Tugging on the Ears: Is it an Ear Infection?

Between 9 and 12 months of age, many parents bring their little one in to see me because they are worried about an ear infection. Their child has started tugging on, batting at, scratching, or generally messing with their ears. The good news? These children almost never have an ear infection, unless there are other suspicious symptoms.

I don’t know why, but this seems to be the age when babies discover their ears (the feet and hands have long lost their novelty).

So, if you see your smiling, cheerful baby without a fever or other signs of illness batting away at his ears, there is no need to worry. On the other hand, if your child seems unusually irritable or lethargic, develops a fever, and is tugging on his ears, you should head on in to the doctor’s office for a quick look.

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