Operation to pin back ears

peardrops_2

Hello

My 13 year old daughter has asked to get her ears pinned back. She does have very prominent ears which stops her wearing her hair up in a ponytail or similar styles. The kids at school take the mickey out of her also.

How do I go about getting this done? Do I have to go private or would it be available under the NHS?

Thanks for any advice.

peardrops

Hobo17

The GP may be prepared to refer her under the NHS if it is causing her other difficulties such as depression. I imagine there would be quite a waiting list though.

shy-but-need-help

I think it varies on GP/health authority.

When we took our middle daughter to her 6 week check as a baby our GP lifted her up and his exact words were "OOOOHHHH, She'll get those done on the NHS no problem!" which to be honest entirely bewildered me... I'd not even thought about if she/we would want them doing at all when she was that age. We were then told she does have "bat ear" and very prominent at that (if you look down from the top of her head they are a good 50-60 degrees or more out from the side of her head- they don't even come close to following the line of her head like regular ears do)

I spent the first year of her life with "ohh" type comments the minute she was lifted out of the pram, I got very defensive to the point of telling people at least she'd grow hair, they'd never grow out of being an idiot.

When she was born she was born with her ears crumpled into her head and I really did not think anything of it, DH went home after a couple of hours and over the course of the night I literally watched them uncrumple and fold out like a baby doremouse. I called DH in the morning to tell him he really had to come and see them!

Anyway, all that aside, it really does vary on health authority but the majority who will do it do require children to be of a set age, again that age must vary place to place.

We opted to let DD2 decided for herself- she's seven now and gets the odd comment but no where near what she would if she was a boy or had short hair, she also has quite a firey personality (possibly the result of being 3rd of 5 children and age ordered between 2 brothers?) so I think that staves off alot of bullying that might happen otherwise. If/when she decides she wants them done we'll support her and pay if necessary, actually we'll most likely pay privately so that when she does decide she wants it done she doesn't then face a huge wait- hopefully we'll be in a financial situation for that to be viable then though.

Go to your GP they'd be the best to tell you if it would be an NHS possibility and if it is they'd be the one to make the referral.

scooby088

I doubt that she would get the procedure done on the NHS because of her age, she still has loads of growing to do, you could make an appointment with your gp just to test the water. But as this is seen as a cosmetic procedure i guess they wont see it much of a priority. It also depends on the attitude of the gp too.

foxymum1977_2

our daughter had hers done at the age of 4, we had to wait until she was 4 as they dont do them younger that this, it was well worth while though, she is nearly 15 now and would hate to have not had them done, our doctor picked up on the problem when she was a baby and put us on the waiting list, she had a 'bats' ear where the ear is very prominent and there is no ridge at the top part.
good luck x

pigpen

My nephew had his done.. it was about a 6 week wait. they are usually done on the NHS, I don't know anyone who has been refused the op. My baby has curly ears.. they are fine in relation to her head but the top curls right over like a piglets ears! they are so cute!

I'd have them done asap if it was one of mine.. there is nothing like giving children something to pick on.. they are evil little things at times!

daska

Bit late for the OP (sorry) but if you act early enough bat ear (and some ear problems) can be corrected by splinting. Ear Buddies I'd be tempted to think this better than surgery

peardrops_2

Wow, thanks everyone for your replies.

My daughters ears were folded over when she was born, completely folded in two - very cute at the time. Over about 2 weeks they straightened out but have been left with "jug ears"!!! The midwives and health visitors said they would improve with time.

We've asked before if she wanted them pinned back but she actually said she liked them until about 3 months ago. She's heavily into fashion, jewellery and makeup now and so this is why she wants them done to have her hair up.

I've made an appointment at the GP next week to see what their views are. If they refuse them it might be a "grovelling" phone call to my parents for a private op :-)

shy-but-need-help

I am fairly sure most private hospitals offer their own payment plans so you might not have to grovel to the parents. (we did alot of our fertility investigations/treatments this way and I'm 99% sure their payment plans don't just relate to fertility work)

Fingers crossed for the GP though! (I do often wonder if my daughter will want it done when she gets to her teens too)

skintchick

scooby088 wrote: »

I doubt that she would get the procedure done on the NHS because of her age, she still has loads of growing to do, you could make an appointment with your gp just to test the water. But as this is seen as a cosmetic procedure i guess they wont see it much of a priority. It also depends on the attitude of the gp too.

They don;t see it as cosmetic, they will do it on the NHS no problems you just go to your GP for a referral.

They did use to think you needed to stop growing - I had mine put back when I was 17 because they said I had to wait - but these days they do them much much younger.

I did find it very painful, I can still remember the pain and the only thing more painful since has been childbirth, but it may be less so these days as I'm sure procedures have improved since I had mine done in 1992. My ears still stick out a bit at the top, and I still hate them, but at least they aren;t as bad as they were.

Fuzzy_Duck

Just my two cents- some kids are gits, and will always find something to bully someone about, so as horrible as it is to admit having her ears pinned back may not necessarily stop the taunts.

She liked her ears three months ago, so it seems very sad to me that she now wants them to be pinned back. A family friend's daughter had her ears pinned back and never woke up again. She's got to remember that whilst it's a relatively simple, quick operation, it's still surgery, and it has it's risks. Personally I'm of the opinion that these kind of operations should only be an option if the person is depressed about it- as the more common this procedure becomes the more it sends out the message that prominent ears are unattractive and something needs to be done about them.

Maybe she could have a few strands of hair left out over her ears if she feels self conscious, and some large earrings to take attention away from them? Obviously it's her decision at the end of the day, but I'd bet money the second she's out of school and away from those morons she won't hear anything about her ears ever again. Fashion changes too; is it really worth having surgery to wear a ponytail for a few seasons?

(Sorry- I know this wasn't the question you asked but did feel it might be useful to have a different view on this).