Ainsley: How the Microtia Clinic Built a Foundation of Confidence

When Ainsley was 4 years old, she walked into the Microtia Clinic at Children’s Hospital Colorado and her gaze drifted across the space, scanning faces that mirrored her own. She couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.

“There are kids who look just like me,” Ainsley said to her mom, Jodi.

Ainsley, who uses multiple pronouns, was born with grade three microtia and atresia, conditions where the ear doesn’t develop, usually accompanied by hearing loss. 15 years ago, comprehensive care services for children with microtia and atresia were limited. Today, the Microtia Clinic remains one of the few of its kind in the country.

Finding expert microtia care and acceptance

It wasn’t just the kids at the clinic who looked like Ainsley. For the first time, Ainsley met an adult who did, too. That adult was Megan, who at the time was an audiology student (now an audiologist) with microtia.

“Megan was a really good role model for Ainsley,” Jodi says. “Megan is unaided, meaning she hasn’t used a hearing device or had reconstructive surgery. To meet someone who was so young, who was thriving, it showed Ainsley that you don’t have to change your appearance.”

When Ainsley was eight, their care team encouraged them to talk about what it’s like to have microtia and atresia. Our care team hoped this would improve acceptance and understanding for Ainsley and others. So she and her mom spoke about their experience to graduate students at the University of Colorado. By the time Ainsley was in fifth grade, they were confident enough to do all the talking. She spoke to students about hearing aids, her yearly check-ins, treatment and more.

Changing hearing implants, but not her appearance

For Ainsley and her family, hearing was the priority. Three years ago, ear, nose and throat doctor Gregory Allen, MD, took out her old implant, replacing it with a new magnetic, bone conduction implant. This new implant improves sound quality and eliminates the risk of skin infections, making it more comfortable. The reconstructive choice was always hers — and she’s chosen not to have any surgery to change the shape of her ear.

“I love the way I look,” they say. “It makes me myself.”

Over the years, Ainsley’s care needs have changed, but the clinic has remained a constant positive force in her life. What started as routine care grew into something much bigger — a place where she found mentors, confidence and her own voice.

Paving a path for others with microtia and atresia

After high school, Ainsley went the University of Iowa to study speech and hearing science. She hopes to inspire a whole new generation of kids with microtia and atresia.

“Follow your heart. Be proud of who you are. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise,” Ainsley says. “If you want to get surgery, do it when you can make an informed decision to do it. Go for it. But be proud of who you are.”

Our Microtia Clinic has helped hundreds of kids just like Ainsley achieve their goals and be proud of who they are — and find confidence to be the “Megan” for others.