This seems super silly because I had bundles of ear infections when I was little. And I have friends whose children have had dozens of ear infections in one year. But Henry's last ear infection took 4 antibiotics to clear up and he ended up in the hospital with pneumonia.
While I know this isn't likely to happen again (his pediatrician told me it would be rare), I find myself anxious about whether or not the ear infection is actually going to be cured.
Today was his last dose of medicine and while he seems to be doing alright, he still digs at his ears. Is that wax? Teething pain? Or is that ear infection lurking still?
It seems like every time he gets sick, I kick myself incessantly. I know I shouldn't do that, but it is hard. The weekend before we took him to the doctor (and a few days the week before), I knew there was something wrong with him. I told myself I should have trusted my mommy intuition and taken him in sooner.
My mommy intuition tells me to take him back to the doctor to check. I also know I am an anxious person. Better safe than sorry is my mantra. Do I wait and see how he acts, knowing where we ended up last time?
Being a mommy is hard.
For now, my plan is to wait and see what happens. But if my intuition starts telling me something isn't right, I am going to trust it. I'd rather lose the $30 for the copay than risk him being in pain or getting sicker.
Better safe than sorry. :)
We always have a follow up appointment when Kimber has an ear infection. Usually 2 weeks after her first appointment and after she's finished her round of medicine. The first ear infection she had at four months, lasted several months and took 3 types of antibiotics to clear up. And then she would get another one within a couple of weeks. So we got tubes when she was 10 months old...which fell out in 6 months. We go back Monday to get a new set of tubes.
ReplyDeleteI'd say follow your instincts. There were times Kimber was not fussy at all, but her sleep seemed a little off, so I took her in and she had an infection. We've never been wrong when we've taken her in for an appointment to get her ears checked. You know your baby best!!
I think I'd take him back. I work at an ENT and sometimes ear infections are just really hard to kick. Have they discussed putting tubes in his ears?
ReplyDeleteoh gosh, I hear ya. It feels like a fine line between, I'm being paranoid and over protective to I waited too long to take them in...But I almost always take them in when I just KNOW something is wrong...trust that instinct.
ReplyDeleteI hate ear infections! I had then so often as a little kid, and it ended up messing up my hearing a little. (Not trying to freak you out. I had A LOOOOOOT... and our pediatrician didn't believe in putting tubes in kids' ears... so that was why mine were permanently damaged.) I'd say always trust your mother gut! Before doctors were ever invented, there were mothers, so your motherly instinct is nature's way of keeping children alive, healthy and safe!
ReplyDeleteTotally better safe than sorry!
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