A child may pull, rub or tag her ears due to the following reasons :

Earwax buildup :  The main cause of ear pulling in older children is a piece of earwax.  This earwax buildup is usually caused by putting cotton swabs in the ear canal. Before the teen years, cotton swabs are bigger than the ear canal and pull the earwax in.

Ear infection : Children with ear infection  usually act sick. They present with an earache or unexplained crying.

Soap :  Another cause for an itching ear is soap or other irritants. Soap or shampoo can get trapped in the ear canal after showers.

Habit : It is the main cause of ear pulling in children. Normal touching and pulling are common with the discovery of ears. This is usually seen before 4 months of age. The habit usually disappears after 12 months . By then the child has more interesting things to do.

Ear pulling   is common in children of ages between 2 and 3 years. Simple pulling without symptoms such as fever or crying is harmless.

When to call the doctor

You need to call the doctor when ear pulling is accompanied with symptoms such as the following :

• Fever over 104° F (40° C)
• Babies under the age of 12 weeks with a fever . (Caution: Do not give babies any medication without consulting the doctor).
• Your child looks or act sick.

Call the doctor within 24 hours if  the child :

• Seems to be in pain and is crying .
• Fever or symptoms of cold are present.
• Starts to wake up from sleep.
• Frequent digging inside one ear canal.
• Drainage from the ear canal.