Ear Infections

How long does it take your kids to recover from an ear infection to where you feel ok about sending them back to school?  This is my son's first since he was a baby, and he's been "sicker" than I expected you'd be with an ear infection.  The ear pain started monday.  It was pretty bad, but went away with tylenol. He otherwise acted fine, just slightly less of an appetite.  It came back when he went to bed, but the pain didn't seem as bad.  But he also had a fever.  He was miserable all day Tuesday.  Not so much with the pain, it was just blocked.  But since he didn't sleep well, he was out of it and didn't want to sleep - he's like that with sleep, very hard to get him to do it.  He was just miserable and crabby and a 101+ fever most of the day.  He finally slept last night until 10 this morning, and has been much better spirit-wise.  But still no appetite.  His fever was gone, but now it's at 99 again.  If I hadn't just started a new job, I'd keep him home tomorrow just to make sure he can get through the day without being too exhausted and give him a chance to start eating better.  I'm usually overly cautious with stuff like that.  I'm thinking about seeing if my mother in law will come tomorrow, but it's hard because she doesn't drive and it's a 45 minute drive.  My husband thinks he's fine to go to school.  How long do your kids need to recover from an ear infection once they are on antibiotics?

 

We haven't had a ear infection in a while thankfully, but my general rule of thumb is when they are fever free they go back to school. If the fever is still coming and going, I'd probably have MIL come stay if possible. 
 
But then again, another good night's sleep could really go a long way to helping him feel better too, so that's a tough call. Either way, I hope he feels better soon. 

 

I'm with Gina - fever free means school, but I like them to be fever free for 24 hrs.

Good luck. Ear infections are no fun, especially as kids get older.

 

Our school has a rule for them for be fever free for 24 hours, so that is when I would send back to school.  
Both of my kids had ear infections over Christmas and it was a lot of sleeping and not a lot of eating that week.  It took them a good 10 days to get their pep and appetite back, my DD longer because she had two back to back.
I hope your son is feeling better soon.

 

My kids don't usually run fevers with their ear infections, so I usually want them on the antibiotic for 24 hours until I send them back to school.  I was just let him rest up and get lots of sleep and liquids and if no fever, send him back to school. 
 
Hope he feels better soon!

 

Fever free 24 hours…since often the fever will recede in the early am and then flare later in the morning or afternoon.
 
 
With over a 100 fever, I would take a kiddo in for ear infection since it could have spread to a sinus or other infection.

 

Most ear infections don't respond to antibiotics because they're caused by viruses.  So I would go by the fever and if he was up to it.  If he's just too tired to make it through the day, because his body is either still fighting it or is recovering, I'd let him rest at home.  If he's basically feeling fine, and just a little tired, I'd probably send him.

 

My son has regular ear infections. He had sleep apnea and hearing loss so he had grommets placed about 18 months ago. He rarely runs a fever with his ear infections and almost all of them are bacterial. They run swabs here as he often has stuff draining from his ears. Sometimes they wouldn't, but then after an entire course it turned out, the antibiotics were resistant so we had to get a different type. Now they usually swab him to make sure he gets the right stuff straight away. I always send him to school unless he would be in pain or run a fever (which is super rare). As it is bacterial, there is very little he can do ... he takes the meds (the school nurse helps in case of a midday dose) and he's fine within 2-3 days in terms of his ears. So I guess it really depends. We know it's bacterial so I won't keep him out of school as he has no other symptoms. If he feels fine, he goes ... Our school does have a 24-hour fever free rule.