Prominent ear deformities can become a source of distress and embarrassment for your child as they grow, as it causes the ears to turn outward and face forward. Parents will often call the office and state that their baby’s “ears stick out”. As a safe and permanent solution to this problem, Dr. Jandali can provide ear molding treatment for prominent ear deformities for newborns and infants.
What Are Prominent Ear Deformities?
Prominent ear deformities, also known as protruding ears, dumbo ears, cup ears, or bat ears, are the most common ear defect, accounting for 45% of all ear deformities. Prominent ear deformities are also one of the most overlooked deformities in infants.
Normally, there are small muscles behind the ear that form the bond between the ear and the head. With normal anatomy, these muscles pull the ear backwards close to the scalp. With prominent ear deformities, these muscles can be missing or placed in an irregular position, leading to the ears protruding excessively. Abnormalities in these ear muscles cause the antihelical fold to be underdeveloped. A poorly formed or absent antihelical fold causes the outer helical rim to stick out and the ear bends forward. Further, the concha, which is the concave area surrounding the ear canal, is often excessively concave and larger than average in prominent ears.
Prominent ear deformities occur when the distance between the ear and skull is greater than the average population for a certain age. Protruding ears can be due to genetic reasons or due to pressure on the ear while in the womb.
Children become very self-conscious of prominent ears by the age of 4-5 years old. They become very sensitive to their appearance and any teasing or ridicule. This can have effects on their self-confidence and self-image..
Non-Surgical Solution in Babies Needing Prominent Ear Correction
If prominent ear deformities are addressed within the first few weeks after birth, ear molding is highly successful. Ear molding is a non-surgical treatment for newborns and infants that reshapes the ears using molding devices. These devices are placed along the ear in various areas to reshape the ear over a short course of treatment. For prominent ear deformities, ear molding can form a well-shaped antihelical fold by gently pulling the ears back to the scalp. Ear molding can permanently correct the enlarged ear appearance with a four to six week treatment.
If you’re looking for ear molding treatments in the Connecticut and Metro New York areas, Dr. Jandali can safely and effectively provide ear molding for newborns up to three months of age. Best results are obtained when ear molding is performed soon after birth and started under two to three weeks of age. Improvements can sometimes be obtained at older ages, but it is less predictable. Ear molding can be an excellent option for your newborn as it provides incredible benefits, including:
- Responsive: Because newborns have higher levels of estrogen in their bodies, their cartilage and skin are highly malleable and soft, making ear molding treatments a possible solution for their ear deformities.
- Painless: Ear molding is a painless solution for your baby as gentle pressure and pulling is applied to the ear to fold it back towards the scalp.
- Effective: The ear molding devices applied by Dr. Jandali are worn 24/7 throughout the treatment. Progress is monitored at each two week visit and adjustments are made to obtain the best, symmetric result. Ear molding is complete once the final shape is obtained and the cartilage has started to harden in the new, improved shape.
- Non-Surgical: Because ear molding is a non-surgical treatment, ear molding provides you with the opportunity to avoid surgical risks, downtime, expenses, and regrets later on in life.
Throughout their treatment, Dr. Jandali will monitor their progress to help your baby achieve a normal ear appearance. Dr. Jandali has vast experience with newborns and infants as he has performed hundreds of successful ear moldings. He will always recommend the most effective treatment, providing a safe, compassionate environment for the correction of your baby’s ear deformity.
Newborn Prominent Ear Correction with Ear Molding
If you have a newborn with prominent ear deformities, then non-surgical ear molding may be your solution. Dr. Jandali offers non-surgical ear molding treatment for infants with prominent ear deformities at his practice in Connecticut and all five metro boroughs in New York City. For more information, contact Dr. Jandali’s office today to discuss your newborn’s treatment options for ear molding.
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