Toddler’s Earring Disappears, Then Mom Discovers Why (Photos)

A mother from North Carolina was confused when she first noticed that her 3-year-old daughter’s earring had seemingly fallen off – but quickly learned that the situation was much more serious.

Michelle Moore told Yahoo News that when she went to remove her daughter’s earring, she discovered that the front flange was embedded into her earlobe. She wasn’t able to remove it easily, and just the post and the back of the earring remained intact.

“I watched it for a few days hoping that it would work itself back out,” Moore said. After a few days, Moore decided to take action when she realized she couldn’t wait any longer. She visited the family’s pediatrician but was ultimately referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist. 

To make matters worse, the face to her daughter’s other earring also fell off.

“Luckily, this one was not embedded in her ear yet, and the doctor was able to remove it while she was under anesthesia without having to cut the earlobe,” she said. “He did, however, have to make an incision on the ear with the embedded earring in order to remove it.” The surgery was successful. 

Moore said she decided to speak out because she wanted other parents to know the dangers that earrings can pose for young children.

“Sophia has had her ears pierced for about a year,” she said. “She initially had another pair of earrings, but likes Hello Kitty so my mother-in-law bought her a pair of Hello Kitty earrings from Claire’s.”

Many readers questioned why the mother would pierce her daughter’s ears in the first place.

“I will never understand why parents insist on getting their children’s ears pierced at such a young age. When they are old enough to take care of their ears themselves is soon enough,” one MommyPage reader commented on the site’s Facebook page.

“Just because it’s culturally expected does not mean it’s right. It is a form of mutilation and parents have no right to decide that for their children. When the kid is old enough to ask for piercings o.k. But to take a baby in to have this done is horrible,” another wrote. 

“You know it’s going to hurt and they don’t. I don’t know how parents can do this. I had my ears done when I was 21. When my daughter wanted hers done at 16 I told her it hurts and the care involved. She then had it done. To me it’s almost as hideous as having your baby tattooed.”

Sources: Yahoo, MommyPage/Facebook / Photo credit: SMC/Wikipedia, Michelle Moore via Yahoo