What causes an ear infection? we have a toddler and i've noticed him pulling at his ear. are there physical signs that we should look for if he has an ear infection.

Thanks : Thanks for your question. Pulling at the ear or playing with the ear are some signs that your toddler may be having some ear discomfort. Other physical signs include fussiness, fever, decreased hearing, or if the tympanic membrane (eardrum) has ruptured, bleeding and drainage. Not all of these signs have to be present at once. The best way to know for sure is to have his doctor look in the ear - there's no other definite way to tell what's going on. I hope that helps. Good luck!

Runny nose signal: Most often caused by a running nose, since children cannot blow their noses properly and the mucus backs up into the middle ear and causes infection.