HOT EAR

My son is three and a half. About a year ago he had tubes for ear infections.  He has not had ear infections since.  However, he suffers from allergies. He has runny eyes, nose, and frequent sinus infections.  Lately he has had a red hot burning outer ear issue. It occurs around times when he has to lay his head down or sit in his car sit and lay his head to the side. He holds his ear a lot and has to sleep on the floor against something hard some nights. (other nights he sleeps on a cold pack). Both his ENT and the pediatrician say there is absolutely nothing they can find and have insinuated he is just trying to get attention. His pediatrician's last suggestion was to take him of Zyrtec and give him Nasonex every day.  Does anyone know what could be wrong and what I can do?

[Deeds]

at times I have had hot ear...you child is not seeking attention!  poor lil guy!!  his frequent sinus infections are MORE of a concern to me!

[Deeds]

by the way - evre think about running a Hepa Filter room air purifier in your sons room at night?
I use one from Honeywell.  It really helps me out - I used to get sinus infections all the time...
and sinus headaches. The HEPA filter keeps the air moving in the room and filters out allergans.
They say to close the room up and run the filter on high...I run the filter on high with the door closed an hour before bedtime and then I switch it to medium and run with our door open (we don't close our bedroom doors at night...never have...) anyhu, I would think that should help him a lot!!  I remember everyone promoting a humidifier etc...that never worked for me and actually made things WORSE...don't know why!?  but, same thing with nasal wash products - always made me feel worse when it was to make me feel better...  In any case, the air purifier won't hurt at all and can only help! Best of Luck - keep me posted!

[Fish2007]

No, I have never thought of the Hepa Filter.  You are right. Only the humidifier has ever been mentioned as a suggestion by others (doctor included.) We have been through two humidifiers in his three and a half years.  

I will try the Hepa Filter. Like you said, it will not hurt! THanks for the suggestions about how to use it too.

FYI: Went to the doctor 11/9 with the ear problem when Doctor said my son might be faking it (attention seeking).  Today, 11/11, my son woke up oozing green stuff from his nose and pus coming out the eyes. Doesn't sound like attention seeking to me. I will get the filter today!

[Deeds]

Green oozing can mean he still has an infection. Is it too much to ask them to swab his sinuses to see if he has a deep infection?  All the antibiotics can also cause Candida Albicans which usually appears as oral thrush in kids... his tongue isn't coated white is it?  It can be a bad cycle of getting sick and then taking antibiotics...causing more symptoms from the Candida overgrowth (which is a naturally occuring yeast in everyones' body)  Anyhu, best of luck to you - really!!!!!!!  I hate humidifiers...I refuse to use one...but, the hepa filter...good thing :)

[Deeds]

p.s. I take Levaquin ((a synthetic)) antibiotic when I get sick...not sure if kids can take that?