Ear infection?

mcatmay · February 2012

FTM question, i realize. DD has been playing with her left ear off and on for the past week - JUST the left ear. Sometimes, it's constant, sometimes she ignores it. At daycare, they reported that she did continuously one day and then didn't do it at all the next day (they're really observant so i trust their report). She is NOT fussy, sleeps fine, doesn't feel warm to the touch (haven't taken her temp) and is drinking/nursing fine.

Do I worry about this? Do I ignore it (6 month appt is on February 20th) until pediatrician appointment? Can you have an ear infection without fussiness, inappetance, etc?

MrsPhilDunphy · February 2012

If she's totally fine otherwise, I wouldn't worry. She's probably just discovering that she has ears!

vtkgirl77 · February 2012

DD recently had a period like this. I think for her, she was literally playing with her ear and just having fun exploring. I had the same concerns but since she wasn't fussy, I didn't worry about it and I never took her in.

On the other hand, this weekend, she was very fussy and had a fever. I saw some gunk in her ear and I went to gently clean it out. She screamed. I then touched the other ear and she was fine. Then I went back to the first ear and touched it and she screamed again. It was very clear what the issue was so I took her to the doctor and sure enough, she had an ear infection in that ear.

So I would say that if she otherwise seems fine and is not fussy, to just keep an eye on it. However, if she seems fussy, has a low-grade fever, is not her normal self or cries when you lay her down or touch her ear, then I would take her in.