Ear Piercing For Children: Which Is The Best Age?
When it comes to fashion and accessories for children, ear piercing is one of the most controversial topics. Opinions are divided: some parents even pierce the ears of babies while others believe that ear piercing for children should be banned.
In some cultures, you wait until the girls are older so they can decide for themselves whether they want to pierce themselves. In others, such as Spain and Latin America, it is a tradition to pierce girls’ ears when they are very young.
In these countries, it can actually be performed only hours or days after the baby is born. It is believed that it is less painful at that age than for the elderly, who are more aware of what is going on.
In the United States, however, ear piercing of young children is not as common, and some may even be shocked to see children with pierced ears. The same applies here in Scandinavia as well as Belgium, the Netherlands and the rest of northern Europe.
There is obviously no consensus when it comes to the best age for ear piercing for children. Some health organizations say it is better to leave this to the elderly. Others see no problem piercing children’s ears at an early age.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that the risk of complications is low as long as the piercing is performed correctly and taken care of properly in the coming weeks. In other words, AAP does not oppose piercings for younger children.
But the AAP recommends that you wait until the child has received his or her first dose of vaccinations at around the age of two before piercing the ears. However, this seems to be difficult for Spanish and Latin American parents, where this is deeply rooted in tradition.
It is basically a personal decision. The most important thing is to stay well-informed before making the decision, so that you avoid complications for the child.
We do not in any way advocate or encourage ear piercings for children, but if this is something you have already decided on, you should take the following tips into account. The best thing is of course to let the child be old enough to decide for himself.
- If you want to pierce your baby’s ears shortly after birth and the hospital in question does not offer this, talk to your pediatrician to find out where you can do it safely and with the right equipment.
- Make sure the earrings are 14 carat gold. Other materials can lead to infections or allergic reactions.
- The earrings must be small plops that do not get stuck anywhere. Babies move a lot, so avoid large or long plops. Small round is best.
- The expert performing the piercing must use sterilized equipment. Make sure the person follows health and safety rules to reduce the risk of complications.
- Ask your doctor if local anesthesia can be used. The piercing only takes a couple of seconds, but it will of course hurt your baby. If you are concerned about this, you can ask for local anesthesia in the earlobe.
- They should be made of hypoallergenic materials to avoid allergic reactions. Hypoallergenic materials include 14 karat gold and pure silver.
- They should be simple plops. Do not allow the child to wear earrings that are hanging or that can get caught.
- Thickness: the part that goes through the earlobe should be as thin as possible.
- The end of this part should be rounded, not sharp as in adult earrings.
- Let your pediatrician know what you plan to do. Consult him before performing it to avoid possible complications.
- Unless you notice any reaction, you can leave the first earring on for six weeks.
- During this period , clean the baby’s earlobes with a little alcohol on your fingertips. Make sure your hands are clean!
- Turn the earring at least once a day, but be careful not to make it more snug.
- Every time you bathe the baby , dry the area well so that it does not stay damp.
- After six weeks , the piercing should have healed completely. Now you can change the earring.
With these tips and recommendations, you will be ready to make the best decision regarding piercings.
