Yellow or whitish fluid draining from the ear. This doesn't happen to most babies, but it's a sure sign of infection. It also signals that a small hole has developed in the eardrum. (Don't worry – this will heal once the infection is treated.)
Ear Drainage
A sure sign of an ear infection is fluid or pus draining out of a child's ear. Although not all children experience it, this thick, yellow or bloody fluid is the result of a ruptured eardrum. Don't be concerned about a ruptured eardrum; it'll heal on its own in a few weeks.
Ear drainage.
You might notice yellow or white fluid, possibly blood-tinged, draining from your child's ear. The fluid may have a foul odor and will look different from normal earwax (which is orange-yellow or reddish-brown).
Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat the ear infection. Children under 6 months are usually given an antibiotic. If your child is over 6 months old and the symptoms are mild, antibiotics may not be needed. Your doctor may also recommend medicines to help with fever or pain.
In most cases, fluid in the middle ear clears up within 3 months without treatment. But if the fluid is still there after 3 months and your child has trouble hearing, treatment may be advised.
What causes ear infections in babies and toddlers? Babies get ear infections when they catch a cold or other upper-respiratory infection, which causes the lining of the Eustachian tube (the tube that connects the middle ear to the nose and the back of the throat) to swell, become congested and accumulate fluid.
Ear drainage can occur for several reasons, including an ear infection, a ruptured eardrum, or an ear tube that causes fluid to drain. Ear discharge can sometimes be a sign of something more serious, especially if it occurs after a recent head injury.
It's incredibly common for babies (and toddlers) to get ear infections. In fact, five out of six children will experience one before their third birthday, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Cloudy Discharge - Ear Infection:
Cloudy fluid or pus draining from the ear canal usually means there's an ear infection. The pus drains because there's a small tear in the eardrum. To help with the pain, give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
A middle ear infection, also called otitis media, causes a build-up of fluid behind the ear drum. It is especially common in children but can happen at any age. Sometimes the fluid causes so much pressure that the ear drum bursts. You might see thick yellow fluid draining from the ear following severe pain.
If your child is older than 12 months, pull the outer ear gently up and back. (If they're younger than 12 months, pull the outer ear gently straight back.) This will straighten the ear canal and make it easier to see inside. Hold the otoscope at the handle with your pinky finger outstretched.
Normal ear discharge, better known as earwax, is amber to orange-brown in color. Other types of drainage, though, may indicate a problem.
Earwax, or cerumen, is usually amber orange to light brown, but it can vary between individuals and may give clues about a person's health. Red-tinged wax may be a sign of an injury, while greenish wax may indicate an infection, for instance. Earwax plays essential roles in ear health.
Most commonly, otorrhea is the result of a ruptured eardrum from an ear infection. When there's a hole in your eardrum, the fluid in your middle ear drains out into your ear canal. But other conditions can cause otorrhea too, including swimmer's ear, an unknown object stuck in your ear or, less commonly, head trauma.
With swimmer's ear the pain is located in the outer ear canal, or the area near the ear opening, and increases when you pull on the earlobe. In a middle ear infection, pain is located in the inner ear, near the ear drum and will often increase with lying down, which can also cause trouble sleeping.
Ear infections (AOM) occur when germs (bacteria and/or viruses) enter the middle ear and cause fever, ear pain, and active (acute) inflammation. Both AOM and OME have fluid in the middle ear, but with OME the fluid is not actively infected and pain may be absent or minimal.
Ear Infection Causes
An ear infection is an inflammation of the middle ear space. In young children, congestion and swelling from a cold virus can cause the Eustachian tube to become blocked, leading to fluid buildup and bacteria being trapped in the middle ear.
Yellow or whitish fluid draining from the ear.
This doesn't happen to most babies, but it's a sure sign of infection. It also signals that a small hole has developed in the eardrum. (Don't worry – this will heal once the infection is treated.)
Treat Ear Infections – Ear infections are most common in children between the ages of six and 18 months. Breast milk is an easy solution that delivers a powerful shot of antibodies right to the site of the issue. Three to four drops of milk right into the ear is typically enough to treat the issue.
Call Your Doctor If:
Ear pain becomes severe or crying becomes nonstop. Ear pain lasts more than 3 days on antibiotics. Ear discharge is not better after 3 days on antibiotics. You think your child needs to be seen.
AAO-HNS Red Flags
History of pain, active drainage, or bleeding from an ear. Search for “pain,” “discomfort,” “pressure,” “fullness,” “otalgia,” “drain/drainage,” “blood,” “bleeding,” “pus,” or “otorrhea.” Sudden onset or rapidly progressive hearing loss.
Waxy ear discharge is the most common type of ear discharge. It is considered normal and can be white, brown, or yellow. The glands in the ear canal produce it, and it helps keep the ear clean and protect it from infection.
Ear infections are very common, particularly in children. You do not always need to see a GP for an ear infection as they often get better on their own within 3 days.