It should be splinted immediately. The earlier you begin, the shorter the splintage period, which is easier on both parent and baby. Click here to see how to measure ear prominence.
Home 
How it works
How it works
How EarBuddies® work
When a baby is born, the cartilage framework of the ears is extremely soft because of Mum’s hormones. Some squashing of the ears is natural during birth, but if the ears remain an odd shape after 48 hours, or if they start to stick out, this will quite quickly become permanent as the cartilage naturally hardens. EarBuddies splints re-mould the cartilage folds in a baby's ears to restore the natural curves and hold the ear close to the side of the head. When the framework hardens in the controlled shape, there is a permanent, surgery-free correction.
stick-out ear
1
Before - Ear folding forwards
2
Narrow Tapes fitted
3
Wide Tapes fitted
4
After
Stahl's Bar
1
Before - Stahl's Bar present
2
Narrow Tapes fitted
3
Wide Tapes fitted
4
After
Cup Ear
1
Before - Cup Ear
2
Narrow Tapes fitted
3
Wide Tapes fitted
4
After
Lop Ear
1
Before - Lop Ear
2
Narrow Tapes fitted
3
Wide Tapes fitted
4
After
Stick-Out Lobe
1
Before - Lobe Sticking Out
2
Narrow Tapes Fitted
3
Wide Tapes Fitted
4
After
Folded-Over Helical Rim
1
Before - Rim Folded-Over
2
Narrow Tapes Fitted
3
Wide Tapes Fitted
4
After
The splints are fitted into the gully (scaphal hollow) of the ear and fixed by narrow strips of tape, and then the whole ear is taped to the side of the head using a wide tape strip. The pressure of the splint in the scaphal hollow resets the natural spring of the ear cartilage, correcting any tendency to make the ears stick out whilst reshaping the proper contours of the rest of the ear. DO NOT simply stick baby’s ear to the side of the head without first fitting the splint. This can distort the shape of the ear, particularly the rim, and is actively discouraged.
Should I Splint?
If an ear sticks out or an obvious ear deformity remains 48 hours after birth:
If no obvious ear deformity is visible:
If you notice that the ears start to drift out:
If you have a Family History of prominent ears:
If your baby has a hearing problem:
If your baby is older:
It should be splinted immediately. The earlier you begin, the shorter the splintage period, which is easier on both parent and baby. Click here to see how to measure ear prominence.
If an ear sticks out or an obvious ear deformity remains 48 hours after birth:
If no obvious ear deformity is visible:
It may still be necessary to splint. About a third of all ears which eventually stick out appeared to be normal at birth. It is common that they slowly drift out between birth and 6 months, and parents often say "we suddenly noticed the ears were sticking out, when they were fine at birth".
If you notice that the ears start to drift out:
Begin splintage as soon as possible. Ears are commonly pushed forward during breastfeeding, by a mattress, or by the head cosies of car seats and this contributes to the drift (see example). See how to monitor change in ear prominence here.
If you have a Family History of prominent ears:
Even if the ears haven't started to stick out yet, you should consider splinting from birth, as early splintage gives faster results, more easily.
If your baby has a hearing problem:
Early splintage is especially important, as a hearing aid may not stay in place if there is an ear deformity.
If your baby is older:
Early splintage is always best, but even starting as late as 18 months may not be too late, especially if baby is still breastfed, as this keeps the ear cartilage softer for longer. When EarBuddies were first introduced in 1995, we said that splintage was effective in babies of up to 6 months, but the results have consistently shown that splintage is effective in babies much older than this. We have had parents report success with splintage starting at 4 years old and independent research into splintage in Japan shows that it can be effective in much older children and even in teenagers. However, the level of success achievable is heavily dependent upon perseverance and we would only recommend that you begin using EarBuddies after your baby is 18 months if you are prepared to be very persistent.
Ear Condition Type
EarBuddies splints can correct most problems caused by abnormal or missing folds of a baby's ear. In the photos below, we have tried to show the most clearly defined and obvious examples of each ear deformity. In practice, problem ears often have a mixture of different deformities, but in most cases the fitting technique is very similar (see our Fitting Guide).
As a general guide, if you can temporarily correct the problem by gently bending the misshapen ear or by pushing out a kink with your fingers, then EarBuddies should be able to give a permanent correction. However, the splints cannot replace missing tissue or guarantee success in all cases.
Cryptotia
Cup Ear
Rim Kink
Stick-Out Lobe
Stick-Out Ears
Lop Ear
Folded-Over Helical Rim
Stahl's Bar
Conchal Crus
Stick-Out Ears
Stahl's Bar
Cup Ear
Cryptotia
Lop Ear
Rim Kink
Folded-Over Helical Rim
Stick-Out Lobe
Conchal Crus
Macrotia & Microtia
Stick-Out Ears
Also known as 'Dumbo Ears', 'FA Cup Ears', 'Bat Ears', 'Wing-nut Ears' and prominent ears.
