Symptoms of Middle Ear Infection

Ear infections frequently develop during or shortly after another infection, such as a cold or sore throat .

The Ear

Symptoms include:

Ear pain (Note: Children who can talk may tell you that their ear hurts. Babies may tug or rub at the ear or face or become irritable.)
Drainage from the ear (This may appear as blood, clearish fluid, pus, or as a dry crust on the outer portion of the ear after sleeping.)
Hearing loss, which resolves with appropriate treatment
Fever
Irritability
Decreased appetite or difficulty feeding
Disturbed sleep
Difficulty with balance, frequent falling, sensations of dizziness
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Malaise (feeling of general illness)
Chills
Inattentiveness

Some children with ear infection, particularly chronic otitis, have no symptoms. Their condition may be discovered on examination for some other problem.

References

American Medical Association website. Available at: http://www.ama-assn.org/ .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ .

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders website. Available at: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/ .

Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics . 16th edition. WB Saunders; 2000.

Revision Information

Reviewer: Kari Kassir, MD
Review Date: 09/2012
Update Date: 00/91/2012

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.