He doesn't even want to go to his dad. He only wants to be with me. This is absolutely normal and is often seen between eight and ten months of age. It may recur between twelve and fifteen months and again somewhere between two years of age. It is simply a normal developmental phase.
Typical symptoms are the obvious, such as ear pain, ear drainage, or diminished hearing.
However, some children, especially the very young, don't make it so easy. Also, a child with a cold who suddenly develops a new fever, fussiness, poor feeding or poor sleeping habits may have an ear infection. Any child under age three with signs and symptoms of pink eye should also be checked for the possibility of an ear infection, as the two of these often come together in small children. My son has bilateral knee contractures. This is really a question that would be best answered by your pediatric orthopedist in conjunction with a neurologist.