Is your child experiencing a buzzing sound?

Or hearing loss in the affected ear?

Yes No

Yes?

What about a spinning sensation?

Or ear noise?

Yes No

Yes?

Is there drainage of clear fluid from the affected ear?

Or drainage of pus?

Yes No

Did the child experience a severe pain ...

... that suddenly stopped?

Yes No

Go to the Emergency Room.

Note:
We do not advice continuing. You should only continue if your child is not experiencing the question asked.

If this is the case, tap  to start over.

Clinic ER

Any bleeding from the ear?

Yes No

Seek urgent care or the emergency room.

Note:
We do not advice continuing. You should only continue if your child is not experiencing the question asked.

If this is the case, tap  to start over.

Children Hospital ER

Would the child say he or she is feeling dizzy?

Yes No

Seek urgent care or call the pediatrician.

Nearest Clinic Continue

Is the side of the face with the affected ear feeling weak?

Yes No

Seek urgent care or call the pediatrician.

Nearest Clinic Continue

Any nausea or vomiting?

From possibly vertigo?

Yes No

Seek urgent care or call the pediatrician.

Nearest Clinic Continue

Those questions were to rule out a ruptured ear drum.

If you are thinking a ruptured eardrum, seek urgent care for the child. You don't want to risk complications.

If confident this is not a ruptured ear drum, let's continue.

Urgent Care Continue

No?
About 50% of children with an ear infection will have fever.

Let's continue to see what you may find.

Continue

Ask the child.
Do you have a headache?

Yes No

Yes?

Continue

Any swelling behind the ear?

May cause the ear to stick out.

Yes No

Seek urgent care or call the pediatrician.

This is usually caused by a middle ear infection spreading from the ear to the mastoid bone of the skull.

The mastoid bone fills with the infected materials and its honeycomb-like structure may deteriorate leading to swelling behind the ear.

Nearest Clinic Continue

What about redness of the ear or behind the ear?

Yes No

Yes?
May be looking at Mastoiditis.

This is usually caused by a middle ear infection spreading from the ear to the mastoid bone of the skull.

Promptly and completely treating ear infections reduces the risk of mastoiditis.

Get in touch with the pediatrician or seek urgent care as soon as possible.

Nearest Clinic Continue

Tried to rule out a severe ear infection which is a medical emergency.

Let's see if your child is looking at an ear infection anyway.

We will take a look at the symptoms he or she is experiencing.

Continue

Yes

Continue

Is the child tugging or pulling at the ear?

Yes No

Yes?
May be looking at an ear infection going on here.

Know that teething among other reasons, can also be why an infant or toddler may pull on the ear.

Continue

Did the child have a clear runny nose that turned yellow or green ...

... and now the ear is hurting?

Yes No

Yes?
Possible ear infection going on.

An ear infection is usually a byproduct of having a cold.

Continue

What about crying more than usual?

Or acting more irritable than usual?

This may be noticed more during feedings as sucking and swallowing is causing pressure changes in the middle ear which can be painful.

Yes No

Yes?
This can be a symptom of an ear infection in a toddler.

Continue

Does the child feel like eating?

Yes No

No?
Usually with an ear infection, the child may not feel like eating.

FYI Continue

Does the child have difficulty sleeping?

Or lying flat?

Yes No

Yes?
This is a possible sign of an ear infection.

The pressure changes in the ear when the child lie down may make the ear pain worse.

Continue

Those were signs of an ear infection in an infant or a toddler.

If you suspect an ear infection, you should give the pediatrician a call as soon as possible.

Let's take a look at other factors that will determine how soon you need to contact the doctor.

Continue

Yes?

Continue

Has the child been diagnosed with an ear infection before?

Yes No

Is the child experiencing ear pain especially while lying down?

Yes No

Yes?
This is a symptom of an ear infection.

Let's continue and see what else we can come up with.

Continue

What about difficulty hearing or responding to sounds?

Yes No

Yes?
This can be a symptom of an ear infection.

Continue

Any diarrhea or vomiting with this earache?

Yes No

Yes?
Child may be looking at an ear infection going on.

Continue

Is the child experiencing a spinning sensation??

Yes No

Yes?
This can sometimes be a symptom of an ear infection.

Continue

Does your child have or had a cold, flu or allergy and now is complaining of earache?

Or headache, noises in the ear?

Yes No

Yes?
More than likely looking at an ear infection.

Ear infection often results from another illness — cold, flu or allergy — that cause congestion and swelling of the nasal passages, throat and eustachian tubes.

Continue

Any loss of appetite in addition to the ear pain?

Yes No

Yes?
There is usually loss of appetite with an ear infection.

Continue

Alright.
Those were signs of an ear infection in an older child.

If any of these fits your child's profile, we recommend you give the pediatrician a call or visit the nearest children's hospital.

Let's see how soon your child need to see the doctor if you think it is an ear infection you are looking at.

Continue

Yes?

Continue

Has the child been diagnosed with an ear infection before or lately?

Yes No

Option1

Any rationale for sending to a pharmacist?

Option2

Any rationale for sending to a pharmacist?

Option3

Any rationale for sending to a pharmacist?

Back Nearest Clinic Pharmacist