Microtia of the ear is a birth defect, a deformity of the ear. Usually this ear deformity is only found in one ear and it is present at birth in a child. Microtia is a common birth defect that usually only effects the external ear. Depending on the severity of the microtia it may result in hearing loss. This makes it important for young children born with this microtia of the ear to have it treated, through surgery, sooner rather than later. You may also want your child's ear condition fixed through surgery even if their hearing is not affected.
 
You may not understand why microtia appears in a newborn as a birth defect. To help you understand, you must look at the development of the child before birth. Sometimes microtia and other birth defects are caused by the DNA makeup of the parents. There are other various problems involving the growth of the child before birth. A birth defect like microtia can be caused by drugs or medications taken while the mother was pregnant. It can also be caused by other complications involving the mother's health and care of the unborn child.
 
Microtia is an interesting ear deformity because there are several different levels of severity. Microtia can cause only a small ear reshaping and no other lasting effects. The ear affected by microtia will be misshapen and small, but the inner ear will not be at all deformed. This means that the hearing of the child is not damaged; there is no hearing loss. That is only the first grade. The second is more severe and results in an almost unrecognizable external ear. And the third grade is where the external ear is barely formed at all. This birth defect, microtia, can go from barely any ear deformity at all to almost the complete absence of the ear.
 
Hearing loss is not common in this birth defect. Microtia mostly affects the external ear. This ear deformity mostly causes an external ear that doesn't look like a normal ear. A child can still have surgery and an ear reshaping, to help them grow up without a deformed ear and with, perhaps, a better social experience.
 
Surgery is where a certain part of the body, in this case the ear, is reconstructed and looks like a regular ear again. Microtia can be fixed with surgery. Hearing loss can also be restored through surgery. Microtia is a birth defect of the ear so the ear deformity needs to be combated early in the child's life. Treatments are also available for microtia and helping children with their affected ear. They begin early as well. All of these procedures and surgeries we can do to help children with the microtia birth defect are done early to help the child the most.
 
It is important for your child to be able to go into school with confidence so that they can learn in a good environment and so the child can have good social experiences. With an ear deformity, these experiences may be limited. If you child was born with a microtia of the ear it may be wise to consider treatment and surgery for the child. If the child has hearing loss, it would be important for them to have surgery so they can hear better and therefore learn better. Surgery can help a child who was born with microtia.