Microtia: Ear Deformity and What You Should Know

No parents want to see their child have to deal with anything that puts them at a disadvantage. Unfortunately, that's just what Microtia can do. Even for those children who are fortunate enough not to suffer any hearing loss due to the deformity, living with something that makes you different (and not in a good way) is not easy. Making friends will be more difficult, and kids are notorious for finding something unusual and mercilessly tearing each other down for it. Since this is unlikely to change in the near future, it is only natural for a parent to want to know what they can do to change the situation.

Cause

While medical science has more answers than people a hundred years ago would have ever dreamed, it doesn't have them all yet. Unfortunately, the cause of Microtia is among those answers that still remain in the dark. Because of this, finding a way to prevent it is as of yet an impossibility. It is known that the deformity occurs during the development of the baby in the womb. While there have been cases of inheritance, the condition comes up spontaneously more often than not. While there is no one true cause that has yet been identified, some cases do come about as a result of other conditions and syndromes.

Early Detection

One of the first questions on many a parent's mind is, "Why didn't this show up on the ultrasound?" This is understandable. Parents feel as though they were duped when the doctors told them their baby was perfectly healthy and this is an unwelcome surprise. Microtia is rather uncommon, of course, which goes some distance in explaining why it is often missed during ultrasound sessions. Technicians and doctors are trained to examine the organs and appendage development. As the technology grows in strength, however, it will be easier for doctors to make deformity diagnosis of this kind earlier and more consistently.

Questions

As a parent, it is your job to make sure you know everything you can know about Microtia and your options moving forward. Don't hesitate to ask your doctor the questions you have and, if he is unable to answer them, find a specialist who can. The information you should be looking for include what surgical options are open to your child, what alternatives to surgery might be appropriate, and how you can prepare your child for the challenges they are going to face. A doctor close to the situation will be able to answer these questions more specifically than any article or book you might read.