I'm not trying to defend their decision to have Emilia's ears pierced at 7, but seriously, what's the big deal!?!
I had my ears pierced at 5 (btw, we're talking the 1970s), had no problem with infections or my earrings being savagely ripped out of my ears during PE. Granted, like the 2 E's & the 2A's, I went to a Catholic parochial school, 2 in fact. I'll presume there are rules about jewelry as there were at my schools. Pertaining to the ears, no hoops only post earrings allowed.
Maybe because I live in the States or my family is Italian (both my parents born & raised in the U.S.), it's no big deal. Also, many if not all my schoolmates had pierced ears. The only time earrings got ripped out of ears was during a fist fight.