect. The warm wash cloth helps draw the fluid away from the inflammation. Based on everything I've read, I'm pretty sure the blood coming out of his ear was due to a ruptured eardrum. Apparently, the eardrum will heal itself. Back in the old days, doctors would make a slit in the eardrum to let the fluid out. Once the eardrum ruptures, the pain goes away because the fluid behind the eardrum causing the pain is released. When the eardrum ruptures, hearing loss does occur, but usually comes back.
Well, this ear infection, and the bleeding, was a pretty bad experience for both of us. With this round of disease I broke out a couple of new home remedies I'm going to implement every time I sense him getting sick.
First up is Braggs apple cider vinegar. It's raw and organic. The best there is. I drink 2 teaspoons of it in a glass of water everyday. It helps with the migraines I get. For my 6 year old, I put 1/4 tsp of Braggs apple cider vinegar in a 1/2 tablespoon, add a drop of honey and fill with water. I then squirt it into his mouth. Do this 4 - 8 times a day.
Second is a probiotic, or eat tons of yogurt. A must when taking antibiotics. Antibiotics kill good and bad bacteria in the body. Probiotics add good bacteria to the body. For my 6 year old, I have a kids chewable probiotic. He refuses to chew it, so I dilute it in 1 1/2 tablespoons of water and give it to him 3 - 4 times a day, using it all.
Third, I break open 2 - 4 garlic oil capsules, drip the garlic onto a paper towel and wipe on his feet at night after he goes to sleep. I put socks on his feet afterwards.
I don't know if any of these home remedies help for an ear infection, but they are worth a try.

Here are a couple of good articles on ear infections and the overuse of antibiotics:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/08/20/ear-infections-part-one.aspx

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/02/04/bacteria-ear-infection.aspx

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/12/02/new-study-shows-antibiotics-have-little-impact-on-child-ear-infections.aspx


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