Identifying Deafness in Infants Across the world, 1 to 3 out of every 1000 children has a hearing defect. While some are congenital or present at birth, some are acquired after birth. That is why, in some countries, like the US, it has become mandatory to screen an infant for hearing defects from 3 months onwards, as early-stage hearing loss can be treated successfully. Causes for hearing defects in Infants and children
Congenital Hearing loss (present at birth) Genetic factors: • Autosomal recessive hearing loss: Neither parent has hearing loss but carries a gene related to hearing loss that is passed on to the child. • Autosomal dominant hearing loss: One of the parents has a hearing loss which is passed on to the child. • Genetic syndromes: Such as Usher syndrome, Down syndrome, Crouzon syndrome, Waardenburg syndrome, Alport syndrome, etc