Ear Infection?

[DeeLite]

My 9 mo old was poorly with a very high temperature (40.9 at its peak) last week. He was checked by the doctor then who said it was a viral infection but nothing sinister. The fever's now gone but he has a runny nose, cough and is still off his food but drinking his milk. Throughout he has been pulling on one ear and I'm worried he might have an ear infection but I expected that an ear infection would have him in much more pain than just occasional irritability. The last symptom is a pin prick rash on his legs which has appeared this evening. I've done the glass test and that's fine.

I really don't want to call the doctor as he's just started in nursery and we've been to the doctor once a week every week for the past six and I feel terrible about being such a drain on our GP's surgery. Also, my gut feeling is that he's okay. Isn't that supposed to count for alot?

May well be a post viral rash, they are quite common after a viral illness like this. Maybe give NHSDirect a ring? Or Walk In centre tomorrow if he is well otherwise?

And IME with ear infections, they wake up a lot in the night SCREAMING that than just grumbling.

rather than even

Thanks eggyminniewhinesagain (hilarious name, by the way!). I talked to his keyworker at nursery who keep mentioning the ear pulling and she also said that an ear infection would normally result in a screaming baby rather than a whingy one so that's why I'm daring to hope it's not an ear infection.

I've found something called three day fever / roseola infantum which sounds very like his symptoms so I'm hoping that's it as the rash is the last symptom to appear. Post-viral rash sounds good to me too.

it is very well possible to have an ear infection without screaming. DD has had double ear infection and when she was younger we only found out because paediatrician checked ears routinely, she didn't complain at all. Only now she is older she will actually scream especially during the night. We also found that ibuprofen (e.g. calprofen) does help whereas paracetamol (e.g. calpol) doesn't help against the pain. DD never used to complain about pain whereas paediatrician told us she must have been in agony as they were so badly infected at one stage. GP should be able to check this tough ...

Oh, your DD sounds very brave. I think I'll take our boy to the doctor's. He keeps waking up and having a little cry and tug at his ear and back to sleep again. Poor fellow. It's not easy being a baby.

Ds(age 3) has had 6 burst ear drums this year without complaining of pain on more than one occasion. He at under a year had continuous ear infections and you wouldn't know except through the temperature.
However: All 3 of mine used to pull on their ears when tired so it doesn't necessarily mean anything.