Congenital deafness | Symptoms & Causes | Diagnosis
 


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Congenital deafness

What is Congenital deafness?

Loss of hearing present at birth or loss that may develop later but is due to genetic causes or other influences that affected the fetus while it was in utero (in the womb).

A child with a congenital hearing loss should begin receiving intervention before 6 months of age. Studies suggest that children who receive early interventions are better able to develop communication skills (using spoken or sign language). Once a child is diagnosed, doctors or the audiologists can counsel the family and provide options for intervention. In the United States of America, because of a Federal law (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), children with a hearing loss between birth and 3 years of age have the right to receive interdisciplinary assessment and early intervention services at little or no cost. After age 3, early intervention and special education programs are provided through the public school system.

Cause

Genetic factors are thought to cause more than 50% of all incidents of congenital hearing loss. Genetic hearing loss may be autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or X-linked (related to the sex chromosome).

Diagnosis & Tests

Diagnostic imaging is the most effective diagnostic tests in the work-up of congenital hearing loss.

Prevention & Risk Factors

Have a healthy life-style throughout physiological condition as well as routine prenatal care.Make sure your kid gets all regular childhood vaccines.Keep your kid aloof from loud noises. Noise-induced (acquired) deafness is permanent and is often preventable. it's caused by prolonged or perennial exposure to any bang over eighty five decibels, that is that the loudness of sound measured in units referred to as decibels (dB). Common sounds that are on top of eighty five dB include power mowers, music concerts, emergency vehicle sirens, plane jets kicking off, fireworks and lawnmowers.

Treatments & Therapies

Hearing aidsAge at fitting of amplification is the strongest influence on auditory perception, speaking, and language . Factors that influenced hearing aid use by youngsters enclosed maternal education level, chronologic age, and degree of hearing impairment . there's a 2-h distinction in hearing aid use between mothers with a school education and people with a highschool education or less, emphasizing the necessity for targeted guidance on hearing aid adherence, particularly for families with lower education levels . youngsters with milder losses are less seemingly to wear their hearing aids publicly things than youngsters with more severe hearing impairment . However, even mild hearing impairment is considerably related to poorer educational performance .