There is really no specific recommendation for getting your baby's ears pierced. It depends on what you want for your child. You can consult with your pediatrician on whether to pierce your baby's ears, but many recommend that your baby is at least three months old.
Some families pierce their newborn's ears as a cultural tradition. Others prefer to wait until their child expresses an interest in ear piercing, which usually occurs around the age of 7-10 years.
Some experts recommend waiting until your baby is at least 2 months old before getting their ears pierced – after they get the DTaP vaccine at their 2-month checkup. DTaP helps prevent diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus.
Getting your ears pierced is a very personal decision, one which cannot and should not be taken lightly. Not only are their potential risks to this procedure, but it is also a matter of consent. Many physicians and piercing experts agree: Children should not be pierced before they are ready.
“Any time you puncture the skin, you open up the opportunity for infection, and because infants still have developing immune systems, I encourage parents to wait until their child is at least 6 months old to get her ears pierced,” says Wendy Sue Swanson, M.D. If you'd prefer that your child make their own decision ...
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says there's little risk at any age if the piercing is performed carefully and cared for thoroughly. But the AAP does recommend waiting until a child is old enough to take care of the piercing themselves.
Olvera and Dr. Hanson prefer to pierce ears from 2 to 9 months and then after age 4 years. Piercing a child's ears between the ages of 1 to 4 is the most difficult age in terms of cooperation. It is important to understand that most children will cry when getting their ears pierced.
Your Body Is Still Changing When You're Young, Even Your Earlobes. One of the reasons why we don't like to pierce younger than 5 years old, is because your child is still growing, yes, even their earlobes! What might be the correct placement on their ears now, might not be the correct placement later on in life.
The recommended age for children to get their ears pierced varies from doctor to doctor; there is no exact “rule” for when it's appropriate. However, most doctors will recommend that your child is at least six months old before receiving a piercing.
The American Academy of Pediatric (AAP) recommends that if you choose to pierce your baby's ears, then you should wait until she's at least two months old and that she has received her first round of shots. However, the AAP's recommendation is to wait until children are four years old.
Infant Ear Piercing Culture & History
In Australia, there is no age limit when it comes to ear piercing for babies as long as there's parental permission involved. However, practitioners can set up their own rules and regulations on age, with most setting the minimum age of six months.
Pain and swelling at the site- usually lasts for 1-2 days. Pain medications should help ease the baby.
Ear piercing in children has been around for centuries as part of ritualistic and cultural traditions but has continued to become a worldwide mainstream fashion statement. It is extremely common in Nigeria, India, Brazil and Hispanic countries.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' website says ear piercing is safe for cosmetic reasons at any age.
When a girl's ears are pierced, the left ear is pierced first. On the other hand, when a boy's ear is pierced, the right ear is pierced first. This is because these specific points coincide with the masculine and feminine halves of a person.
Almost 40 percent of parents have daughters with pierced ears, and nearly 50 percent pierced their child's ears when they were under the age of two, according to a recent BabyCenter survey.
If you decide to let your child get their ears pierced, it's necessary to let them know that it's going to be quite painful. While some parents allow their children to get an earlobe piercing as their first — which is usually less painful than other types of ear piercings — it's still a painful event.
Prepare Your Child Ahead of Time
Walking them through what to expect during the piercing process and answering any questions they may have, plus reassuring them that you'll be with them the entire time, can do wonders for anxious kiddos.
Perhaps the most often asked question is what age is the best for receiving your first ear piercings. There are many factors to consider when making this choice. However, it is important to note that there is no specific age requirement for getting an ear piercing.
It's hard to predict how quickly your body will attempt to close a piercing, but as a general rule, the newer it is, the more likely it will close up. For instance: If your piercing is less than a year old, it can close in a few days, and if your piercing is several years old, it can take several weeks.
Beyond these medical reasons, there is a very moral reason to not pierce a child's ears: bodily autonomy. An infant's body, once born, is their own and that infant can do with it what they want.
Some pediatricians' offices will pierce ears for a small fee or you can go to a reputable jewelry store. If you do go to a store, like at the mall, make sure the person is trained and using sterile equipment. The new earrings should be gold or sterling silver.
Allergic reaction. Jewelry made of nickel or brass can trigger it. Infection. People sometimes have redness, swelling, pain, and a discharge after a piercing.
Typically, earrings with sizes ranging anywhere between 3mm-4mm makes for a better fit for babies and toddlers. Another important thing to look are the size of the posts as well! This is often overlooked, earrings designed for babies and children should have shorter posts then those designed for adults.
Children under 4 years may touch the earrings a lot. Playing with the earring with dirty hands can lead to infections. Younger children also can get the earrings out and put them in their mouth. This can lead to swallowing or choking on them.