Hearing loss is a common condition that affects people of all ages, including children. Hearing loss in children, if untreated, can significantly impact development. Children rely heavily on hearing to acquire speech and language.
Without intervention before 6 months of age, hearing loss can lead to delayed speech, poor vocabulary, and difficulties learning language. This in turn impacts reading, writing, and social skills. Hearing loss also makes it hard for children to follow classroom instruction, leading to struggles with academics.
Behavior and emotional issues may arise as well. Early identification, hearing aids, therapy, and support services are critical to prevent these negative effects and ensure children with hearing impairments develop strong communication abilities. Here are the main causes of hearing loss in children: Between two and three out of every 1,000 children are born with hearing loss in one or both ears; 90% of them are born to parents with no hearing problems.
Congenital causes refer to hearing loss that is present at birth due to genetic factors or conditions and complications during pregnancy or childbirth. Some examples include: Genetic mutations Mutations in genes passed down from parents can cause hearing loss in babies. Some common genetic conditions linked with hearing loss include Waardenburg syndrome, Usher syndrome, and Pendred syndrome among others.
These syndromes involve mutations in genes important for normal ear development and hearing..
