Learn About Infant Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is not being able to hear sound in one or both ears. Infants may lose all of their hearing or just part of it.
Deafness - infants; Hearing impairment - infants; Conductive hearing loss - infants; Sensorineural hearing loss - infants; Central hearing loss - infants
Although it is not common, some infants may have some hearing loss at birth. Hearing loss can also develop in children who had normal hearing as infants.
- The loss can occur in one or both ears. It may be mild, moderate, severe, or profound. Profound hearing loss is what most people call deafness.
- Sometimes, hearing loss gets worse over time. Other times, it stays stable and does not get worse.
Risk factors for infant hearing loss include:
- Family history of hearing loss
- Low birth weight
Hearing loss may occur when there is a problem in the outer or middle ear. These problems may slow or prevent sound waves from passing through. They include:
- Birth defects that cause changes in the structure of the ear canal or middle ear
- Buildup of ear wax
- Buildup of fluid behind the eardrum
- Injury to or rupture of the eardrum
- Objects stuck in the ear canal
- Scar on the eardrum from many infections
Another type of hearing loss is due to a problem with the inner ear. It may occur when the tiny hair cells (nerve endings) that move sound through the ear are damaged. This type of hearing loss can be caused by:
- Exposure to certain toxic chemicals or medicines while in the womb or after birth
- Genetic disorders
- Infections the mother passes to her baby in the womb (such as toxoplasmosis, measles, or herpes)
- Infections that can damage the brain after birth, such as meningitis or measles
- Problems with the structure of the inner ear
- Tumors
Central hearing loss results from damage to the auditory nerve itself, or the brain pathways that lead to the nerve. Central hearing loss is rare in infants and children.
Signs of hearing loss in infants vary by age. For example:
- A newborn baby with hearing loss may not startle when there is a loud noise nearby.
- Older infants, who should respond to familiar voices, may show no reaction when spoken to.
- Children should be using single words by 15 months, and simple 2-word sentences by age 2. If they do not reach these milestones, the cause may be hearing loss.
Some children may not be diagnosed with hearing loss until they are in school. This is true even if they were born with hearing loss. Inattention and falling behind in class work may be signs of undiagnosed hearing loss.
Over 30 states in the United States require newborn hearing screenings. Treating hearing loss early can allow many infants to develop normal language skills without delay. In infants born with hearing loss, treatments should start as early as age 6 months.
Treatment depends on the baby's overall health and the cause of hearing loss. Treatment may include:
- Speech therapy
- Learning sign language
- Cochlear implant (for those with profound sensorineural hearing loss)
Treating the cause of hearing loss may include:
- Medicines for infections
- Ear tubes for repeated ear infections
- Surgery to correct structural problems
An Boudewyns practices in Edegem, Belgium. Boudewyns is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Infant Hearing Loss. Their top areas of expertise are Infant Hearing Loss, Laryngomalacia, Hearing Loss, Adenoidectomy, and Endoscopy.
Proliance Surgeons
Craig Villari, MD, is a board-certified otolaryngologist. He treats a broad spectrum of ear, nose, and throat conditions in both adults and children. He has a special interest in caring for voice, airway, and swallowing concerns and is a post-graduate member of the American Laryngologic Society. He takes great pride in making sure his patients understand their diagnoses and treatment options.Dr. Villari grew up in Buffalo, New York but spent other parts of his childhood in Saint Louis, Missouri and Fort Worth, Texas. He graduated summa cum laude from Emory University where he also completed medical training and otolaryngology residency. He completed an extra year of subspecialty training in laryngology at the University of California, San Francisco and then practiced for four years at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. He has published multiple peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, serves as a peer-reviewer for top journals, and has been an invited national and international speaker for his field.He lives on the Eastside with his wife, their son, daughter, and basset hound, Pickles. Outside of medicine, he enjoys reading, golf, and following professional sports. He's a Kraken fan and optimistic the NBA will make a return to the Emerald City. Dr. Villari is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Infant Hearing Loss. His top areas of expertise are Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Vocal Cord Dysfunction, Throat Cancer, and Laryngectomy.
Proliance Surgeons
Peter F. Maurice, MD, is a highly specialized otolaryngologist, and fellowship-trained in plastic surgery. He is double board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology.Dr. Maurice received his medical degree from Georgetown University, in Washington, DC, where he was elected to membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed his residency in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at Georgetown University Hospital.Dr. Maurice then was selected for a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. This full-year training program gave him a unique opportunity to study with one of the AAFPRS's master surgeons in Albuquerque, New Mexico.At South Seattle Otolaryngology, patients benefit from a team of on-site audiologists and allergy specialists, in addition to a team of otolaryngologists with over 50 years of combined experience. Dr. Maurice is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Infant Hearing Loss. His top areas of expertise are Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP), Nasal Septal Hematoma, Low Nasal Bridge, and Sinusitis.
It is often possible to treat hearing loss that is caused by problems in the middle ear with medicines or surgery. There is no cure for hearing loss caused by damage to the inner ear or nerves.
How well your child does depends on the cause and severity of the hearing loss. Advances in hearing aids and other devices, as well as speech therapy allow many children to develop normal language skills at the same age as their peers with normal hearing. Even infants with profound hearing loss can do well with the right combination of treatments.
If the baby has a disorder that affects more than hearing, the outlook depends on what other symptoms and problems the baby has.
Contact your provider if your baby or young child displays signs of hearing loss, such as not reacting to loud noises, not making or mimicking noises, or not speaking at the expected age.
If your child has a cochlear implant, contact your provider right away if your child develops a fever, stiff neck, headache, or an ear infection.
It is not possible to prevent all cases of hearing loss in infants.
Women who are planning to become pregnant should make sure they are current on all vaccinations.
Pregnant women should check with their provider before taking any medicines. If you are pregnant, avoid activities that can expose your baby to dangerous infections, such as toxoplasmosis.
If you or your partner has a family history of hearing loss, you may want to get genetic counseling before becoming pregnant.
Summary: Regeneron is conducting a study of an investigational new drug called DB-OTO. DB-OTO is a gene therapy that is being developed to treat children who have hearing loss due to changes in the otoferlin gene. The purpose of this study is to: * Learn about the safety of DB-OTO * Determine how well DB-OTO is tolerated (does not cause ongoing discomfort) * Evaluate the efficacy of DB-OTO (how well DB-OTO...
Summary: This study aims to establish a novel multimodal evaluation and precision rehabilitation system for patients with congenital hearing loss who have received hearing aids, cochlear implantation, or emerging gene therapy. The proposed system will integrate age-stratified difficulty levels, combined with a gamified interaction platform or software designed to assess and train three core perceptual doma...
Published Date: February 17, 2024
Published By: Charles I. Schwartz, MD, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, General Pediatrician at PennCare for Kids, Phoenixville, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Eggermont JJ. Early diagnosis and prevention of hearing loss. In: Eggermont JJ, ed. Hearing Loss. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2017:chap 8.
Graham ME, Dedhia K, Park AH. Early detection and diagnosis of infant hearing impairment. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 193.
Haddad J. Hearing loss. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 677.
Vohr BR. Hearing loss in the newborn infant. In: Martin RJ, Fanaroff AA, eds. Fanaroff and Martin's Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 61.