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DrGreene Content
Many parents opt to wait on ear piercing until a child is able to make the decision for herself (or himself). Some parents find it desirable for their children to have pierced ears as babies. But how early is too early? I am a fan of waiting at least a bit for ear piercing. My reason? Tetanus. Even though tetanus is not very common (thanks to immunizations), the tetanus bacteria is everywhere. It usually enters the body through puncture wounds. For this reason, it is better for a baby to have at least one (better two) tetanus shots behind her before her big day . Two shots would put the event at 3-5 months old for most kids. Also, once babies are 3 months old, they are better able to handle the more common minor skin infections they might get.
Alan Greene MD FAAP
Originally published: May 09, 2001
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