If your child is suddenly complaining of ear pain this summer, you’re not alone. And it’s not always swimmer’s ear. As a pediatrician and a mom, I see everything from middle ear infections to bugs in the ear canal. In this post, we’ll break down the most 5 common causes of ear pain in kids, how to tell the difference between conditions like swimmer’s ear vs ear infections. Whether you’re dealing with toddler ear pain in summer or looking for answers to confusing child ear infection symptoms, this guide will help you know what to do next and what to watch for.

In general, because the symptoms of ear infections are so non-specific and infants and toddlers cannot tell you their ear hurts, the only way to know definitively is to have the ear examined.

About 25 percent of infants have at least one ear infection in the first year of life. They are painful, and they are frustrating.