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6 Signs of an Ear Infection in Young Infants

Jul 02, 2025
6 Signs of an Ear Infection in Young Infants
Until your child can start talking, figuring out what’s bothering them can be a guessing game. Here, we look at signs of ear infections, which are incredibly common in kids and easy to spot if you know where to look.

Did you know that 5 out of 6 kids will have an ear infection by their third birthday? And the odds are pretty good that they’ll have more than one as they weather all of the colds, flus, and other viral infections that are part of growing up.

Figuring out what’s wrong with your not-yet-talking child can be tricky and takes a little guesswork. Our multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers here at LaSante Health Center can take some of the guesswork out of the equation with these common signs of an ear infection in infants.

Why kids are more prone to ear infections

Before we get into signs of an ear infection in infants and toddlers, we want to quickly explain why they’re more common in kids than adults. 

There are two main reasons kids are more vulnerable to ear infections:

  • Their immune systems aren’t fully developed
  • Their ears don’t drain as well due to smaller and more horizontal eustachian tubes

The good news is that kids grow out of both of these hurdles as they get older.

Ear infection warning signs in kids

Now let’s get into recognizing when your non-talking child has an ear infection, bearing in mind that some of these red flags could be due to other issues. 

Tugging on their ear

One of the more obvious signs of an ear infection is when your child tugs or rubs at their ear, which is a direct indication that something might be wrong in that area.

Your child is unhappy

Kids can cry a lot during their first year or two, so it can be hard to discern what’s upsetting them. If they have a painful ear infection, you will likely encounter more irritability, fussiness, and crying than usual.

Fever

Infants with a fever of 100.4 F or higher are likely fighting off some infection, so if you’re noticing some of the other signs we’re reviewing, please monitor their body temperature.

Fluid draining from their ear

If there’s an infection and blockage in your child’s middle ear, you might notice fluid draining out.

Trouble hearing

If you notice that your child is less responsive to your voice, it could be because an ear infection has muffled their hearing.

Balance issues

It’s hard to measure balance with an infant who can’t stand or walk — their balance isn’t so great to begin with — but if you notice that they’re less balanced than usual, this can indicate an ear infection.

Each of these issues on their own can mean a host of different things, but if you take them all together, or at least a few of them, they are likely pointing to an ear infection.

For a more definitive diagnosis, we suggest you bring your child in for a quick sick visit. To get that ball rolling, you can book an appointment online or call us at our Brooklyn, New York, clinic at 718-804-5879. We also welcome walk-ins during our hours of operation.

Our team proudly serves the Flatbush and East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Park Slope, Little Haiti, Little Caribbean, and Prospect Lefferts Gardens communities.