How to Know When to Pierce a Child's Ears

Piercing the ears of a child can be done whenever the parents wish. There's no reason to wait on piercing a babies ears if it is desired. However, there are risks involved. Understanding what the risks are and what to watch for are very important before getting the child's ears pierced.

Instructions

1. Get the ears pierced whenever ready. Even a newborn is fine getting ear piercings. Be prepared for the child crying for a few minutes, and the need for comfort and possibly over the counter pain relievers temporarily.

2. Give the child ibuprofen or tylenol before the piercing. This helps reduce the pain that occurs after the piercing.

3. Ask the pediatrician to do it. Some commercial piercing locations don't properly sterilize the piercing guns and other equipment used to do ear piercings. Because of this, there is a higher risk of infection. A pediatrician uses a needle to pierce the ears and insert the earring.

4. Clean it thoroughly. Use the special formula sold for newly pierced ears, or use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Since baby will be touching them, this will help keep the germs and bacteria from causing infections.

5. Watch for signs of infection or sensitivity to the earrings. Swelling, skin irritation around the piercing site, fever in the child, or pus are all indicators of an infection. A rash around the earring after the ears are pierced indicates an allergy or sensitivity to the metal in the earring. In this case, the earring must be removed. To lower the risk of a metal allergy or sensitivity, choose earrings made out of surgical steel or 14k gold.