Bat ears protrude from the head and can be corrected with otoplasty surgery or a splint. The condition is caused by underdeveloped cartilage in the womb and can lead to teasing. Surgery is cosmetic, but may be necessary if it interferes with hearing aid use. Risks include infection and scarring.
Bat ears are ears that protrude from a person’s head further than is considered normal. These types of ears do not affect a person’s hearing, but children who have the condition may be teased by their peers. Bat ear surgery, called otoplasty, is almost always purely cosmetic. Many doctors tell parents to wait and see if their child’s ears correct as they age.
Many people believe that bat ears form when a child can sleep on their side or because they have been tugged a lot. The actual cause of bat ears occurs while a baby is still in the womb. A part of the ears that holds them close to the head may not develop as quickly as the rest of the body, resulting in the ears sticking out instead of sitting flatter against the head.
Children with bat ears can be teased and insulted by their peers and other people who are not sensitive to their feelings. Many parents decide to have ear surgery for their children to avoid this potential trauma. Otoplasty is surgery in which a doctor cuts the cartilage, called the antihelix fold, on the back of a person’s ear. Your doctor will then attach the ear to your head with stitches, and a bandage will be placed around your head for about a week to keep the ear and the stitches in place. Many doctors refuse to perform surgery on children under the age of 5.
Another option used by many parents is the splint. If a child is recognized to have bat ears, the ears can be fixed to the head using a silicone-coated metal splint for about two weeks. This procedure may prove helpful in eliminating protruding ears in infants and in eliminating the potential desire for surgery in the future. Bat ears function normally, and surgery is usually done solely for cosmetic reasons. An exception is when otoplasty is performed because bat ears interfere with a person’s ability to wear a hearing aid.
Otoplasty is considered a minor surgery and can be performed under local anesthesia in a few hours. While it seems to work well for correcting bat ears, it’s not perfect. People considering surgery should remember that infections and errors can occur. Necrosis, bleeding, and scarring can result from this surgery, and while it’s considered cosmetic, many doctors warn parents not to expect perfect ears after surgery.
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