What Causes Infant Hearing Loss?

If you're a parent, few things are more terrifying than discovering that an infant suffers from hearing loss. Since they are pre-verbal, parents must rely on external clues in order to determine if their infant does indeed suffer from this condition; does the baby fail to react to loud noises and/or nurturing talk from Mom and Dad? If a parent suspects that their infant suffers from hearing loss or impairment, a trip to the pediatrician as quickly as possible is in order to determine the nature, cause, and extent of this condition. There are many causes of infant hearing loss, some of which are transitory and treated with appropriate pediatric care. Other causes are more serious, and the hearing impairment may be permanent. Your pediatrician will assess possible medical causes of your infant's hearing loss and send you to an audiologist to determine the extent of the problem. Since children learn to speak by hearing the spoken word, children who are hearing impaired also have some form of speech pathology.

Common Causes of Infant Hearing Loss

Many causes of infant hearing loss result from infection in the inner ear; either one or both ears may be affected. In these cases, it is likely that with proper medical care the baby's hearing will be fully restored. Some of these infections occur due to fluid build-up in the inner ear canals; to drain this fluid and restore the infant's hearing, pediatricians often insert small tubes in the child's ear(s) that may need to be kept in place for several weeks to prevent re-build up.

Another very serious cause of infant hearing loss is caused by the cytomegalovirus virus. This virus is part of the Herpes genus. CMV attacks the salivary glands, which are in close proximity to the inner ear canal. It is spread to a fetus through the mother, and the infant's hearing loss becomes a congenital condition. Once infected with CMV, the virus (like all Herpes viruses) stays dormant on nerve endings with occasional flare-ups throughout life. There is no cure for this condition. CMV can also be transmitted to an infant by breast feeding or a child born with a compromised immune system such as HIV. Infants born with CMV experience hearing and vision loss as well as varying degrees of mental retardation.

Meniere's disease is another cause of infant hearing loss. This disorder of the inner ear is characterized by episodes of dizziness, tinnitus (ringing of the ears) and progressive hearing loss, usually in one ear. Since infants cannot tell us if they are feeling dizzy or having symptoms of tinnitus, the disease is not detected until the dizziness and hearing loss becomes apparent when the child is learning to walk. Treatment for Meniere's disease is aimed at reducing pressure within the inner ear with antihistamines, steroids and diuretics. This condition is also known as Darwin's illness since Charles Darwin was plagued by it throughout his life.