# Need advice - eye discharge + ear infection (?)



## MAMom (Mar 24, 2005)

I could really use some advice on the best course of action. DS (26 months) has had a cold with low fever (99-101) and a slight cough for almost 4 days. Yesterday, he started to have goopy discharge from one of his eyes and had a very restless night last night. He hasn't mentioned at all that his ears hurt (and he is very verbal and usually tells us if he hurts), but the discharge from his eye (which is less today) was definitely bothering him.

Our pedi office has sick appts on Sundays, so we just took him in. Unfortunately the Dr. we had to see (not our regular pedi) is one that we butted heads with when DS was an infant about immunizations. When he checked DS's ears today he said that both were infected. He prescribed Augmentin (Amoxicillin + clavulanate).

When I questioned him as to how he knew it was bacterial vs. viral, he said "studies" show that the como of ears infected plus eye discharge almost always mean bacterial, and that H influenzae is particuarly resistant, so he was prescribing Augmentin vs. just plain Amoxicillin (how he would just know that is H influenzae I am totally unclear about).

Unfortunately the Dr. is extremely defensive and was very hostile when I questioned him about if it would be the kind of thing we could wait out a couple of days to see if it resolved on it's own (i.e. to see if it was viral). He said "well, I wouldn't want you to have anymore sleepless nights" I told him I'd rather have a couple of sleepless nights than give DS antibiotics if he didn't need them. He said he didn't prescribe antibiotics "willy-nilly" but really didn't provide an acceptable answer on how he would be sure (in fact he threatened that DS might end up with menegitis and in the hospital with tubes in him if we didn't treat him -- nice way to answer a responsible parents' questioning.

Anyway, I feel at a loss on what to do. Obviously I want to treat the infection accordingly if it is bacterial, but I don't feel like I got an adequate answer from the Dr. (and am pregnant and very emotional - didn't feel like the conversation with the Dr. was going anywhere and needed to leave the office before I lost it).

Edit - p.s. I should mention DS has never been on antibiotics for anything.

Advice?

Thanks so much.

C

___________________________________
SAHM to a spectacular little boy, born 5/2003 :bf














February 2006!
"When you teach your son, you teach your son's son." ~ The Talmud


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## Shiloh (Apr 15, 2005)

Thats' hard but I would't take the ear infections too lightly.
I think there are times for antiboitics - my cousin is 31 and has double hearing aids from repeated ear infections.

Actually prevnar was the only extra vax I choose for the boys as my dh also had years of ear infections and so far none.

When I questioned him as to how he knew it was bacterial vs. viral, he said "studies" show that the como of ears infected plus eye discharge almost always mean bacterial, and that H influenzae is particuarly resistant, so he was prescribing Augmentin vs. just plain Amoxicillin (how he would just know that is H influenzae I am totally unclear about).
=Umm I would totally disagree. You can have a viral/allergic pink eye and the ear could be different....My doctor won't give me eye drops anymore for pink eye as she says studies say they are usually viral/allergic so give it a few days...

Unfortunately the Dr. is extremely defensive and was very hostile when I questioned him about if it would be the kind of thing we could wait out a couple of days to see if it resolved on it's own (i.e. to see if it was viral).
=Why couldn't he culture the eye gunk?

He said "well, I wouldn't want you to have anymore sleepless nights"
=lol sleepless nights vs antibotic resistant child ....

He said he didn't prescribe antibiotics "willy-nilly"
=Dr. Willy Nilly. My dr we got straight out of med school. I have a very crunchy friend who when she found out she perscribed anti. for somene's obvious viral infection - went to her office and dressed her down for perscribing a useless medication because she thought the parent wanted it.
Now I get nothing or sulfa unless its really really bad. And so far DD has been through her whole life with not a one, and the baby boys..just for the pink eye, and an skin infection (drops and cream)

Edit - p.s. I should mention DS has never been on antibiotics for anything.
=If you still have milk I have been told from everyone from my deceased grandfather that breastmilk is best for ear and eye infections...?


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## MAMom (Mar 24, 2005)

Thanks for your reply - I didn't even think about asking for the eye gunk to be cultured. That's a great idea.

The crazy thing is that I called the pharmacy this evening (after Dr. office was closed) to see if the prescription was there -- and it was never even called in by the Dr. office!!

We decided to wait it out for atleast tonight and I am going to take him to a different Dr.'s office (if I can get in) for a second opinion, or if I can't then I will at least get my regular pedi on the phone and question him about this & possibly go in to see him before giving DS antibiotics (and after the research I have done online since I posted this question, if I decide to use the antibiotics I will have them prescribe plain old ammoxicillin vs. the Augumentin).


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## caligirl (Jul 2, 2004)

My Dd and I both just had a virus that sounds like what your son had/has.
It started with a low temp (99) a sore throat, slight body aches and fatigue.
Then after a couple of days we developed a cough (productive in th am) and eye goop for 2 days that went away by itself.

Maybe your son got this? My neighbor and her kids had it too, so it's something going around.

I'm sorry I don't know what to say about the ears. My dd only had one ear infection in her life and I threw the RX away and treated her with Grapefruit seed extract.


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