10 year old child's ear drainage...

[LPNGirl07]

Hi, my 10 year old daughter has been having some clear slightly yellow tinged drainage from her right ear on and off the last few months. It's usually only a tiny amount (drop or two) & sort of watery I guess you could say. It started about 5 months ago and is just on and off. She usually notices it after she wakes up in the morning and has it a couple times a month typically. She has no pain or fever with it. She does say her ears feel slightly full at times. She has a history of chronic ear infections as an infant/toddler. She had two sets of tubes in her ears as an infant and toddler placed by her ENT doctor. The doctor also removed her adenoids during the second set of tubes as well. My question is: could this drainage be the start of an ear infection, swimmer's ear, her ears holding water, or ear wax drainage possible?? I am planning to take her in to see her family doctor this week & a possible referral back to an ENT doctor... Any info is appreciated... Thanks!

[specialmom]

Hi!  So fun trying to figure out what is going on with your kids, right?  So, a possibility is simple ear wax.  Even if fluid like.  Since she also has fullness, perhaps that is the case.  I'd make sure to use the debrox wax drops to see if that helps.  However, that it is just one ear makes it less likely in my opinion. I do think you need to see her doctor and possibly an ENT.  Has she had any trauma to the ear drum? Like a q tip stuck too far in or anything like that?  She probably doesn't listen to heavy metal through ear buds at high volumes, right?  :>)  (I do).  (kidding).  Swimmer's ear definitely can cause ear leaking like that but was she swimming all these five months?  And my knowledge of swimmer's ear is that it is pretty painful.  I guess everyone is different.

Since this is yellow fluid, has been going on for a while, yes. Definitely see the doctor.  They may just want to wait but under their guidance, hopefully you can get this cleared up for your daughter. When is the appointment?