An elf ear is a rare type of birth defect that often gets corrected early in life. This deformed ear has an outer pointed shape and contains the additional cartilage fold known as crus, which can be found near one’s scapha bone area.
Ear pointing occurs as a result of the unusual formation of an infant’s outer ear. When this is present, it can be the first sign that the child was recently born with either Goldenhar Syndrome or Treacher Collins Syndrome.
A baby who has pointy ears syndrome is often called cute and adorable. But what kid isn’t? The way to tell if the youngster has elf ears is for them to look at their convexity with a concave caliper fitted over both helixes.
If there is no notch present within the upper margin of the pinna, then it is possible for this individual to have elf ears.
Why does my baby have pointy ears?
The pointy ears are also called Stahl’s ears. It is caused by the presence of extra folds or creases in ear cartilage.
Throughout the helical rim, there is an additional fold that typically gives a baby a pointy ear or prominent appearance.
There is no genetic testing to ascertain if a baby has Stahl’s ears. Usually, it occurs on both ears, but sometimes they are only present in one ear.
There is a concern that a prominent ear can be a manifestation of Down syndrome or Turner’s syndrome. If the prominent ears run along with other physical problems such as retardation and/or learning disability, then parents should have their children checked by doctors.
In most cases, however, babies born with this condition will grow up without any medical concerns at all.
Are pointed ears genetic?
Baby pointy ears syndrome is the result of at least one genetic disorder that happens in the baby’s body, but don’t worry, it is harmless.
The pointy ears however are very represented in animals and are very popular among fantasy culture.
If your baby is born with pointy ears, such as in the case of cute baby elves, it “happens because of one or more genetic disorders.” The disorder has to do with cartilage forming incorrectly during fetal development.
Is Stahl’s ear rare?
Stahl’s ear or baby pointy ears syndrome is a rare congenital deformity. Typically, the deformity consists of a sharp ear.
However, there are many other types, such as V-shape ears or even lobes protruding from the sides of the head. In some cases, it has been called “bat ears” because it reminds people of bat wings.
This deformity affects one out of every twenty thousand newborns and is not life-threatening. It can affect both sides on some people; on others, it is on only one side.
Does Stahl’s ear correct itself?
No, it cannot be corrected by itself, just like in the case of ear lidding. But the baby’s pointy ears syndrome can be fixed with ear buddies splints that are used when the child is still a newborn.
The corrective headphone-like device ‘Earbuddie’ was invented for this purpose. This process takes 2-4 weeks to fix both sides entirely. The best thing is that there are no surgical risks involved.
Does Stahl’s ear cause problems?
There are no health disorders if your baby has Stahl’s ears. Besides the unusual appearance, which actually looks very cute, there are no other symptoms.
When baby point ear occurs, many parents wonder if their baby will have any problems with their hearing, and the answer is no. Your child will hear perfectly fine, and will not affect the child’s hearing in any way whatsoever.
How do I fix my baby’s bulging ear?
If your child has bulging ears, he or she will need a setback otoplasty. The procedure cannot be done before the child is 5 years old.
So, around the fifth and seventh years of the child’s life, you can consider doing it. At this point, the child’s ears are almost fully grown and the procedure can be done.
Your little one will likely need a general anesthetic because it is hard for small children to sit still during the procedure. On the other hand, some very young kids even fall asleep on their way there.
If they are sedated, it’s always better that they don’t know what’s happening. They shouldn’t feel any pain or discomfort while under anesthesia.
Afterward, your child might experience some mild ear pain especially right before waking up from anesthesia. Some also get headaches due to pressure on their eardrums when they try to get up quickly, but that would be it.
Other than these things, your kid should be completely fine and ready to play in no time!
Summary
Baby point years syndrome or Stahl’s ears are a congenital deformity in which the lobe of the ear appears to be attached to the head.
The outer rim of cartilage around-ear protrudes down, giving it a translucent look. There are many other types of ear conditions that can affect babies, but Stahl’s ears are one of the less harmful ones.
It usually affects both sides equally, but sometimes only affects one side.
The reason for this anomaly is unknown but genetics play a role in causing deformities such as these.
