Hearing Loss

Hearing Loss

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Signs and Symptoms

Hearing can be tested at any age. Infants are screened for hearing loss shortly after birth, before leaving the hospital. However, hearing loss is not always present this early and can develop at any time.

There are three main types of hearing loss:

• Sensorineural Hearing Loss — This is hearing loss that is the result of a disorder of the inner ear called the cochlea, or the auditory nerve that transmits an auditory signal. There are many different causes of sensorineural hearing loss including congenital infections, medications, over-exposure to noise and genetic factors. In half of the cases of hearing loss present at birth, called congenital hearing loss, the cause is not determined. Sensorineural hearing loss is usually permanent.

• Conductive Hearing Loss — This type of hearing loss is the result of a disorder affecting the outer or middle ear, such as ear infections associated with fluid in the middle ear space. Middle ear infections are the second-most common reason children visit a doctor. Generally, when children have middle ear infections with fluid in their ears, they have an accompanying hearing loss. Other common causes of conductive hearing loss include excess wax, foreign bodies or problems with the three bones in the middle ear. In many cases, conductive hearing loss can be treated either medically or surgically, and may not be permanent.

• Mixed Hearing Loss — Some children have a combination of both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.

Review Signs of Normal Hearing to find a list of normal hearing behaviors and key signs to watch for as your child grows. If your baby's hearing was not checked at birth, talk to your pediatrician about scheduling a hearing screening test.

If you have concerns regarding your child's responsiveness to sound, discuss your concerns with your pediatrician and request that an evaluation be completed by a hearing specialist called an audiologist. Most importantly, parents should trust their intuition. If you feel that something just "isn't quite right" about your baby's responsiveness to sound, talk to your pediatrician.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated May 8, 2007