Question:
My daughter has ears that stick out too far. My husband and I have discussed otoplasty but I am afraid that going through the surgery and having pain will traumatize her. In your practice, have you found that young children can get through the surgery unscathed? My daughter is 9 years old.
Answer:
We have many patients 9 years old and younger who had experienced otoplasty. While surgery has never a decision to take lightly especially in your child, in our experience the children do quite well and in most cases even better than the adults. My recommendation would be to not make a big deal of the surgery and therefore she probably will not make a big deal either. While there will be some postoperative discomfort, is easily handled with pain medication.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham