A study of the prevalence of developmental anomalies of the external ear among preschool children in Sivas, Turkey.

The objective of the current study was to detect the prevalence of developmental anomalies of the external ear among children between aged 4-6 years old in Sivas, Turkey. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,096 preschool children. Among the 1,096 children examined, 8 had accessory auricle, and prevalence of the anomaly was calculated at 0.7%. Fifty-one prominent ear deformities (4.6%) were detected among the children. One limitation of the study is that the prevalence of developmental anomalies of the external ear may have been underestimated. In fact, such surveys should be conducted on large random or stratified samples of entire populations. Thus, the true prevalence could be slightly higher, and the apparent difference may not be a racial one.