They’re all ears, and those ears are perfect.
Gavin and Liam Faeth of Floral Park came into the world this summer with misshaped ears, but a plastic surgeon at the Cohen Children’s Medical Center was able to to fix the irregularity with a painless procedure.
The twins’ mom, Suzanne O’Shea Faeth, noticed her newborns’ ears and pointed them out to her husband, Michael, shortly after giving birth on June 27 at the LIJ Medical Center’s Katz Women’s Hospital. Seeking help, she came across a brochure about ear molding and the work of Dr. Nicholas Bastidas, a pediatric plastic surgeon at neighboring Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center.
Three weeks later, Bastidas examined the twins and determined they were perfect candidates for ear molding, which involves using a device known as an Earwell to delicately apply pressure to the ear’s cartilage, bending it back and improving the ear structure.
“Newborns and infants have soft, pliable cartilage in their ears,” Bastidas said. “There is no pain involved and the changes are permanent.”
Bastidas performed the procedure in his office and removed them from the twins’ ears on Aug. 13, revealing perfect ears. The double feat was celebrated on Sept. 29 at Cohen Children’s Hospital with a special event honoring the Faeth twins’ three-month birthday.
The hospital presented the youngsters with two ear-shaped cakes to mark the occasion.
“We hope that other parents who find themselves in a similar situation will continue to search for proper treatment for their children,” Faeth said. “But the important lesson to be learned is that you know your children better than anyone else– and if something is wrong, don’t be discouraged. Look for help, and you will find it.”
