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Birth Defects of the Ear

By

The Manual's Editorial Staff

Reviewed/Revised Mar 2022 | Modified Sep 2022
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The outer ear includes your ear lobe and your ear canal. The ear canal is the tube that connects the outside of your ear to your eardrum.

The Outer Ear

The Outer Ear

What are birth defects of the ear?

Birth defects of the ear are apparent at birth or soon afterward.

  • Your child's ear may be very small, abnormally shaped, or missing

  • Some children are missing an ear canal and may not have an eardrum, which affects their hearing

  • Doctors do surgery to make an abnormal ear look more normal

  • Children may need special devices to help them hear

How do doctors treat birth defects of the ear?

Treatment depends on what part of the ear is affected.

NOTE: This is the Consumer Version. DOCTORS: VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION
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