Two-thirds of prominent ears are obvious soon after birth, while the rest become obvious as the head shape changes and the ear cartilage hardens during early life. It is in this period that surgery can be avoided with splintage. EarBuddies splints fix the cause of Stick-Out Ears by remolding the soft cartilage and, when it hardens, the correct position and shape become permanent.
The folds in the cartilage framework of a normal ear make it lie flat against the side of the head.
Two-thirds of prominent ears stick-out because the antehelical fold (antihelix) is not properly developed.
The rest because the conchal bowl is very deep. (abnormal muscle attachment may play a part)
Stick-Out Ears run in the family – do I need any special advice?
- We recommend immediate splintage at birth for two weeks whether or not the child has any evidence of the problem.
- About 30% of children who develop Stick-Out Ears look normal for the first three months, and by this time, the splints must be worn for longer to take effect.
- The success of EarBuddies splints on children from families with a history of Stick-Out Ears may partly be because parents have suffered teasing themselves in the past, and are particularly dedicated to splintage.
Recent Stick-Out Ear Results
When do I begin splinting?
EarBuddies should be fitted when the cartilage of the ear is soft enough to be reshaped, and removed when the cartilage has hardened enough to permanently hold the new shape and position.
How long you splint for mostly depends on the age of baby when EarBuddies are fitted. As a general rule, the earlier splintage begins, the higher the chance of success and the shorter the time needed to correct the problem.
Why is it so important to splint early?
- The cartilage of the ear is softest and most flexible at birth and can be easily moulded. It naturally becomes progressively harder with age.
- Babies are less active in the first few weeks of life, and the skin sweats very little. In a newly born baby (once the birth coating has been cleaned off) the Adhesive Tapes usually stick for long enough – about two weeks - to ensure a perfect correction and avoid the need for future surgery.
- Because the cartilage hardens with age, an older baby's ears will take longer to "learn" the new shape than a newborn's ears, and so the splintage period will need to be longer. Older babies are also more dextrous and may be able to use their fingers to pull at the tapes holding the splint in place.
- As baby’s sweat glands and sebaceous glands develop, the Adhesive Tapes stick less well and it becomes increasingly important to keep the ears clean and dry to avoid the risk of inflammation due to trapped moisture.
How long do I splint for?
Although every ear is different, below is a rough guide to how long to splint:
| If EarBuddies are fitted at: | We recommend you splint for: |
|---|---|
| birth | 2 weeks |
| 2 weeks | 3 weeks |
| 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
| 6 weeks | 6 weeks |
| 2 Months | 2 Months |
| 3 Months | 3 Months |
| 6 Months | 4 Months |
| 9 Months | 5 Months |
| Over 12 months | 6 months |
It is intended that you read between the lines in the table above to work out how long to splint for in each baby's case. If you have any doubt, we recommend you err on the side of caution, and splint for a little longer than recommended.
If, for any reason, you leave the splints off for a period of time, it would be prudent to add at least double the amount of time missed to the total length of the splintage period.
-
Can we take the splints off for a day?
The splints are best worn 24 hours a day; they are made to be comfy, and your baby should be able to sleep on a splinted ear untroubled. However, you can remove them for a few hours for a special occasion, or if baby swims. If you do take the splints off, make sure you refit as soon as possible, as you can quickly lose the benefit of the correction, particularly early in the splintage.
-
Does breastfeeding affect splintage duration?
Breastfeeding keeps the cartilage softer for longer. If you have fitted EarBuddies before one month of age and Mum is breastfeeding, about 25% more splintage time may be required as the cartilage is slower to harden. After two months of age splintage times may be 10% shorter than stated below if Mum is breastfeeding because the cartilage will be slightly softer and more mouldable. This is not a reason to delay beginning splintage however, as the sooner you begin, the greater the likelihood of a good result. Breastfeeding is the best possible start for your baby and great for Mum too in very many ways.
-
How do I monitor the progress?
Take photographs and measure the prominence (for Stick-Out Ears) - see details here.
-
How will I know when to take the splints off?
Splint for the recommended time – see above. When you remove the splints, take photographs and measure the prominence (for Stick-Out Ears) over the following 48 hours - see details here.
-
Could the ears start to lose the effect of the correction?
If the splints have been applied correctly, and the period of splintage was long enough for the cartilage to 'set' in the new controlled shape, the ear should remain permanently corrected. Although the cartilage has taken on a new shape, it is still quite soft at this young age, so take care to avoid anything which can reverse the improvement. Ears are commonly squashed and pushed forward during breastfeeding, by a mattress, or by the head cosies of car seats for example. Immediately upon removing the splints after the period of correction, take photographs and measurements (for Stick-Out Ears). You can then monitor the correction. If you feel the ears are starting to lose the effect of the correction, simply re-fit the splints.
