If the 12 year old has had the piercing for over a year, chances are good it's healed. If it was done by a piercing gun, then it could still be healing.
Go to see a Doctor and ask.
cartilage piercings usually take a year plus to completely heal. if you can leave it out for a few days with no pain putting it back in it is most likely healed.
If there is room you can but why?
no, eventually it will heal
If the piercing is recent, very carefully, once it is healed, you can clean it as usual.
It's best after the piercing is healed, otherwise it might get infected and swell up.
Drinking alcohol before the piercing has healed may result in pain as the alcohol irritates your tissue. It isn't toxic, and it shouldn't interfere with the healing of the piercing. After the piercing has healed, there should be no problems or inconveniences related to drinking alcohol, even red wine.
If it's healed, yes.
Yes... But not recommended until after it's healed.
Considering that a piercing isn't fully healed until it's a year old, a light heal is seen by about 6~8 weeks depending on the piercing. So you could get another one in about a weeks time post initial piercing.
Well nothing then again you could loose the piercing. Don't mess around with your piercing unless you have decided to go without it, then take it out and leave it out. Screwing around with a piercing that isn't healed is inviting infection, tearing and other nasty things to happen to a new piercing just because you were curious.