Our Philosophy
We believe that surgery-free, painless Early Ear Correction™ should be available to all, and will one day make the teasing and bullying that accompanies ear prominence and deformity a thing of the past. All children should grow up comfortable and confident with their ears.
Our Story
David Gault FRCS developed EarBuddies® splints in 1990 after his own son (see below) was born with a
Stahl's Bar, a rare ear deformity difficult to treat surgically. As a Consultant Plastic Surgeon with a special interest in
ear reconstruction and deformity, he had seen and corrected countless cases of complications from failed ear surgery in centres all over the world, and witnessed the emotional impact of bullying and teasing.
Founding Principles
Dr. Gault's founding principle was that Early Ear Correction should be available to all, as it has better results and fewer risks than the surgical alternative. All babies are beautiful as they are, but teasing is an unfortunate reality for many children. For most parents, the decision to fit EarBuddies is purely to ensure their child is comfortable with their appearance as they grow up, without the need for surgery and a general anaesthetic.
In December 2013, the
Royal College of Surgeons recommended that "
Information should be provided by those advising the parents of babies (GPs, Health Visitors etc) ... at the time of their first hearing test", and splintage should soon become common practice as more health professionals become aware of how effectively EarBuddies can help.