Is it all right for infants to have pierced ears?

Answer 1

OK, Here it goes, out of the pan and into the fire. I am going to assume your are a parent who would, without hesitation or a moments notice, throw yourself in harms way to protect your child. If you are a parent you would do this without thinking about the impending harm you could do to yourself to preserve that little life you hold dear.

That is what it's like to be a parent, some get it some don't, and other just don't understand till they have to choose. Your child doesn't have a choice in those early years, they count on you to make the right decisions for them in there best interest.

Piercing a child's ears is not done for religious purposes, it's done for shear vanity. Many hundreds of pediatricians and obstetricians have discussed the idea of ear piercings for infants and are against the idea in the interest of the child's health and safety.

Now with the advent of so many viral infections, bacterial infections and the mutated MRSA virus, Meningitis, Hepatitis and Tetanus in the general population the chances of your child contracting one of these infections is even greater.

Regardless of the fact that the only option for piercing an infants ears is a piercing gun salon, where the staff are not licensed nor inspected by the health authorities to perform any type of piercing, your option for a safe piercing are greatly limited. Don't kid your self those piercing gun boutiques are not as safe as the piercing gun manufacturers or business owners would lead you to believe.

That leaves you with two options, the Doctor's office, or the professional body piercing studio. Your doctor more than likely wouldn't be too keen on piercing your child's ears. The professional body piercing studio won't pierce your child's ears due to the law.

Here's how it works. Informed Consent means that the person (regardless of age) must acknowledge and agree to the procedure and must understand the risks and consequences involved in getting a piercing. Now an infant can't say "Yes" I want a piercing or "No" I don't want a piercing.

So the professional body piercer can't pierce the child based on the parents request, it's simply illegal. In the same jest if the child were older (let's say they were 7 or 8 years old) if they wanted a piercing and they knew that if they had sore ears they need to tell mommy or daddy so they could look at them and they understand they can touch them unless they are cleaning them then the child could get the piercing done by a professional body piercer.

Now if the piercer pierces the first ear and the child says they don't want the other ear done for what ever reason the piercer must stop. They can't pierce anyone who says "no" or "stop" to do so under the parents request is "assault", plain and simple it's against the law. This same rule applies to piercing gun boutiques as well, No means No.

I have done hundreds of ear piercings for children starting at about age 6 and they are smart kids, they understand what they are getting and it's a big deal to them, and I have never had a child say "no" or "stop", but if they do the parents already know, because I have made it very clear to them before hand that what the child says, goes.

In this day and age we want our children to grow up smart and strong and we want them to be fair and understanding but we also want them to be able to know right from wrong. Waiting to get there ears pierced when they are old enough to decide on there own is a big deal for them and for the whole family.

Generally it's a birthday thing and everyone is involved, Gee I don't know how many birthday photos I am in with kids getting there ears done, too many to remember now. But every one has been fun for the children and the parents and grand parents.

We go through a lot with them growing up and it's nice to know that we trust them to make the good decisions, because we have let them decide when they get there first ear piercings. That is something you may want to consider with your child, something to share together with family and friends.

Don't do it because you want it done, wait and let them decide for themselves, our job is not to impose our will on our children. We wouldn't want them imposing there will on anyone else. Make it a fun thing between you and your child , you would be surprised at how that can build a bond.

Now some facts, a baby can't indicate when the ear piercings hurt. Nor can the baby tell you if the studs are too tight or if they are itchy (which can indicate an allergic reaction or infection). Many parenting websites will have articles about baby ear piercing and the dangers of doing so at that age. Please keep in mind that piercing gun boutiques are not licensed or inspected to ensure public safety and hygiene protocols are maintained. So surf the web and you make up your mind, what you want to do, but remember your child is counting on you to make the right "safe" decision.

Answer 2

No, you should at the very least wait until your infant grows to the point they can make an informed decision on the matter. The general rule for the morality of doing something permanently altering is to wait until they are 18, but in this case, as it is not very serious, I would go with maybe 12. Keep in mind that nose piercing could negatively effect your child's future. Of course, it is entirely up to you. However, to do that at such a young age is unfair to your child.

Answer 3

It is the decision of their parents. Some infants get pierced ears, but there is always a risk of damaging their earlobes if the earrings get caught on something.