Symptoms of a middle ear infection (acute otitis media) often start 2 to 7 days after a cold or other upper respiratory infection. Symptoms of an ear infection may include:

• Ear pain (mild to severe). Babies often pull or tug at their ears when they have an earache.
• Fever.
• Drainage from the ear that is thick and yellow or bloody. If this occurs, the eardrum has probably burst (ruptured). The hole in the eardrum often heals by itself in a few weeks.
• Loss of appetite, vomiting, and grumpy behavior.
• Trouble sleeping.
• Trouble hearing.

Symptoms of fluid buildup may include:

• Popping, ringing, or a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear. Children often have trouble describing this feeling. Children may rub their ears trying to relieve pressure.
• Loss of hearing. Children with hearing loss may seem dreamy or inattentive, or they may appear grumpy or cranky.
• Balance problems and dizziness.

Some children don't have any symptoms with this condition.