Why Is My Baby Pulling Or Rubbing Their Ear? - Healthline

Maybe your like

HealthlineSubscribeParenthoodWhy Is My Baby Pulling or Rubbing Their Ear?

Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M.D. — Written by Noreen Iftikhar, MD on August 27, 2020

Causes
Treatment
See a doctor
Takeaway

Your baby seems to be growing and developing at lightning speed. They’re learning and doing new things every day, including some things that you’d rather they didn’t do. But if your baby is suddenly pulling, tugging, or scratching at their ears, don’t worry.

There are several reasons why your little one has a sudden fascination with their ears. In fact, if your baby is touching their ears but doesn’t have any other signs or symptoms, it’s most likely harmless.

Here’s how to figure out when it might be something more.

Causes of ear pulling

Your baby has just discovered they have ears

Your baby may have just noticed that they have ears attached to their head! This is kind of like that time your baby realized that they could make their hands move and kept wiggling their fingers in front of their face — or accidentally smacking themselves.

Since their ears are something new and their pincer grip is getting stronger, your baby might touch, pull, or play with their ears This can become a temporary habit. They’ll stop touching their ears as soon as something else captures their attention — perhaps their toes!

Your baby is self-soothing

You might be used to your little one calming themselves by sucking on a pacifier or their hand or thumb. But babies may self-soothe in other ways, too. Your baby might be pulling, rubbing, or touching their ears because it feels good and helps them relax.

If your baby is playing with their ears to self-soothe, you’ll probably notice that they do it more right before they fall asleep or between feedings. As your baby grows, they won’t need to self-soothe in this way and will stop on their own.

Your baby has itchy skin

Your baby might just be scratching an itch when they’re pulling or rubbing at their ears. Babies can get dry skin for many reasons, just like adults. Some causes of dry, itchy skin are mild and go away on their own.

The delicate skin around your baby’s ears and head can also get dry. Your baby might sometimes have slightly dry or itchy skin due to the following:

heating
dry air
air-conditioning
temperature changes
too much washing or bathing
some soaps or cleansers
laundry detergent
some types of clothing fabric
too much sweating

Let your doctor know if your baby has a serious rash or keeps getting dry, flaky skin or any kind of a rash. Eczema is common in babies. Almost 65 percent percent of babies and children with atopic dermatitis, the most common type of eczema, show symptoms of this skin condition before they’re 1 year old.

Eczema symptoms in babies include:

dry, scaly skin patches
redness
skin swelling
tiny skin bumps
thick or hard skin patches
crusting or pus on the skin
sensitive skin
irritability and crying
difficulty sleeping or feeding

Your baby has an ear infection

Your baby might be pulling or touching their ears because they have pain from an ear infection. Ear infections are most common in babies and toddlers between 3 months and 3 years old. And the poor little buggers can get them more than once.

Babies and small children get more ear infections because of where their ear tubes are. They have more horizontal ear tubes, while older children and adults have vertical ear tubes. Fluid doesn’t drain out of a baby’s horizontal ear tubes as well as it does from vertical tubes.

If your usually happy baby is touching or scratching at their ears, look for other signs and symptoms of an earache, including:

crying
irritability
not wanting to feed
difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
fever
vomiting
runny nose
allergy symptoms
other cold or flu symptoms
just got over a cold or flu

Your baby is teething or has general pain

Teething pain can look a lot like an ear infection in a baby. This is because the nerves around the teeth and mouth go all the way to the ears. One difference is that an ear infection usually happens during or right after your baby has a cold or the flu and may be accompanied by a fever.

Your baby might be pulling at their ears because they’re just really, really upset. If your baby has a cold or diaper rash, they might grab at their ears out of frustration. When this happens your little one will also show other signs of being in pain, like:

crying
screaming
turning red
skin rash
more drooling than normal
putting their hands or toys in their mouth
touching their mouth
runny nose
fever
skin rash

Treatment for ear pulling

Dealing with your baby’s ear tugging depends on why they’re doing it. In some cases, you might need medical treatment to help soothe the cause.

If your little one is grabbing or pulling at their ears just because, or scratching their ears so badly that their skin becomes raw or even bleeds, try to help deter the ear obsession. Put little mittens or a new pair of socks onto your baby’s hands to stop their roaming fingers.

You can also distract your baby by giving them other things to do with their hands, like playing with something colorful and loud. Giving your baby new textures — like a rubbery toy — to feel is also great for their development and might help them forget their ears for a bit.

Soothe teething pain with a cold pacifier. Alternatively, ask your baby’s pediatrician if they recommend baby pain medication. Also, see your pediatrician if your baby is pulling their ears and has had a cold or flu recently, or if they have any other symptoms.

Baby ear infections can be caused by bacterial or viral infections. Leaving them untreated can damage hearing. Your baby may need a course of antibiotics or other treatment for an ear infection.

Similarly, skin rashes like eczema can be serious in some babies. While there’s no cure, your doctor can give your baby the best treatment to help keep symptoms away.

Baby dandruff or cradle cap usually clears up on its own, though it’s not uncommon for it to persist for several months. Washing your baby’s scalp every couple of days with a baby shampoo and warm water can help loosen scaly patches.

When to see your pediatrician

When it comes to babies and their ears (or any other body part, for that matter), it’s always best to let your pediatrician know if something doesn’t seem quite right to you.

If your baby is tugging at their ears and has any other symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.

The takeaway

Baby ear pulling, scratching, or grabbing might just be another cute thing your baby can do. It’s likely completely normal, and they’ll stop doing it on their own. (Or if they’re a little too playful with their ears, the dreaded mittens or hand-socks might have to come out again.)

On the other hand, ear tugging or scratching along with other symptoms may be a sign that your baby is in pain, irritated, or generally unwell. Ear, scalp, and skin-related health problems in babies can be serious. See your pediatrician for a checkup right away.

Parenthood
Baby

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Atopic dermatitis and eczema symptoms and causes. (n.d.). http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/a/atopic-dermatitis-and-eczema/symptoms-and-causes
Ear infections (otitis media). (n.d.). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8613-ear-infection-otitis-media
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Cradle cap. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cradle-cap/symptoms-causes/syc-20350396
Teething. (2020).https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/teething/

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M.D. — Written by Noreen Iftikhar, MD on August 27, 2020

Tag » Why Do Babies Pull Ears When Tired

Why Is My Baby Pulling Or Rubbing Their Ear? - Healthline

Causes of ear pulling

Your baby has just discovered they have ears

Your baby is self-soothing

Your baby has itchy skin

Your baby has an ear infection

Your baby is teething or has general pain

Treatment for ear pulling

When to see your pediatrician

The takeaway

How we reviewed this article:

Ear Pulling & Tugging: Babies & Children

Ear - Pulling At Or Rubbing - Seattle Children's

How To Tell If Your Baby Is Tired - Sleeping Littles

Why Do Infants Pull Their Ears? - PubMed

Ear - Pulling At Or Rubbing - Pediatric Associates Of Greater Salem

Pulling At Or Rubbing Ear - Pediatric Associates Of Northern Colorado

Why Does My Baby Sleep By Pulling My Ear? - Bangalore Mirror

What To Know If Ear Pulling Is Your Baby's New Favorite Pastime

Child Is Tugging At Her Ears? - Pediatric ENT Associates

It's Just So Ear-rational! - Ask MetaFilter

Touching Ears When Tired 10 - Mumsnet

7 Reasons Why Your Baby May Be Pulling At Their Ears, By Dr. Tahir

Kid's Doctor: Ear Pulling Rarely A Sign Of Infection - Hartford Courant

11 Important Baby Cues Every Parent Needs To Know

Contact