Microtia is a rare condition where a baby’s outer ear is underdeveloped or missing. At Children’s Hospital, our specialists offer advanced treatments that can reconstruct the ear’s shape and help improve your baby’s hearing.
Microtia is a rare congenital anomaly (birth defect) that tends to affect boys more than girls. Most often, only the right ear is affected, although some kids may have the condition on both sides.
The leading-edge treatments offered by our pediatric specialists are designed to support your family as your baby develops. One of the latest options available at MU Health Care includes personalized ear reconstruction using your baby’s own cartilage.
Microtia Symptoms
Babies can be born with microtia because of genetics or other unknown causes. Your child may have microtia if their ear is:
- Smaller than normal
- Missing the outer portion
- Completely absent (a condition known as anotia)
Although microtia doesn’t cause your child any pain, it can affect their hearing. Without treatment, hearing loss can impact your child’s speech development and other functions. That’s why we recommend care by a team of specialists.
Getting Care for Pediatric Microtia
Our team can check your child’s hearing and offer treatment options for an underdeveloped or absent ear. Your pediatrician can refer you to our team, or you can reach out to our plastic surgery nurse directly.
Types of Microtia
Our team treats all types of microtia, which are “graded” based on severity:
- Grade 1: The ear has a normal shape but may be smaller than what’s typical.
- Grade 2: Only part of the ear has a normal shape, and the ear canal may be closed (aural atresia).
- Grade 3: The ear is just a small piece of skin and cartilage.
- Grade 4: There is no ear. We can provide complex reconstructions for kids with grade 4 microtia as well as less severe forms of the condition.