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Teething or ear infection at 9 months?
My 9-month-old has a tooth visibly starting to erupt and has been chewing more, pulling at one ear, sleeping poorly, and seeming irritable for two days. The temperature has reached 38°C (100.4°F), but there’s no ear drainage. Feeding is a little reduced, though the baby is still responsive and drinking.
Can ear pulling, disrupted sleep, and this temperature reasonably fit teething, or should a fever lasting this long or possible ear pain be checked by a pediatrician?
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4 replies
Ear pulling, chewing, poor sleep, and irritability can happen with teething, but a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) should not automatically be put down to a tooth coming through, especially after two days with reduced feeding. Since the baby is still responsive and drinking, this may not be an emergency, but contacting the pediatrician for advice would be sensible to rule out an ear infection or another illness.
Seek prompt medical advice sooner for worsening feeding, unusual sleepiness or difficulty rousing, noticeably fewer wet diapers, breathing concerns, or a higher or persistent temperature.
- I’d push back on saying 38°C should not be attributed to teething at all. Mild temperature elevation can occur with teething-related inflammation, although 38°C is right at the fever threshold and shouldn’t automatically be dismissed.
- The two-day duration, reduced feeding, wet-diaper count, alertness, and any respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms are more useful in deciding whether the baby needs assessment than the number alone.
- With continued drinking and normal responsiveness, it may not be urgent, but persistent fever or worsening ear-related symptoms still warrant pediatric advice.
Ear pulling alone doesn’t distinguish teething from an ear infection. For babies with a visible erupting tooth plus a temperature around 38°C (100.4°F), reduced feeding, or symptoms that persist or worsen, it’s worth contacting the pediatrician rather than assuming the tooth is the cause. One-sided discomfort, drainage, or pain that seems worse lying down would add to the reason to have the ears checked.
A visible erupting tooth doesn’t establish that the tooth is causing the fever. Teething may explain chewing, gum discomfort, and some sleep disruption, but a persistent temperature at or above 38°C should still be assessed on its own merits, even when teething signs are present. Ear pulling also isn’t specific, so an ear examination is the only reliable way to distinguish an ear infection from referred gum discomfort.