Congenital Hearing Loss | How children can be affected by this hearing loss

Congenital hearing loss is a condition in which hearing loss is experienced and present when a child is born. This may be a direct result of a factor that takes place as the child is developing in the womb, or at the time of birth due to a particular trauma. In many situations, this type of Congenital Hearing Loss occurs as a direct result of heredity. When hearing loss occurs as a result of genetics, there are normally three ways in which it can be classified.

These ways are X-linked, autosomal dominant, and recessive autosomal. X-linked means that the mother retains a trait that determines hearing loss in males. Autosomal dominant and recessive are also directly related to genes that induce a loss of hearing in the child. The difference with the later two is that hearing loss is not expected prior to the birth of a child.

There are a number of other conditions that may mark the way for congenital hearing loss in a child. One of the conditions is when the mother of the child has been found to have consumed toxins during the pregnancy. These toxins may include drinking alcoholic beverages, smoking, engaging in recreational drug activity, consuming over-the-counter and prescription medications that may affect the development of a child, and even exposure to various types of pollutants and environmental toxins.

If the mother experiences a bacterial and/or viral infection during the course of the pregnancy, this too, may lead to hearing loss at birth. The most common types of infections and illnesses that may cause problems with the hearing of a child include the herpes virus, and German measles. If a female experiences complications in the blood, such as Rh factor, hearing loss may also occur in the child.

Children that are sufferers of congenital hearing loss normally begin treatments for the condition within the first year of life. Most pediatricians take the stand that these treatments should start prior to the age of six months. The child that undergoes treatments for this particular condition are likely to not experience developmental delays in speech and other forms of communication.

However, those that do not receive treatments for congenital hearing loss may face complications in developing communication skills. There are different treatment options available. Many doctors may wish to implement the use of a hearing aid, or other type of hearing device. Other doctors may feel that surgery is an appropriate course of action. For more information on hearing loss check out: www.overcomehearingloss.com