Ear Infection Causing Hearing Difficulties?

It sounds like he still has fluid in his ears. My kids always needed two rounds of antibiotics, and for ear problems related to sinus infections usually more..

Give the doctor a call, and don't let him blow you off. Moms know when something isn't right with their kids...

After 5 days, he should be feeling better and the hearing problem suggests that there is something more going on. I would call the doctor.

K.,

Luckily I haven't had too much experience with ear infections. However, I do know that while infected temporary hearing difficulty can occur, but that should have cleared up by now. Bring your son in for a follow up appointment.

Unfortunately I have a lot of experience with ear infections, and not all antibiotics are the same and many doctors prescribe the wrong ones for ear infections. Now I forget which antibiotics are correct, as both my boys had ongoing ear issues and the fluids never fully drained from their ears due to enlarged adnoids. I don't want to imply that is your sons problem, just to give you my history as an explanation. The fluid remaining in their ears, although "clear" had started to effect their hearing. My husbands insurance changed at the time so we switched to a new doctor who insisted my boys see an ENT, who then told us that my boys were experiencing hearing loss due to the fluids. We had three months of not knowing if the hearing loss would be permanent, so definitely ask your pediatrician for an ENT referral.

I would call the Dr. It sounds like the infection is not going away, even though he feels better. He may need a different antibiotic or even tubes. If your insurance allows, make an appt. with an ENT.
My son had so many ear infections, one right after another, he ended up with tubes at 17 months. It was the best thing we ever did for him. The very next day, he was talking more clearly and has never shut up since!=)

Seems to me there is something else going on. About a year ago, I had an ear infection (how odd...all grown up with an ear infection!) Hearing loss is not common in a child so I would talk to the dr and if you still aren't satified, then get referrals for a good ENT.
Good luck to you and your son.

I would definitely talk to your doctor about both the pain and a hearing test. My son, now 4, went through this starting at about 7-8 months until he got ear tubes at 13 months and the ENT did a number of hearing tests on him, even that young. The ear infections, especially if your they keep getting them, not only effect hearing but also balance and other things, so keep after it. You are your child's best and only advocate.

Ear infections can be tough little nuts to crack and they can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss if not properly treated. Your child is so precious, and learns so much orally, that you should see an ENT for this. Why fool around with your most precious son?

My son is 4, he had an ear infection over the summer that seemed never ending. Because they could not see his ear drum they had me come back for a check after the antibiotics. His ear drum must have ruptured at one point because blood came out of his ear. They flushed out his ear, got a bunch of gunk out of it and after that he said "Wow, I can hear again!" It turned out that on top of an infection he had a ton of wax, which helped keep the infection growing too. But a word of caution, he got another one soon after and they gave him ear drops, which eventually led to a fungal infection. I'd go back to the pedi once the course of antibiotics are done if he'd not hearing better. If they seem unsure of why he's still having trouble, I'd ask then to recommend an ENT.

I have pretty much the same deal going on. I am a 52 yr old Woman. I had an ear ibfection in my right ear and was on Antibiotics. I finished it 5 days ago. The ear pain is gone, but I have hearing loss. I have seen my ENT three times already. I am still using ear drops 2x a day. It feels like te drops are not going down into the ear. I cannot hear still. And this gives me a headache on the right side of my head. Any ideas on how I can get the ear to open up? My Ent says it could take weeks due to swellling and drainage. The drainage is now gone. This plugged ear is making me dizzy and my equilibrium is way off. Any suggestions would be appreciated. ASAP, please. Thank you.

If I were you I would consider taking him to and ENT. My daughter wne through this same thing last year at only 6 months old. She was making sounds, but she was not adding any new sounds. She had an ear infection from december to march. Iw would seem to get better, but a week later it was back. finally I took her to an ENT and at 9 months old she had tubes put in her ears. this procedure is very common now. the day of her surgery she came home and instantly noticable how much better she was hearing. She failed the hearing test at the ENT's office with 90% hearing loss in one ear and 80% in the other. The pediatricain kept pumping her with antibiotics, but the real problem was fluid trapped behind the ear drum, shich accrding to the ENT and antibiotic would not have cleared it up. If you are tht concerned I would consult an ENT. If there is a hearing problem they will be able to test him and see why there is a loss. If nothing els it might put your mind to ease.

Hi K.,

My children have had ear infection, but never at a hearing loss. However I have friends whose children have suffered hearing loss from having so many ear infection. Take your son to the doctor and let him have some hearing test. Just hesitate to take care of this matter.

The best to you.

I would locate a good ear nose and throat specialist, the one in our area used to also process allergy testing as it can be a cause for the ear infections and obviously sinus infections.

Also, did they put him on a steriod too? That can cause temporary hearing loss.

Sometimes with ear infections, kids get fluid in their ears and then it's like hearing underwater. Kind of foggy. My kids have had ear infections that don't go away with the first round of antibiotics and we have to put them on a second dose of a different type of antibiotic. My kids don't have pain, but they'll have 104 to 105 fever for more than a few days and then I know that the infection hasn't gone away.

If you're ever in doubt, call the doctor... that's what they are there for....

I would check in with the doctor. My daughter had a double ear infection last year and we had to try 2 different antibiotics as it did not respond to the first one. The sooner you get the right antibiotic the sooner he will feel better.

this is definitely normal when you have fluid or an infection. the only thing is that 5 days is usually, though surely not always, enough time for the antibiotics to kick it out,,, so i would just keep an eye out and if his hearing isnt better in a few days i would definitely have them look in again, sometimes they can be really hard to get rid of. best of luck, D.

Dear K.,

My daughter suffered with ear infections from about six months until a little over a year old. We finally had to have tubes put in because she could not get rid of the fluid that was eventually causing the ear infections. At one point she was on antibiotics for six months and still had a double ear infections. As much as I didn't want the surgery I did not want to keep feeding my daughter medication. I am not saying this is the same case for you but I think you need to go back for a recheck the antibiotics can only help with the infection, however the hearing loss can still be fluid in the ear canal. The doctor used to do a hearing test that measured the amount of fluid pressing on the ear drum. he may just need a stronger antibiotic then he is on. I used to end up at the doctor sometimes twice a week because the meds were not working. My daughter was such a trooper she never complained, however she couldn't sleep well because when she would lie down the fluid would press on the ear drum and cause pain. Good luck!!

Call the doctor! When I was 3, I had a an (or some) ear infection. My Mother didn't notice that I had gone deaf since I was the youngest of 4. I have my hearing back (with some slight hearing loss), but it would have been much better if my mother had taken me to the doctor 6 months earlier.

Good luck.