Congenital Hearing Loss

The term congenital hearing loss implies that the hearing loss is present at birth. It can include hereditary hearing loss or hearing loss due to other factors present either in utero or at the time of birth. Genetic factors are thought to cause more than 50% of all incidents of congenital hearing loss in children. Genetic hearing loss may be autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or X-linked which means it could be related to X chromosomes.

In autosomal dominant hearing loss, one parent who carries the dominant gene for hearing loss and typically has a hearing loss passes it on to the child. In this case there is at least a 50% probability that the child will also have a hearing loss. The probability is higher if both parents have the dominant gene (and typically both have a hearing loss) or if both grandparents on one side of the family have hearing loss due to genetic causes. Because at least one parent usually has a hearing loss, there is prior expectation that the child may have a hearing loss. This kind of a problem is genetic in nature.

In autosomal recessive hearing loss, both parents who typically have normal hearing, carry a recessive gene. In this case the probability of the child having a hearing loss is 25%. Because both parents usually have normal hearing, and because no other family members have hearing loss, there is no prior expectation that the child may have a hearing loss.

In X-linked hearing loss, the mother carries the recessive trait for hearing loss on the sex chromosome and passes it on to males, but not to females. There are some genetic syndromes, in which, hearing loss is one of the known characteristics. Some examples are Down syndrome (abnormality on a gene), Usher syndrome (autosomal recessive), Treacher Collins syndrome (autosomal dominant), Crouzon syndrome (autosomal dominant), and Alport syndrome (X-linked).

Other causes of congenital hearing loss that are not hereditary in nature include prenatal infections, illnesses, toxins consumed by the mother during pregnancy or other conditions occurring at the time of birth or shortly thereafter. These conditions typically cause sensor neural hearing loss ranging from mild to profound in degree. Some of the examples are - Intrauterine infections including rubella (German measles), cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex virus, complications associated with the Rh factor in the blood or due to pre maturity, maternal diabetes, and toxemia during pregnancy or due to lack of oxygen (anoxia).

Acquired hearing loss is a hearing loss which appears after birth, at any time in one's life, perhaps as a result of a disease, a condition, or an injury. Conditions that can cause acquired hearing loss in child could be due to ear infections or ototoxic (damaging to the auditory system) drugs or due to illness caused by meningitis, measles, encephalitis, chicken pox, influenza, mumps, and head injury or due to noise exposure.

Thus these problems are hereditary in nature but can be cured with the help of modern technology. If the problem is handled early it will cure faster therefore early detection can avoid long term damage.

• Janny Raines
• 26/04/2009, 6:59 PM
• 0 Comments