In general, there are two main reasons for hearing loss. Either the hearing loss is present at birth as a congenital hearing loss or it occurs after birth as an acquired hearing loss.
Congenital hearing loss may be caused by:
- Infections during pregnancy - e.g. German measles, toxoplasmosis and cytomegolavirus
- Medication used during pregnancy
- Birth complications
- Genetic syndromes - e.g. Usher's, Down's and Waardenburg's syndromes
- Family history of hearing loss
Acquired hearing loss may be caused by:
- Untreated middle ear infections
- Other infections - e.g. meningitis, mumps, measles, whooping cough
- Excessive noise - e.g. fireworks or loud music
- Disease processes - e.g. otosclerosis, Meniere's Disease
In some cases it can be difficult to pinpoint the cause of hearing loss. But even though audiologists might list the cause as unknown, it can still be related to one of the above listed factors.
If you think your child may have a hearing loss, don't hesitate to contact your family doctor to get your child's hearing checked.
