My child's ears show redness, is this a sign of inflammation?

Yes, but...: We need to clarify: is the external ear red? Or are you referring to when a physician looks at the middle ear with an otoscope? Redness is usually a sign of inflammation but can be present for many reasons. A red external ear can be inflammed from sunburn, vasodilation due to exertion (when your child runs around or cries). A red eardrum can be infection, viral or bacterial.

no: The skin on the ears is very thin, so this is one of the first areas that will show flushing or blushing. Things that can cause this appearance include crying, feeding, or temperature changes. Therefore, this does not typically indicate inflammation.