Red ear syndrome in the differential diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis: A pediatric case report

Abstract

Red ear syndrome (RES) is characterized by or recurrent unilateral bilateral painful attacks of the external ear, accompanied by ear redness, burning, or warmth. RES is classified as primary (idiopathic) and secondary. While the etiology of primary RES is not clearly known, secondary causes of RES include cervical spine and temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Although its prevalence in the pediatric age group is unknown, only a handful of pediatric cases of RES have been reported in the literature. Since its etiology and pathophysiological mechanism are unclear, there is no standard recommended treatment approach for RES. Patients with RES may be misdiagnosed as allergic contact dermatitis because of similar findings and because it is very rare. In this report, we present a case of RES, which is very rare disorder that is present in the differential diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis, to draw attention to awareness on this issue.