Acquired pre- and perinatal factors |
Need for NICU care for >5 days |
Very low birth weight (<1500 g) |
Perinatal asphyxia or neonatal encephalopathy |
Congenital infection (CMV, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, rubella, HIV, Zika virus) |
Postnatal CNS infection (bacterial meningitis, HSV encephalitis) |
Exposure to otoxic medications (aminoglycosides*, diuretics) |
Severe hyperbilirubinemia requiring exchange transfusion |
Mechanical ventilation >5 days |
Required ECMO support |
Family history |
First- or second-degree relative with permanent hearing loss in childhood |
Syndromes associated with hearing loss |
Examples include Alport syndrome, Jervell-Lange-Nielsen (long QT) syndrome, neurofibromatosis, Pendred syndrome, Usher syndrome, and Waardenburg syndrome. However, numerous genetic syndromes (well over 100) are associated with early hearing loss.¶ |
Craniofacial anomalies |
Cleft lip and/or palate |
Abnormalities of the pinna or ear canal |
Temporal bone abnormalities |
NICU: neonatal intensive care unit; CMV: cytomegalovirus infection; HIV: human immunodeficiency virus; CNS: central nervous system; HSV: herpes simplex virus; ECMO: extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
* Certain genetic predispositions appear to increase an infant's risk of aminoglycoside-related hearing loss.
¶ Some of the more common syndromic causes of hearing loss are listed here. However, this list is not comprehensive. For additional details, refer to separate UpToDate content on the etiology of hearing loss in children.Do you want to add Medilib to your home screen?