First published: 26 October 2022 @ 6:00 pm
Preauricular pits are small, shallow holes in the skin of the inner ear. These tiny pore-like holes in the skin of your child’s ear are very common and are most likely nothing to worry about.
What Causes These Tiny Holes In The Skin Of The Ear?
Preauricular pits occur when not long after the embryo is formed. It appears to happen as the auricle (the outer part of the ear) forms, possibly in the sixth week of gestation.
Most of the time, preauricular pits happen only to one ear. However, as ear canal development continues, they may appear on both sides of the head.
Are Tiny Holes In The Skin Of The Ear Serious?
These small holes in the ear are not serious. There is no medical reason for you to be concerned about them, unless your child gets frequent ear infections.
The risk of infection is very low. Bacteria that live in the ear canal cause most ear infections. Bacteria from the environment, such as swimming pool water, can also cause them.
Bacterial infection may happen in your child’s sinus tract when she has an ear infection.
If your child gets frequent ear infections, it may help to see a doctor who can take a swab of your child’s ears and examine them.
What Should You Do About Them?
You do not need to treat these tiny holes in the ear as a medical issue. Unless there is infection or your child is complaining from ear pain, it is best to let them be.
These holes are normal and not something that you should worry about.
Washing your child’s ears regularly with warm water can help prevent infections.
If your child has a problem with an infection, you can use doctor’s prescribed antibiotics to help clear the infection up.
Ear drops can also help keep your child’s ears clean and free from infection.
If there is pain associated with an ear infection or if your child has any of the other signs of an ear infection, then you should call your doctor right away.
They can take care of the problem and determine if your child needs any other medical treatment for this condition.
Photo by Tuan PM on Pexels.
What Are The Potential Complications Of Tiny Holes In The Skin Of The Ear?
1. Branchio-oto-renal syndrome
Branchiootorena syndrome is a genetic syndrome. It refers to defects in the neck’s skin, malformations of the ears, and sometimes permanent or temporary hearing loss.
Symptoms and severity can vary tremendously between people, ranging in problems with the kidneys to even hearing loss.
2. Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS)
High cellular growth characterizes BWS and can occur in many parts of the body.
Children and adolescents are normally bigger than they should be, but at some point, growth slows down, and we have an adult who is slightly taller than usual.
Children with BWS are at an even greater risk of having tumors.
A few people have only one symptom, and other people have more than one of the symptoms.
BWS can happen to anyone; it is intricate, and it differs in each person. However, it is usually a genetic condition, happening to genes that regulate the rate at which their bodies develop.
Do I Need To See A Doctor?
Unless you see signs of infection or there is pain associated with an ear infection, then you do not need to see a doctor.
There is no medical reason for you to be concerned about these tiny holes in the ear’s skin.
If your child has any of the other signs of an ear infection, however, then it may be time to see a doctor.
They can determine if your child needs any other medical treatment, such as surgical procedure, for this condition.
Photo by Tuan PM on Pexels.
Conclusion: Beware of Frequent Infections
Risks of ear infections in children are very low. However, it is important to be aware of what you can do to help prevent infections.
Washing children’s ears frequently with warm water can help protect them from infections.
If you think that your children have a fungal infection, use oral antibiotic that your doctor has prescribed.
Eardrops are also an excellent way to keep your child’s ears healthy and free of infections.
If your child is experiencing any pain, then it is important that you see a doctor.
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