Baby's ear keeps folding over

[Anita]

Hi Dana!

Don't know whether you might have any ideas on this - our DD's ears fold over all the time, which looks terrible (I have to "unpeel" the ear), and seems to be making them stick out more. She's 3 weeks old, and as she's usually lying on her back she tends to turn her head to the side and her ear gets folded forward. My mum says that she had a cap made of netting when I was born, specifically to keep my ears flat (doesn't seem to have done much, but still ) - I can't find anything like that here in Germany and she can't find one in England either. As we'll be moving to AZ in a couple of months I thought I'd ask and see if anything is available in the States?
All ideas welcome!
Thanks
Anita

[Dana]

Anita,
I am no expert on this issue and will talk with Walt (my DH- FP Doc) when he gets home for his input but at age 3 weeks I think it is pretty normal for this to happen unless you are talking about the whole top of the ear folding over, covering the opening of the ear. As your baby gets older the ear cartilage will become stronger and larger and will more than likely "stand up" on its own. I have seen this in newborns frequently.



If it is the more severe of the two, covering the ear opening and especially if you had this issue, then you may be dealing with something more involved. I just googled "baby ears folding" and saw this web-site. I do not endorse the treatment or the site, by any means, but it may have some info. I would recommend you talk with your Pediatrician and see what they recommend; watchful waiting at this age is not unreasonable. It may require surgery in the future if it does not correct on its own.

http://www.earbuddies.co.uk/pws/Cont...orward=content
Keep me posted,
Dana

[Anita]

Originally Posted by Dana

Anita,
at age 3 weeks I think it is pretty normal for this to happen unless you are talking about the whole top of the ear folding over, covering the opening of the ear.

Hi Dana,
Thanks for the quick response and for the link! Unfortunately the fold DOES cover the opening of her ear: it folds forward from top to bottom, rather as though it was a door shutting. As it covers up the whole opening of the ear this is what worried me and prompted me to ask...
I took a look at the site you found, it has a some useful information, but - as you suggest - I shall wait another 10 days or so and talk to our paediatrician at her next check up (in Germany they're set for birth, day 3 - 10, week 4 - 6, month 3 - 4, and go on until the age of 5, I don't know whether you have the same system in the States? Anyway, all that means is that we will take her in for a check up for the week after next, when she will be 5 weeks old). I'll let you know what he says!
If you do think of anything else in the meantime, I'd be grateful to hear!
Anita

[Dana]

I did talk with Walt, he agreed, talk with your Peditrician there. I doubt they will do anything at her age and time WILL help. Just depends on the severity once she gets a little older. If she has to have something done, I would recommend a plastic surgeon skilled in this area to look at her. Once you get to Phoenix and if you need to pursue this, I would recommend Phoenix Children's Hospital. They do excellent work and care for kids only under the age of 18yr.

Here in the states we have what is known as EPSDT's or Well Child Checks at birth, 2days, 1 mo, 2 mo, 4, mo, 6 mo,12 mo, 15mo, 18mo,24mo, 2-3-4-5-6-8-10-12-14-16-18 YR's. this is the time that they get all their immunizations also.

Do keep me posted with what you learn. We looked up on Family Practice websites with no mention of this condition, hence the plastic surgeon opinion...
Looking forward to meeting you and your family when you arrive!
Dana

[Dana]

Any thoughts from other mothers with similar experiences?
Dana

[Bigsweetie]

Emily's ears used to fold over like that sometimes too! I'd just pull them back. A couple of times she slept the whole night with her ear folded over (I didn't realize til morning) and in the morning I just un "suctioned" it and it seemed fine. After that night though, I made a concious effort to check her ears when i layed her down (but I layed her on her side/back to sleep, not directly on her back).

As she got older is happened less and less frequently, now she's almost two and her ears look perfectly fine to me. I just chalked it up to "she's a newborn and still pretty flexible".

If you're really worried, you could try just putting a snug-fitting hat on her. They make little baby hats that are light fabric (so she doesn't get too hot) and you can tuck her ears in the cap. That's what I did a couple of times LOL!

Good luck!

ETA: I found a picture of Emily at almost the exact same age as your daughter. If you look at her left ear, you can see how it folded down a bit. The hat that she's wearing is the one I used to put over her ears, but in the pic I don't have it pulled down.

[Anita]

Thanks Dana, I'll certainly keep you posted on what happens, and look forward to meeting you once we get to Phoenix too!

Tanya, what a sweetie your Emily is and was! Cute hat too! I'm trying to find a cap for Tara that will work, but the fabric ones seem to keep her too warm, that's why I wanted to try and get a - perhaps old-fashioned? - net one. Just heard from a neighbour that they use them in Brazil...

[Adreamer's_wfe]

One of the triplets had that problem, not as severe though. The Dr. just explained that my womb had been a little crowded, and his ear had probably gotten folded over - time would take care of it. I thought it was kind of funny - hope that doesn't sound terrible -and time did take care of it. No more funny ears.

[Kristie]

Originally Posted by Anita

I'm trying to find a cap for Tara that will work, but the fabric ones seem to keep her too warm, that's why I wanted to try and get a - perhaps old-fashioned? - net one. Just heard from a neighbour that they use them in Brazil...

you might be able to find something like that in a vintage or antique store. do you have either of those types of stores over there? You'll normally find them in the big cities over here in certain locations. I can point you out to a few once you get to phx.

[Anita]

Thanks Kristie! I'll take a look, although I haven't ever seen much baby stuff in such stores - would like to know where the good ones are in Phoenix anyway when we get there, so look forward to that. We're seeing the paediatrician next week, so I'll ask him too about the ear thing too...