What is ear pain?

Ear pain in children can be caused by many things, including ear infections, teething, allergies, or swimmer's ear. Though ear infections can be extremely painful, they’ve all but become a universal rite of passage for toddlers.

What you need to know

In most instances, ear pain isn’t an emergency and doesn’t require immediate medical attention. However, if your child is fussy and has a fever, they should be evaluated. There are no symptoms that definitely indicate an ear infection; some children will tug or poke their ears even when they are not in pain. In addition, younger children with ear pain may not touch their ears at all but simply be fussy or cranky.

Home care tips

Some of the best at-home care tips for treating ear pain include:

• Ibuprofen (for children 6 months and older) or Tylenol
• Placing a warm compress on the painful ear
• For children over 3, products like Otovent and Clearpop may provide relief
• Mullein garlic oil, which research has found reduces ear pain

Be aware that drops should not be used if you suspect your child has a ruptured eardrum. Any amount and any color of drainage from your child's ear can indicate a ruptured eardrum.

When to contact a doctor

It’s best to seek medical attention for your child if:

• Severe ear pain interrupting sleep
• Ear pain persisting for more than two days
• Ear pain accompanied by a fever greater than 100.4 for more than 24 hours.
• There’s discharge from the ear
• Your child’s hearing seems to be impacted

Most ear infections are viral and clear up without medical intervention.  However, after assessment, your doctor will decide if your child needs antibiotics.

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