What should I do if my child has accessory ears? This is a concern that many parents are concerned about when faced with a situation that their child may encounter at birth. Accessory ear, also known as preauricular vegetations or pretragus vegetations, is a common congenital ear malformation. Although it usually does not have an effect on hearing, it may have an impact on a child's physical appearance and psychological development. So, how should parents deal with this situation?
First of all, parents need to be clear that accessory ear is a congenital malformationWhileIt is not a disease that endangers health。Therefore, there is no direct threat to the child's health, but it may affect the child's self-confidence and mental health. Especially after children enter school age, they may be ridiculed and ostracized by their peers due to differences in appearance, resulting in an inferiority complex and psychological pressure. Therefore, parents need to pay close attention to their children's psychological conditions and give them timely care and support.
Secondly, parents need to take their children to the hospital for professional diagnosis and **. Although the accessory ear usually does not affect the hearing, when making a diagnosis and **, I often find that the accessory ear is combined with an abnormality in the external auditory canal as shown below, and first we will do a comprehensive examination of the child's hearing to ensure that there are no other potential hearing problems. If so, accessory ear removal with external auditory canal surgery is also required.
When it comes to accessory ears, surgery is the most common method. Surgery is usually done before your child is in school5-6 years old(before entering elementary school) to avoid having too much impact on the child's psyche. The procedure is usually simple, and I remove the vegetation under anesthesia and perform cosmetic sutures. After the surgery, the child needs to rest for a period of time to recover, and parents need to pay attention to the child's diet and wound care to avoid infection and scar formation.
In addition to surgery, parents may also consider other non-surgical methods, such as lasers. However, these methods are usually suitable for very small growths, and it is generally recommended to be less than 3mm, and the effect is also more significant. Parents need to seek professional advice when choosing a method to ensure that they choose the most suitable method for their child.
Finally, it's important to note that while accessory ear is a common congenital malformation, not all growths need it. Some smaller growths may not have a noticeable impact on the child's appearance and psychology, and parents can decide whether they need it based on their own observations and their child's feelings. In short, parents need to make the best decision under the guidance of a professional doctor, taking into account the specific situation of their child.