Approximately one to three per 1,000 children have hearing loss. Causes of pediatric hearing loss are generally separated into two categories:
- Congenital
- Acquired
Let’s examine a couple of examples of each of these more closely.
Congenital Causes of Pediatric Hearing Loss
Congenital causes of hearing loss are those causes that are present at birth. They may include hereditary causes or hearing loss from factors occurring in utero or during birth.
Hereditary or genetic causes result in approximately 50% or more of pediatric congenital hearing loss. Genetic causes are broken up into three categories:
- Autosomal dominant hearing loss. Occurs when one parent carries the dominant gene for hearing loss and passes it on to the child. With autosomal dominant hearing loss, the parent usually has hearing loss, and there is a 50% probability that the child will also have it.
- Autosomal recessive hearing loss. Occurs when both parents carry the recessive gene for hearing loss. Both parents will have normal hearing, and the child will have a 25% chance of having hearing loss.
- X-linked hearing loss. Occurs when the mother carries the recessive trait for hearing loss on the sex chromosome. X-linked hearing loss can only be passed from the mother to male children.
Causes of non-genetic congenital hearing loss may include but are not limited to:
- Prenatal infections
- Illnesses during pregnancy
- Toxins consumed during pregnancy
- Maternal diabetes
- Complications with the Rh factor in blood
- Lack of oxygen to the fetus
Acquired Causes
Acquired causes of pediatric hearing loss occur after birth. Some possible causes of acquired hearing loss may include but are not limited to:
- Ear infections
- Meningitis
- Measles
- Chickenpox
- Head trauma
- Noise exposure
- Mumps
- Influenza
- Ototoxic drugs
Because acquired causes of pediatric hearing loss stem from an external source, such as trauma or an infection, there are ways to protect against them. Some protection methods may include:
- Keeping your child updated on their vaccines to prevent infections that may cause hearing loss.
- Limiting noise exposure by keeping music and TV at a low volume and limiting time near hazardous noise such as construction or fireworks.
- Discussing alternatives to ototoxic drugs with your provider.
- Seeking immediate medical treatment for influenza and other hearing loss-inducing infections.
Hearing loss doesn’t have to stop your child from enjoying time with their friends at Bergfeld Park. To discuss treatment options for your child’s hearing loss, make an appointment with one of our trusted audiologists at SoundLogic today.