Objectives: To assess the efficacy of avoiding mastoid pressure dressing (MPD) on children as a means of preventing discomfort and postoperative pain. Design: A retrospective controlled study. Setting: All operations were carried out by experienced surgeons using standard techniques, whose custom, not the gravity of any individual case, dictated the use of MPD. Participants: children who underwent mastoidectomy for inflammatory middle ear diseases at a tertiary centre from 2010-2020. Main outcome measures: Wound-related complications and visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores at discharge were compared between children who had a MPD applied following surgery and those who did not. Results: 119 cases were included. The demographic characteristics of the patients and surgical techniques employed similar for both groups. There were 91 patients in the MPD group and 28 in the non-mastoid dressing (NMPD) group. In the MPD group, 5 patients developed minor wound dehiscence, 8 experienced surgical site infections (SSI), and one patient developed a keloid. In the NMPD group, one patient had a SSI, while another had a local hematoma. Therefore, there were no differences between the groups in relation to postoperative complications (p = 0.47). Despite these similitudes, the NMPD patients suffered less postoperative pain, as measured by the VAS (p =.02). Conclusions: This study shows that no significant benefit is derived from using a MPD after mastoidectomy in children. Surgeons should adhere to principles of appropriate haemostasis and wound closure to prevent postoperative wound complications. Our study supports the abandonment of routine MPD on children following mastoidectomy.