Hearing loss can be present at birth, or it may develop later in life. It may be hereditary, or it may be caused by problems during pregnancy or delivery. Due to improvements in the field of medicine, it is becoming easier in many cases to identify what has caused hearing loss in a particular child. All children diagnosed with a hearing loss should be seen by a pediatric ear, nose and throat physician. The physician will be able to guide families in obtaining testing that may assist in learning the cause of hearing loss.
- Hereditary factors cause a large percentage of hearing loss in children. The loss may be caused by a defect of the outer or middle ear, but more often the damage exists in the inner ear. Genetic counseling can be helpful to the family in determining whether heredity is the cause. Although this information in itself may be able to help the child who has the hearing loss, most parents find it helpful to know the cause and to understand if it may affect other children they may have, and ultimately it may be important information for the child.
- Hearing loss may also be the result of maternal illness during pregnancy, exposure to certain drugs, or complications during delivery.
- Acquired hearing loss occurs after birth, and may result from prematurity, low birth weight, incompatibility of the Rh factor of blood between the parents, or oxygen deprivation. Illness or accidents may also cause acquired hearing loss.
- Some illnesses which may cause hearing loss include meningitis, encephalitis, mumps, and jaundice. Any disease which is accompanied by a high fever may cause hearing loss in a child.
- There are certain medications, such as gentamicin, neomycin, streptomycin, kanamycin, quinine sulfate, which are used to treat serious illnesses but may cause hearing loss. These medications are referred to as ototoxic.
