Acute Otitis Media

What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?

The symptoms of otitis media vary depending upon the age of the child. An infant with an acute infection of the middle ear may show the following symptoms:

In an older child, symptoms of an ear infection can include:

If the infection is more severe, the eardrum may bulge. There may be pus behind the eardrum. If the drum has ruptured, there is often clear or pus-like material in the ear canal.