Parents: Watch for Signs of Ear Infections in Infants (Public Health Network)
Ear infections are a common ailment in infants. Recent studies indicate that 60% of children develop ear infections following a cold. Because infants are too young to communicate ear discomfort, this condition causes significant concern for many parents.To help parents promptly identify if their baby has an ear infection, researchers interviewed experienced mothers and pediatric specialists, summarizing seven signs of ear infection in infants.
1. Cold Symptoms
Most childhood ear infections are complications of colds. If a child has an ear infection, their nasal discharge may turn yellow or green.
2. Crying and Irritability
If your child suddenly becomes very irritable, especially during feeding times, it could indicate an ear infection. The American Academy of Pediatrics explains that ear pain is the most common symptom of an ear infection. Older children can tell parents their ears hurt, but infants who can't speak may only express their discomfort through fussiness or crying.When feeding, the sucking and swallowing motions can aggravate the ear pain in an infected child. 3. Sleep Disturbances and Lying Flat Is your child waking up more frequently at night than usual? Ear pain from an infection can disrupt sleep quality.The pain often intensifies when lying flat. If your baby becomes fussy while sleeping on their back, it could indicate an ear infection. This is because lying flat increases pressure on the middle ear, worsening the pain. 4. Fever Another common sign of an ear infection is fever.When fever accompanies an ear infection, it's usually low-grade. However, ear infections can also occur during high fevers. Of course, some children with ear infections may not have a fever at all. 5. Ear Pulling Frequent ear pulling is another sign of an ear infection. While infants may pull their ears for various reasons—such as teething or seeking self-soothing when tired—ear infection is a distinct possibility.Infants with ear infections may pull their ears because they cannot yet communicate ear pain verbally, using this action to express discomfort. 6. Ear discharge Infants with ear infections may have yellowish-white discharge with traces of blood. The American Academy of Pediatrics explains this discharge differs from normal earwax and may have a foul odor.However, once the discharge occurs, pressure and pain in the ear may decrease. This does not mean the infection has cleared up; you should still take your child to see a doctor. 7. Loss of appetite The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that ear pain from an infection can cause children to lose their appetite. If parents notice their child suddenly eating less, it's best to check if their ears are infected.