ear infection...

My boy had it a couple of times before he turned three, and honestly it was quite stressful because he'd wake up crying at night with the ear pain. I think it's fairly common at that age, especially if they've been sick or have a blocked nose, but if your child keeps getting them repeatedly it might be worth checking with the PD to see if there's an underlying reason like fluid buildup or if his ears need monitoring. Hopefully it's just a phase and clears up soon.