By It is late at night, your child is crying, and they keep pulling at one ear. Most ear pain in children has a simple cause and settles with the right care. If you are searching for a child ear pain doctor in Dubai, start here. This guide links common clues to likely causes, shows safe ways to ease the pain, and lists the signs that should not wait.
With more than 20 years in ENT, Dr. Muhammad Jabbr sees children and adults at Medcare Hospital Al Safa as a Consultant ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon. Many parents count him among the best doctors in Dubai for a child's sore ear.
Why does my child have ear pain?
Earache is very common in children. One reason is that children have short, fairly level tubes (the Eustachian tubes) linking the back of the nose to the middle ear. These tubes block easily during a cold. Young children also push things into their ears, swim often in Dubai pools, and cannot always tell you where it hurts.
Use the symptom checker below as a guide, not a diagnosis. Only a look inside the ear can confirm the cause.
Match the clues: what is causing your child's ear pain?
Pain after a cold, with fever: middle-ear infection
A blocked or runny nose comes first. A few days later the ear pain starts, often at night when your child lies down. There may be a fever, poor sleep, crankiness, dull hearing and less interest in food. Babies may rub or pull the ear.
Sometimes pus leaks out and the pain suddenly eases. This usually means the pressure has made a small hole in the eardrum. Most of these holes heal by themselves, but your child should still be checked.
Sore to touch after swimming: swimmer's ear
Swimmer's ear is an infection of the skin lining the ear canal, on the outer side of the eardrum. It is common in keen swimmers. The tell-tale sign is that your child flinches when you gently move the outer ear or press the small bump of cartilage just in front of the ear opening. There may be itching or a little discharge, but fever is less common.
Blocked feeling, mild ache: ear wax
Wax is normal and helps protect the ear. It rarely hurts on its own. But wax pushed deep by cotton buds can become hard and packed. Your child may say the ear feels full or muffled, with a dull ache.
Sudden pain in a toddler: something in the ear
Beads, small toy parts, food, paper and insects often end up in children's ears. Signs include sudden pain in one ear, a bad smell, a little bleeding or discharge, or a child who keeps poking that ear.
Do not try to pull the object out with tweezers or a cotton bud. This can push it deeper or harm the eardrum. A button battery is an emergency, because it can burn the skin quickly, so go to emergency care straight away. Most other objects are not an emergency, but a doctor should remove them soon.
Ear pain with teething or a sore throat: referred pain
The ear shares nerves with the jaw, teeth and throat. So pain from these areas can be felt in the ear, even when the ear itself is healthy. A teething baby may rub their cheek and ear. Teething does not cause a high fever, though, so a baby with fever and ear pain needs a proper check.
An older child with tonsillitis or a sore throat may say their ear hurts, especially when swallowing.
How can I ease my child's ear pain at home?
Mild ear pain in children often gets better within two or three days. These steps can help in the meantime:
- Pain relief. Paracetamol or ibuprofen, in the dose for your child's age and weight, can ease pain and fever. For babies under three months, speak to a doctor before giving any medicine. Do not give aspirin to children.
- Warmth. A warm (not hot) cloth held over the ear can be soothing.
- Rest and fluids. Offer drinks often. Older children may feel better with an extra pillow. Babies should still sleep flat on their back.
- Keep the ear dry if you suspect swimmer's ear. Take a short break from swimming until it is checked.
- Nothing in the ear. Do not use cotton buds, oils, garlic or other home remedies inside the ear.
Hold off on ear drops until a doctor has looked inside, as some drops can harm the middle ear if the eardrum is torn. Antibiotics help only some causes, so your doctor will decide after the exam.
Which signs mean your child needs a doctor today?
Some signs need same-day or emergency care. Get help quickly if you notice:
- A red, swollen or tender area behind the ear, or an ear that suddenly sticks out more than the other. Infection may have spread into the bone there.
- A high fever (39°C or above), or a temperature of 38°C or more in a baby under three months.
- A stiff neck, a bad headache, or a child who is very drowsy or hard to wake.
- Discharge from the ear together with fever, or a child who seems very unwell.
- One side of the face drooping or not moving well, sudden loss of hearing, or a child who is very dizzy or unsteady.
- A button battery in the ear, even if your child seems fine.
- Pain that stays severe despite regular pain relief, or a child who will not drink.
See our page on ENT emergencies in children for more. If something feels wrong, get your child seen.
Seeing a child ear pain doctor in Dubai: the visit, step by step
Most ear checks are short and painless. First, Dr. Jabbr will want the story: when the pain started, and whether a cold, a swim or a flight came before it.
Next, he looks into both ears with an otoscope, a small hand-held light, while your child sits on your lap. This quick look usually tells an infection behind the eardrum apart from swimmer's ear, wax, or an object in the canal. He also checks the throat, mouth, jaw and neck, because ear pain sometimes starts there.
Depending on what he finds, treatment may include:
- Pain relief and a day or two of watching, as many middle-ear infections settle on their own.
- Antibiotic medicine when the exam shows it is likely to help.
- Gentle cleaning of the ear canal and prescribed drops for swimmer's ear.
- Safe removal of wax or a foreign object with fine tools under a good light. A few very young children need a short general anaesthetic for this.
- A hearing test if fluid seems to stay behind the eardrum after the pain has gone.
Ear pain that keeps coming back needs its own plan, explained on our page about glue ear and repeated ear infections. For other problems, visit our pediatric ENT doctor page.
Who will check your child's ears?
Dr. Muhammad Jabbr holds an MD and MS, the DOHNS (England), and both the European Board and Arab Board qualifications in ORL-HNS (ear, nose and throat, head and neck surgery). Over more than 20 years, he has performed more than 3,000 ENT procedures.
He treats both children and adults, and his Google rating is 4.9 from 406 reviews. You can read more about his ear work on our ear specialist (otology) page.
Book an appointment
To have your child's ear checked, book a visit online or call +971 52 751 7811. The clinic is in the ENT Department, Medcare Hospital, Hadiqa Street, Al Safa 1, Dubai. If your child shows any of the urgent signs above, head to an emergency department first.
Frequently Asked Questions
My baby keeps pulling their ear. Does that mean an ear infection?
Not always. Babies pull their ears when teething, when tired, or simply because they have found them. It is more worrying with fever, a recent cold, crying when lying down, or poor feeding. If you are unsure, have the ear checked.
Why does my child's ear pain get worse at night?
Lying flat may add to the pressure in an inflamed middle ear. There is also less to distract your child from the pain. A dose of pain relief before bed may help them settle.
We have a flight booked and my child's ear hurts. What should we do?
An inflamed or blocked ear can hurt more when cabin pressure changes, mostly as the plane descends. Have the ear checked before you travel. During the descent, a feed, a dummy or a drink helps babies swallow. Older children can chew, yawn or sip water.
Is it safe to put olive oil or ear drops in my child's ear?
Not while the ear hurts and no one has looked inside. Olive oil can soften wax in a healthy ear, but it will not treat an infection and may irritate a swollen canal. Your doctor can tell you which drops, if any, will help.
Can a sore throat really make my child's ear hurt?
Yes. The throat and the ear share nerves, so a sore throat or a new tooth can feel like ear pain. The ear usually feels better once the throat or gum settles.
Conclusion
Most ear pain in children settles. Ease it safely, keep everything out of the ear, and know the warning signs. For a clear answer, Dr. Muhammad Jabbr can examine your child's ears gently and explain what will help.
