Hearing loss in children can be especially difficult as the child struggles to keep up with their peers and life. They may have trouble paying attention in class, be easily distracted, or complain of discomfort. As a parent, this is often distressing, as you wish that help alleviate your child’s pain and restore their quality of life. Dr. Cassandra Fynes offers parents of hearing impaired children in the Mesa area hearing tests, information about hearing loss in children, and hearing aids.
Causes of Hearing Loss in Children
The signs of hearing loss in children in Mesa may be difficult to catch, as they cannot verbalize easily what is going on. In most cases the symptoms of hearing loss are small and easily overlooked. Some of the symptoms can include:
- Inability to get attention easily
- Listening to shows at a louder than normal volume
- Misunderstanding verbal directions
- Rubbing or scratching ears
- Complaining of ear pain or discomfort
- Need for repeated instruction
There are many different reasons that your child’s hearing may be impacted. Some of the reasons include acquired hearing loss such as otitis media or genetically linked hearing loss.
Otitis Media
Otitis media is a condition where fluid or swelling blocks the Eustachian tubes. These tubes are vital for aiding hearing. When these tubes become swollen with fluid, they can disrupt the travel of sound waves to the inner ear. As a result, the child hears voices at a diminished capacity or hears muffled sounds. It can also lead discomfort in the child where they may have headaches or sore ears. Other situations that can lead to hearing impairment or loss are head injuries, infections like meningitis and influenza, and excessively high noise exposure.
The other causes of hearing loss in children are genetic disorders that are acquired at birth. Some examples of genetically linked hearing loss are:
Autosomal Dominant Hearing Loss
This is a condition where one of the parents carries the dominant gene for hearing loss and passes it on to the child. If one of the parents has the gene, there is at least a fifty percent probability that the child will suffering from hearing loss. In the case that both parents have the gene, the probability that the child will suffer from hearing loss is higher.
Autosomal Recessive Hearing Loss
In the case where both parents do not suffer from hearing loss one may carry a recessive gene. With two normal parents, the probability of their child acquiring hearing loss is around twenty-five percent. In this case, the parents should not have to worry about the possibility of their child inheriting hearing loss.
X-Linked Hearing Loss
With this rare genetic condition, the child’s mother has the recessive genes for hearing loss. She can pass hearing loss to her male children but not her female children.
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