10 Ear Infection Symptoms In Babies
Ear infections are quite common in both adults and children. In fact, in children, ear infections are the second most frequent medical condition aside from the common cold. Most children get at least one during their upbringing, with about 80% of children having experienced at least one by the time that they’re three years old. The statistics continue to be surprising: at least half of these children will have experienced at least 3 ear infections by the same age. The most common time that people develop ear infections is between the time that they’re 6 months old to 2 years old.
Ear infections are a problem that arise when fluid gets stuck in the middle ear. This fluid can then become infected by a pathogen. These pathogens, which include bacteria and viruses, are particularly dangerous to babies because their immune systems are still under development. There are a number of symptoms that can arise when your child is suffering from an ear infection, and it’s important to try and understand whether or not your baby has one so you can decide on the proper treatment. If your baby is experiencing any of the following then you may want to seek professional treatment.
Symptom #1: Pulling, Grabbing, and Tugging at Ears
While it’s normal for a baby to pull, tug, and grab at pretty much every part of their body at some point during their development, you may notice when they are pulling excessively at any certain area. This could be a sign that they are in pain or discomfort.
If you notice them pulling a lot at their ears, this could indicate that they’re developing some sort of infection. Of course, there are many other reasons that your baby might be pulling at their ears, so make sure that they’re showing some of these other symptoms before rushing them to the doctor.
Symptom #2: Vomiting
The bacteria that can cause ear infections are also known to cause gastrointestinal problems.
If your child is grabbing at their ears or experiencing any of these other symptoms, while also vomiting or appearing nauseous, then you may have reason to get them checked out for an ear infection.
Symptom #3: Reduced Appetite
Since the bug that can cause ear infections is also known to cause stomach upset, this could reduce your baby’s appetite. It will become unpleasant for them to swallow food if they are feeling nauseous.
This can be observed if your baby pulls away from eating time. If they reject your breast milk or being spoon fed then you have a clear sign that they aren’t up to the task of eating. While there are many reasons that a baby might not want to eat – they are notorious for pushing away spoons – in conjunction with these other symptoms, this may indicate an ear infection.
Symptom #4: Fluid Draining From Ear
This is generally a sure sign that a baby – or anyone – is experiencing an ear infection. This is a sign that a small hole or rupture has punctured the eardrum, allowing fluid to leak out from the middle ear.
This sounds serious, but as long as the infection doesn’t get out of hand, there won’t be any permanent damage. The fluid that leaks out is generally yellow or whitish, but can also be brown and waxy.
Symptom #5: Foul Smells
You may notice some unpleasant smells coming from your child’s ear.
This is generally considered to be a sign that the bacteria or virus in your child’s ear is thriving.
Symptom #6: Difficulty Sleeping
Babies can be hard to put to sleep even at the best of times. However, when they’re suffering from an ear infection, it can become even more difficult. This is because lying down puts pressure in the eustachian tubes.
When a baby lies down, the symptoms of an ear infection can become exacerbated. They may experience more pain, discomfort, or nausea. Unfortunately, unless they are showing these symptoms at other times of the day, it can be difficult to associate sleeping problems with an ear infection.
Symptom #7: Fever
A fever is a sign that the body’s immune system is attempting to get rid of a bacteria or a virus. Many of these don’t survive as well in hot temperatures, so your immune system will raise the temperature of your body in an effort to combat them.
One of the main indicators of an ear infection in a child is a fever that rises above 102 degrees.
Symptom #8: Difficulty Hearing
Another thing that could indicate that your baby is suffering from an ear infection is if they have difficulty hearing. This could occur because of inflammation or because of fluid buildup in the ear canal.
If the baby isn’t responsive to words or sounds that usually intrigue them, then there might be reason to worry about an ear infection. In almost all cases hearing will return after the infection has subsided and the fluid has been drained.
Symptom #9: Diarrhea
We have already mentioned that ear infections can impact the digestive tract. Another problem that can arise in addition to vomiting and nausea is diarrhea.
If your baby has been eliminating waste that’s very liquidy and has been displaying any other symptoms that we have listed today, you might want to get them checked out for an ear infection.
Symptom #10: Headaches
It can be a bit difficult to identify a headache in a baby, because they may express the headache in the same way that they express most other problems: lots of crying and screaming.
If they’re experiencing a headache, they may also reach towards their head, so if they are grabbing for their ears and reaching for their head you may safely assume that they have some sort of infection or problem in their head. Headaches are particularly aggravating to babies because they’re unable to locate the actual source of the pain and discomfort.
