A baby grabs his ear: causes, how to help a child?
When a baby pulls on its ear, parents often start looking for the reason for this behavior. Does grabbing an ear always herald an ear infection in a child? Should I be concerned if my baby pulls on his ear when falling asleep?
Sometimes the child not so much grabs the ear, but even scratches the head and ears - what can these symptoms indicate in a baby? We invite you to read the article in which we help parents understand what to do when a child's behavior starts to worry us.
The baby pulls on the ear, so he definitely has otitis: truth or myth?
When a baby pulls on the ear, parents immediately suspect the worst, i.e. an ear infection, in medical nomenclature referred to as acute otitis media (AOM). First of all, it is not worth panicking right away, but calmly observe how the child behaves: does he often grab his ear and is nervous, crying at the same time?
It is also crucial to determine if the infant is pulling at the ear and has other symptoms that may indicate AOM, e.g. fever, runny nose, cough, vomiting, diarrhoea, decreased appetite and reluctance to play, discharge from the ear (watery, purulent maybe stained with blood?
Expert advises
In the vast majority of children, otitis is preceded by an infection of the upper respiratory tract and/or throat. This relationship results from the specific structure of the children's ear: in babies, the Eustachian tube (the connection between the middle ear and the so-called nasopharynx) is much shorter than in adults. Therefore, any infections in the upper respiratory tract and throat can easily spread to the middle ear in children.
When an infant pulls on the ear it can manifest in this way discomfort and pain associated with otitis (usually it is acute pain with a sudden onset), however, in some children diagnosed otitis does not cause any pain symptoms.
If an infant pulls on the ear and parents suspect AOM, they should always consult a pediatrician. However, ear-grabbing is often not associated with acute otitis media in a child.
The baby pulls on the ear: other causes
What could be the other causes and how can we help the child?
Teething
During the period of eruption of milk teeth, the infant may pull on the ear - why? The discomfort associated with teething is often felt by the baby and by pulling on the ear, the baby can try distract yourself from sore gums. In these cases, an irritable child may also scratch his head and ears more often. In addition, gum pain, which often occurs when teething, can radiate, among others, to the teeth. towards the baby's neck or ear, causing the baby to sometimes pull on the ear.
Teething is also usually accompanied by profuse drooling and hyperaemia (redness) of the gums. Slightly chilled teethers or massage of the baby's gums with a special silicone pad that the parent puts on his finger can bring relief.
Reflux
An infant may also pull on the ear when it is present gastroesophageal reflux. Due to the specific anatomy of the middle ear in a child, the acidic content of the stomach can irritate the eustachian tube area and lead to the development of inflammation.
Expert advises
Reflux is also often accompanied by, among others: the child's anxiety during/immediately after feeding, regurgitation of food (although it does not always occur - the so-called latent reflux may occur), frequent burping of the child, reluctance to lie on the tummy, problems with proper weight gain on the scales. If parents suspect gastroesophageal reflux disease in their child, they should consult a pediatrician.
Pierced ears in a child
If the parents decide to pierce the child's ears and wear earrings, the infant may pull on the ear because feels discomfort from a fresh or healing wound. Sometimes the baby is also curious what this new "thing" inserted in his earlobe is - then the baby pulls on the ear out of pure curiosity.
The key is proper care and hygiene of pierced ears, as well as the selection of safe earrings (there is a risk of removing and then swallowing the earring by the child).
Discovering your own body
An infant may also pull on its ear for fun and to explore its body through intense touch. Some toddlers habitually grab their ears, e.g. when they are interested in something or out of boredom.
Why a baby pulls its ear when falling asleepwhat does that mean?
Some children pull their ear not only when falling asleep but also when they start to get drowsy. Ear-grabbing is usually accompanied by eye rubbing, yawning, and growing irritability. Such symptoms should not worry parents, but prompt them to start the ritual of putting the child to sleep for a nap or night sleep. Why does a baby pull his ear when falling asleep when he is already in his crib?
Although it may seem unusual to adults, some babies pull on the ear try to calm down before bedtime. There are children who wind their hair around their fingers before falling asleep, others lightly scratch the surface of the mattress with their hands, or "pick" a cuddly toy, and still other children pull their ears when falling asleep. For the most part, these are completely harmless habits that disappear on their own as they develop.
The child is scratching his head and ears: could this be a symptom of some disease?
If the child not only grabs the ear, but even scratches the head and ears, the most important thing is to keep an eye on the baby. Sometimes children this way manifest their tiredness or nervousness, but for some children scratching their head and ears can be a symptom of allergies or illness.
It's worth taking a closer look baby's skin condition. Are there any changes on it, e.g. pimples, spots, very dry places?
Child maybe scratch your head and ears mine.:
- in progress atopowego zapalenia skory (AD). Itchy skin lesions also occur in other locations, usually e.g. in joint bends (e.g. knees, elbows), on the face.
- due to food or contact allergy;
- due to bacterial superinfections of skin lesionsoccurring in the course of seborrheic dermatitis (PsA).
Expert advises
PsA is often mild and occurs on the scalp of infants as so-called cradle cap, but it can also appear, among others, on the eyebrows or just behind the ears. PsA lesions themselves are unlikely to cause itching, but if bacterial superinfections and exacerbation of inflammation occur, itching and local soreness may occur, and then the child often begins to scratch his head and ears.
If you notice disturbing skin changes on the child's body, it is not worth looking for a diagnosis on the Internet, but immediately go to the pediatrician with the baby - sometimes skin eruptions are a symptom of an infectious disease, e.g. rubella, measles, smallpox.
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