Sensorineural Hearing Loss | Symptoms & Causes
What causes sensorineural hearing loss?
This type of hearing loss can happen at birth (congenital) or become acquired over time.
Congenital:
- Infection by the mother with toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes, or syphilis
- Genetic factors and syndromes your child has at birth
- Low birthweight
- Hereditary (in the family)
Acquired:
- Loud noise exposure
- Trauma
- Infections
- Damage from certain medications that can be harmful to the ears
Sensorineural Hearing Loss | Diagnosis & Treatments
Can sensorineural hearing loss be treated?
Some hearing problems are medically or surgically correctable if they are caused by middle ear fluid. Other hearing problems are treated with the use of hearing aids and speech and language therapy. If a hearing problem is found, your audiologist and pediatrician will arrange for your child to be seen by an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist) and will guide you to other services to help your child learn to communicate.
How we approach sensorineural hearing loss
Our Audiology Program will perform the following tests:
- Auditory brain stem response (ABR) test
- Regular (behavioral) audiological evaluation
- Auditory processing
- Tympanometry
- Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs)
Additionally, our team will:
- Monitor the hearing loss
- Provide counseling to you and your family regarding the hearing loss
- Recommend hearing aids and ways to maximize the use of residual hearing
- Refer your child for additional language or developmental assessments
- Direct you to community resources for educational or financial assistance
- Refer your child to Habilitative Audiology to learn about the option of a cochlear implant if your child has a severe to profound hearing loss in both ears
Hearing Loss Experience Journal
The Hearing Loss Experience Journal is a collection of stories, pictures, and personal experiences contributed by children, teens, and young adults who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. It represents the “collective wisdom” of these families as well as their health care providers. Read the journal here.
