It is a sad statement that children with prominent, large, or misshapen ears are often the victim of cruel taunting and bullying by their peers, particularly once they start elementary school. This may leave both children and their parents frustrated about to how to deal with the situation.

Fortunately, Dr. Paul Pin can offer a relatively simple solution to the problems associated with ear shape and size, particularly in children. An otoplasty procedure can address prominent, overly large, or misshapen ears. But what is the best age for otoplasty? In this post, Dr. Pin discusses how early children can undergo otoplasty at his Dallas, TC practice.

What Causes Problems with Ear Shape or Size?

Genetics are the most common cause of ears that are misshapen, large, or prominent. If a child has very prominent ears, for example, odds are good that somebody else in their family also has the same condition. In fact, anywhere from 6 percent to 45 percent of children are estimated to have some type of congenital ear deformity.

Best Age for Otoplasty

Any correction to ear shape or size should not be done before the ears are close to their adult size. Fortunately, the ears will have reached approximately 80 percent of their adult size by the time the child is about five years old. This means that the surgery can be done before the child even starts elementary school. In fact, some plastic surgeons prefer to perform this type of surgery over the summer when a child is transitioning to a new school, such as going from elementary to junior high school, or from junior high to high school.

Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to doing the procedure in younger children. Perhaps the biggest advantage of performing the procedure before a child starts preschool or kindergarten is that the child can be spared from possible bullying from classmates about the size or shape of their ears. The ear cartilage may also be somewhat more malleable, making it easier to reshape the ear, if necessary.

On the other hand, the most distinct advantage of waiting until the child is somewhat older is that the procedure can potentially be done just with a local anesthetic, thereby reducing the risks associated with pediatric anesthesia. It would be unreasonable to expect a five-year-old child to cooperate with having otoplasty done with only a local anesthetic. Conversely, a 10-year-old child will be far more likely to be able to cooperate with Dr. Pin to have the surgery performed as a very simple outpatient office visit.

Any parent will attest to how heartbreaking it can be to see a child upset due to being teased and bullied at school about the size or shape of their ears. Fortunately, otoplasty is a simple, quick procedure that can help your child gain self-confidence, feel better about his or her appearance, and make friends at school. Dr. Pin has performed hundreds of these procedures and can help you determine if otoplasty is the right answer for your child.