7mo holding head to one side and screaming - is he playing or in pain?

[MamaChris]

7mo ds for the last few days occasionally holds his head to one side and screams for a minute or few. He doesn't seem too upset afterwards, and I'm wondering whether he's just playing with sound or whether he's got some earache or something. 4 top teeth have just broken through, so I also thought maybe it's teething. Anyone have experience of this?

When my eldest was that age he was doing the same. I was fobbed off by the doctor who didnt look in his ears. The next day his sheet was covered in stuff from his ear. Turned out he had an ear infection. Could be teething as well I suppose!

I have heard a similar story from an ex colleague when her little one was ill. The child's ear infection was missed despite a few visits to doctors, high temps and screaming and one morning, she found that he had an ear infection the same way as groovychick2 did.

I also remember having an ear infection years ago and the pain came and went. It was not a consistent pain.

I think it would be worth getting your son checked out.

thanks. will try and get a doctor's appt. hope I don't get fobbed off too!

TMI but my DD was plauged by ear infections and I was able to smell them by sticking my nose in her ear!

It is worth getting his ears checked.

Ear infection. Very very painful. Calpol in the first instance until you can get him seen. He's absolutely NOT playing!!

Sorry, that was really very very bossy, wasn't it? I'll try again: I think your child might possibly have an ear infection. I have found Calpol to be effective in these instances and would strongly recommend that you get him seen by your GP

Hey MamaChris, we haven't seen you on the Jan thread for a long time! Hope you're all well? Thinking about another N.London meetup...come along! I must admit this does sound like an ear infection...very painful - definitely get hiim checked out by your GP. Fingers crossed its 'just' teething but its hard to be sure...its so tough when they can't communicate, isn't it?

Have you taken his temperature?

wow - thanks for all the replies. He doesn't have a temperature, ear not hot to the touch and he is well in between the screaming bits (though grumpy - but I think that could equally be developmental, he's just starting to get really upset when you take a toy away or switch a tap off etc). He didn't do it very often yesterday, and I've got a dr's appt for tomorrow, so we'll see.

I had ear infections a lot as a child (but don't remember them).

Hey fillybuster - sorry - kinda dropped off that thread. Might try and find it to see how everyone is and hear about that meet up

Janni LOL @ your diplomatic rewording

Let us know how you get on!

Doctor (a new one) was very thorough, and said yes, it's an infection, but not a raging one, and that we should try treating with baby ibuprofen for the pain, in the hope he'll fight the infection himself in 2-3 days.

Now she's diagnosed it, his ear has turned bright red and hot! So we'll treat the pain and see how he is by Monday to decide whether to go back for antibiotics.

Does anyone know whether he should avoid swimming? Forgot to ask

no swimming? oh well And I guess we'd better cancel that round the world air trip too. Ho hum.

Poor wee thing and poor you! I agree, no swimming, no wet hair, keep him warm - even put a hat on when you're out if it's at all windy.

will do. thanks for the advice. he's just got a cold too, and sneezing seems to be causing him a lot of pain too.

fingers crossed he'll get well soon.