Otoplasty (Ear Pinning)
Prominent or misshapen ears may seem trivial to some, but can affect the way a child sees themselves. It can also impact the way a child’s peers interact with them, leading to bullying and negative self-esteem. This leads many parents to consider otoplasty, or ear pinning.
The ideal age for the procedure is between the ages of 5-7 years old. This allows the ears to grow close to their full size, but corrects the shape early to minimize the amount of time for bullying or negative self-esteem.
If you’re worried about your child’s ear shape, consulting with an experienced surgeon is a good place to start.
Ear Molding
If your child is a newborn, there is a non-surgical option for adjusting ear shape in some cases. This option is only available in the first few weeks of life though, so please call right away.
Why We Recommend Pediatric Otoplasty
Children reach 80% of their adult ear size when they’re still very young.
When done early, many children’s self-confidence isn’t negatively impacted by bullying or teasing.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Otoplasty?
The most common ear deformities corrected by otoplasty are protruding ears or stahl’s ear (pointed).
This surgery is performed under a general anesthesia, and requires activity restrictions afterwards.
How Long Does It Take to Recover from Otoplasty?
For a short time after surgery, your child will need to wear an earband to help keep the ears in place. Your child will feel well quickly, but for 6 weeks it’s important to avoid running, swimming, and contact sports.
Will My Child Grow Out of It?
Many parents decide to wait on ear pinning because they believe their child will grow into their ears. But usually, only a few ear deformities will change with age. And those usually will have corrected by the age of 5. Because of this, we usually recommend otoplasty early in childhood so your child can grow up with the benefits of improved self-esteem related to their ears.
Is There a Risk of Complications?
All surgery can have complications, but the overall risk with otoplasty is very low. We will talk with you beforehand about all risks and how we plan to manage these risks. One of the reasons to do it while a child is young is because of the lower risks of complications.
Will Insurance Cover the Cost of Otoplasty?
Insurance coverage can be complicated for otoplasty, but we generally advise patients to anticipate insurance not covering this procedure. In order to answer this question accurately, we will need to know more about your insurance, your child’s condition, and what the potential concerns are. Because of the mental health benefits for children and the fact that the condition is congenital, insurance is more likely to cover it than they would be for an adult patient.