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In order to protect the child from possible psychological problems that a small ear can cause, it is important to perform ear reconstruction before school age. But since the child's own rib cartilage is used to make the auricle, it is necessary to wait for the child to grow up to at least 5-6 years old so that these cartilages reach a sufficient size. Therefore, the ideal time for treatment is after the age of 5.
The current criterion for determining whether a child is physically ready for ear reconstruction is to determine that the dimensions of the rib cartilages on a high-resolution CT scan are sufficient for the construction of an auricle. Some children can may meet this criterion before the age of 5, and ear reconstruction may be possible earlier.
Another important criterion is the psychological development of the child. We are looking for a child who knows why she/he came to our clinic and cooperates with our team during the consultation and examinations. The level of cooperation that children have with our team reflects to us whether they are ready for surgery or not. The fact that not only the parents, but also the child himself want a "new ear" makes it easier for the child to adapt to the treatment process.
Dr. Mutaf believes that auricular reconstruction should be postponed if the child is not psychologically ready, even if their physical development is sufficient.
