Baby Ear Infection Symptoms

It's always traumatic when baby develops an illness. The sleepless nights are worse, the crying increases and he has to suffer without being able to tell you what's wrong. The good news is there are very few bugs babies routinely contract, so the possibilities of what ails him are usually limited. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, nearly 90 percent of children will suffer from one form of ear infection or another before their fourth birthday. If your baby has an ear infection, he may exhibit one or all of these common symptoms.

  1. Cold

    • Most ear infections develop right after the common cold. Although ear infections can happen on their own, it's unlikely an otherwise healthy baby would develop one.

    Pain

    • The most recognizable symptom of an ear infection is ear pain, but it's often hard to diagnose. Your baby may be pulling at her ear because she's in pain, but may be doing it because she likes the feeling, just discovered it or is bored. If she is crying while pulling or scratching at her ear and is experiencing other symptoms of illness, she probably has an earache.

    Lethargy

    • If your baby doesn't have as much energy as he usually does, or is sleeping a significant amount more, he may be feeling under the weather. A few longer naps or a lazier afternoon is usually nothing to worry about, but lethargy that increases over time, or interferes with eating, is often a symptom of an ear infection.

    Fever

    • Although fever is not a common symptom of ear infections, your baby may have a mild one at first. If you suspect she's sick, keep a close eye on her temperature. Use acetaminophen to reduce a low-grade fever (less than 102 degrees F) and relieve pain.

    Diarrhea

    • The virus or bacteria that caused the ear infection can also cause his stomach to become upset. While diarrhea can be hard to spot in babies, a change in his bowel habits, coupled with one of the other symptoms, is a good indicator that he's ill.

    Drainage

    • If your baby's ears are leaking yellow, white or blood-tinged fluid, she has an ear infection. This uncommon symptom is caused by a small hole or rupture in the ear drum. While it is the only definite symptom of an ear infection, it doesn't happen often and will heal after the infection is cleared up.

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