KidsWorldMD.com added to its Featured Post discussing current issues such as ear piercing in children.

July 08, 2013 (PRLEAP.COM) Health News
KidsWorldMD.com understands that many parents contemplate getting their children's ears pierced and introducing them to their first pierce of jewelry. While ear piercing is more common in baby girls in the western societies piercing baby boy's ear is common in some cultures in the east. Some parents struggle with what is the best age for this procedure, and who should perform it. Some parents are comfortable taking their child to a jewelry shop while some parents prefer to get it done by a medically trained professional.

While ear piercing is not a new concept, better education and awareness of the risks enable parents and care givers to make better educated decisions. KidsWorldMD.com has compiled a brief article exploring ear piercing in children. http://kidsworldmd.com/blog/newsletters/ear-piercing-in-children/. Ear piercing has been practiced for over 5,000 years, as was evident on the discovery of the oldest mummified body in the Austrian glacier. Adorning the body with jewelry has consumed our society for years, and while some practice ear piercing for fashion,some cultures believe it actually ward off demons and evil spirits. Some cultures pierce their toddler's ear to show the caste, family status, wealth and other identifications.

So, what are the risks of piercing your infant's ear?
Infection is the most common risk to piercing the ears or any body parts. The common signs of infection include: redness, swelling, pain and warmth at the site. It is very important to keep the area dry and clean as bacteria flourishes in areas that are warm and moist. KidsWorldMD.com describes some conditions when medical intervention is crucial http://kidsworld.com/article_search/ctid/4125. Infection can be caused from using unsterile equipment, contaminated hands or inadequate preparation of the skin.

Another common risk is trauma to the ear lobe. This could be cause by the child pulling on the earlobe or accidental trauma causing the hole to become larger or splitting the ear lobe completely. These conditions would require medical intervention to suture and repair the ear lobe.

What is the best age to pierce the ear?
KidsWorldMD.com understands that parents have choices, and usually they have good intentions of doing what they think is in the best interest of their children. While there is no set rules of when to pierce the child's ear, there are certain factors to keep in mind. Since infection is common it is recommended to get the child immunized against disease like tetanus which can be caused by using unsterile equipment or contaminated hands with the tetanus bacteria entering the puncture site. KidsWorldMD.com encourages parents to read more about tetanus.http://kidsworldmd.com/search.php?ctid=90&cid=P02549

Some parents may opt to get the ears pierced when the baby is only a few months old, as they argue that the earlobe is tender and the pain center not well defined, while some parents prefer to wait until the child can be included in the decision making process.