# I think I injured my toddler's ear



## Ahappymel (Nov 20, 2001)

I feel horrible.
My 2 yr old has been sleeping a bit restlessly this last week. He is transitioning to a nursery school so I assumed that this might be the issue.
He's otherwise happy, eating, no fever or anything.
Okay..to the point.
After his bath tonight, I was cleaning his ears (just the tip of the Q-tip). Well, I had hardly swabbed his ear when he started SCREAMING.
I could tell he was really in pain.
I thought OMG! I hurt him! But again, I had only used the tip so I thought that might be unlikely...but still I felt horrible to hear him screaming.
Then blood started coming out of the ear...just a trickle, but still blood.
I started to panick and wonder if I should take him to the ER.
He calmed down within minutes...he wanted to bf. And then he was happy to play, jump on the bed...and then wound down to nurse/fell asleep.
So now I'm feeling horrible. What if I injured his ear? Is it possible that he has an ear infection and it was just ready to pop? I checked the Q tip too and noticed that one side of it has very thin cotton, there is some plastic close to the surface so maybe I scratched him.
Oh...what to do, what to do...
Should I take him to the doctor?


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

I bet it's just a scratch. BUT- you really shouldn't swab ears. Nothing smaller than an elbow goes in an ear is the saying









-Angela


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## Ahappymel (Nov 20, 2001)

Well, I feel like a complete ass.
I know I'm not supposed to put anything in the ear....why did I do it? I don't clean my boys' ears often and when I do, they are really grubby.
Before I started this post, I threw out all the Q tips, blasted things.
I just read that if a person is dizzy afterward, that warrants a visit to the dr.
He seemed wobbly for a bit...but then again, he went to sleep pretty quickly.
My poor little guy! He had a very rough day! He cried in nursery school (we are transitioning to that as I return to work) and now this.
So, what should I watch for in the morning just to be sure he's okay? Any special treatment I should be doing?


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## *Erin* (Mar 18, 2002)

my first thought was that he had something in his ear canal already? i dont know, i could be way off, but 2 yr olds love to stick stuff in ears and noses. i think if it were me, i'd run him by doc or a walk in clinic and have em peep in there to make sure!


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## Ahappymel (Nov 20, 2001)

I just called a pediatrician that my friend referred us to (we dont have insurance, are homebirthers and he has never even been to a doctor!) and they said they were booked and couldn't advise us since we weren't his patients.
Maybe there is a walk-in clinic nearby as you said. I even called our chiropractor and left a message...maybe she can take a peep.


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## Ahappymel (Nov 20, 2001)

OH! but he SLEPT all night long which is something he has not done for MONTHS and he is happy and cheerful today...not in pain.


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## futuremamaheather (Nov 8, 2005)

The first thing that occurred to me was a ruptured ear drum due to an ear infection, and that the timing of it happening when you were using the Qtip was a coincidence. Especially since he slept well last night and seems happier today. (My sister had ear infections All. The. Time! as a kid, and the pressure from the fluid ruptured her ear drums a couple of times - so that could certainly have colored my instinct.







)

So I'd second the trip to the walk-in clinic, or at least getting your hands on a "Ear and Throat Illuminator" (Otoscope) so you can see for yourself what's going on in his ear. Here are two from One Step Ahead:

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/...egoryId=117218

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/...ProductId=6372


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## Ahappymel (Nov 20, 2001)

I do have an otoscope and looked in his ear. I don't see anything other than blood.


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## jessaroo (Oct 14, 2003)

how does the ear drum look with the otoscope?


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## Ahappymel (Nov 20, 2001)

I couldn't see it. There was some red blood and dried blood...that's all I could see.


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## becoming (Apr 11, 2003)

I hate going to the doctor as much as the next person, but if there is a significant amount of bright red blood in his ear, I think he needs to see a doctor.


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## Ahappymel (Nov 20, 2001)

Tonight I got a great visual of my toddler's inner ear...he was sitting very still for a movie, totally immersed and I got to check things out.
First of all, I saw his eardrum: thin, white and INTACT







I could see the cone of light on it.
Then to the right of that, in the ear canal, I can see the bloody spot.
I think I scratched him with that faulty Q-tip.
So I am RELIEVED that I got a visual of his eardrum, intact with light shining on it !
He seems very happy, no pain so I don't think the scratch is bugging him.
AND I will NEVER USE A Q-TIP EVER EVER AGAIN on the kids....(or anything else smaller than my elbow for that matter!).

Thanks for the support, Mamas!


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## *Erin* (Mar 18, 2002)

thanks for the update! i was wondering how things were today, so happy it's just a scratch!







yay, otoscope!


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## Ahappymel (Nov 20, 2001)

So utterly confused : ( I think I need to take him in.
He is acting fine....appears to be hearing fine. But when I looked in his ear again last night, I am definitely seeing lots of dried blood in there, some bright red spots and I cannot clearly see the eardrum anymore. Maybe there is swelling, maybe the blood is covering it.
But I am fearful that there might be a raging infection going on (although my gut tells me no because he is happy, no fever, and no other symptoms).
I hate taking us to mainstream doctors...they always tell you the worst case scenario and do unnecessary tests, intervention, etc. I just want someone experienced to look at his ear and confirm a diagnosis.


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## Ducky5306 (Jul 2, 2006)

Maybe ask around in the Finding your tribe for a ped? We don't do well visits but i found it helpful to have a ped that we could go to/call if needed, We found ours from here and were able to get an apt really quickly.. and we've had luck with urgent care too the only one i did NOT like was a after hours ped urgent care, he just yelled about the non-vaxing issue and was a jerk!

also i don't have insurance and i've noticed they do way less testing, etc when you don't have insurance (that can be a good thing sometimes!)

good luck!

and oh when my sons ears get gross i just very lighty wash them with a damp wash cloth (the outside of the ear mostly)


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## Ahappymel (Nov 20, 2001)

I took him to the doctor this morning.
We got a referral from a friend but it turned out to be his stand-in as he was out today.
It could not have gone better : ) The doctor was this very gentle elderly man (I swear he looked 85) who was totally non-invasive with my little one. He took his time, showed him the light/otoscope and was very gentle.
We held our breath as he took a good look....

His eardrum is fine! He said it looks a little inflamed (not a surprise since we have all had colds the last few weeks) but intact...and there is a scratch in the ear canal.

So, I am taking a HUGE sigh of relief, taking a vow NEVER to use a Q tip on my kids again and feeling kind of proud that the doctor's diagnosis matched what I believed I saw through my own otoscope at home


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