Josiah David Alexander was born on February 25th, 2017 at McLaren Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. He was born with three birth defects, Microtia, under development of the outer ear, Atresia, under development of the inner ear, and Hemifacial Microsomia, a defect resulting in the tissues of one side of the face being smaller than the tissues of the other side. The Microtia and Atresia defects have left him with a peanut shaped ear with no hearing ability.
Despite his defects, he enjoys playing with his growing collection of Hot Wheels, watching the same movie until his parents have memorized every line, and spending time with his mother, Ashley Alexander, father, Mitchell Alexander, and little brother, Henry Alexander. His active life and play style leave many visitors surprised by his defects. On the other hand, his defects have caused him to have a harder time learning basic phrases and commands. Fortunately, he can communicate his wants and needs with simple phrases such as “no want,” “mine,” and “do it again.” He can say the names of family members such as “Daddy,” “Mommy,” “Nana,” and “Jakey,” the family dog.
“It took him a little bit to learn how to babble as a baby and that was a bit concerning. But once he learned a few words, we were less scared,” Ashley recalls Josiah’s learning. “He’s really good with please and thank you. Although his please sounds more like peas.”
His parents have begun to prepare him for public schooling with in-home speech and hearing therapy. In the next few months, they plan on enrolling him in a Head Start program in Greenville, Michigan. “We really hope it’ll help him learn. Plus, it’ll be good for him to spend time with other kids his age,” his father, Mitchell Alexander, had to say about his future schooling.
Regardless of the unique difficulties the Alexander family has faced in the two and a half years since Josiah has been born, they have loved every minute of it and wouldn’t change it for the world. For his parents, and the rest of his beloved family, Josiah’s “peanut ear” has come to be known as just another part of life.