Peer Reviewed
Feature Article Paediatrics
Why is my child deaf?
Abstract
Definitive causes of sensorineural deafness can now be found in many children. Most cases are due to cochlear dysfunction.
Key Points
- It is now possible to find the cause of sensorineural deafness in many children.
- History, examination, family hearing studies and interview enable the exclusion, or establishment, of autosomal dominant and syndromic deafness.
- High resolution CT scanning, MRI, ECG and laboratory tests (blood and genetic screening) may determine environmental, nonsyndromic autosomal recessive and mitochondrial causes of deafness.
- A very small group of deaf children will have a nonobvious environmental determinant.
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