Ear Pits (Preauricular Pits)

Overview

What is a Preauricular Pit?

An ear pit, also called a preauricular (pree-aw-RIK-yuh-ler) pit, is a small opening — about the size of a pinhead — in front of the ear that some babies are born with. Ear pits are common and usually don’t cause problems or need treatment.

Top Things to Know

• An ear pit (preauricular pit) is a small hole in front of the ear that’s often harmless.
• Most don’t cause problems, but infected ear pits can have redness, swelling, or pus.
• Ear pits don’t need treatment, but any infections are cared for with antibiotics.
• Call your doctor if the area looks red, swollen, or leaks fluid.

Signs & Symptoms

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of a Preauricular Pit?

An ear pit looks like a small hole or dimple in front of the ear. It can happen on one or both ears. The ear pit opens into a thin tunnel (called a tract) under the skin. Germs can get into the tract, causing an infection that leads to swelling, soreness, and redness around the ear pit. Some kids may have a cyst — a bump under the skin — near the ear pit, which can get infected.

Most babies with an ear pit are healthy. Sometimes, a child with an ear pit may have hearing loss.

What Causes a Preauricular Pit?

An ear pit happens early in pregnancy when a baby is just starting to grow. The parts of the ear don’t form quite right and the tract and ear pit are developed . It’s unclear why this happens. Ear pits can run in families. Rarely, they’re part of genetic syndromes that also cause hearing loss and kidney problems. Some kids with ear pits have:

• Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, a growth disorder that makes the body and internal organs grow too much or get too big
• branchiootorenal (BOR) syndrome, a condition that affects the neck, ears, and kidneys

How Are Preauricular Pits Diagnosed?

Usually, doctors will see and diagnose an ear pit at birth. They’ll do an exam to see if there are any other signs that could mean a genetic condition is causing the ear pit. Most babies get a hearing test as part of regular newborn screening. If the hearing test results show a problem, the doctor will order more tests.

If you notice an ear pit later on, your doctor can recommend an otolaryngologist (oh-toh-lar-un-GAHL-uh-jist), often called an ENT. This is a doctor who cares for the ears, nose, and throat. The ENT can see if there’s an infection and do imaging tests, if needed. If the ear pit could be due to a condition that affects hearing or other body systems like the kidneys, doctors may test for that.

Treatment & Care

How Are Preauricular Pit Infections Treated?

Most ear pits don’t need treatment. Infections can happen, though, so call your doctor if the pit gets red or swollen, or has pus coming from it. Your child may need an antibiotic.

After talking with your doctor, you can also put a warm cloth on the ear, keep the ear clean, and give a medicine for pain like acetaminophen to help kids feel better. Try to have your child avoid touching the area.

An ear pit that gets infected a lot can be removed with surgery. To do this, the surgeon takes out the tract and closes the hole.

What Else Should I Know?

Most children with ear pits are healthy and have normal hearing. Avoid putting anything in the pits, or picking or squeezing them so germs don’t get inside. To clean ear pits, use soap and water when you wash the rest of your child’s face.

Other Common Questions

Do Preauricular Pits Change in Size?

Ear pits are tiny and don’t normally change in size, but if they get infected, they could swell and get bigger. It’s important to talk to your doctor if this happens.

What’s an Preauricular Tag?

An ear tag (preauricular tag) is a small bump by the front of the ear that doesn’t have a hole or cause problems, like an ear pit sometimes can. Some kids may be uncomfortable with the way the tags look, though, and want to get them removed.