Pediatric Sensorineural Hearing Loss Quiz

Congenital Sensorineural Hearing Loss in the USA

• The prevalence of congenital sensorineural hearing loss in the USA is 1-3 per 1,000 births.

Acquired Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Children

• The most common cause of acquired sensorineural hearing loss in children is meningitis.
• Sensorineural hearing loss can have a detrimental effect on speech and language development, leading to delayed or impaired speech and language skills.

Critical Period for Intervention

• The critical period for identifying hearing loss and intervening properly is zero to three years of age.
• Intervention within this period is essential to prevent detrimental effects on speech and language development.

Causes of Acquired Sensorineural Hearing Loss

• Meningitis is considered the commonest cause of acquired sensorineural hearing loss in children.
• Head trauma can lead to acquired sensorineural hearing loss in children.
• Ototoxicity, a detrimental effect of certain medications, can contribute to acquired sensorineural hearing loss in children.
• Aminoglycosides and cisplatin are categories of drugs that can cause ototoxicity.

Congenital Hearing Loss in Neonates

• The prevalence of congenital hearing loss in neonates with risk factors is 2-4%.

Importance of Early Identification

• It is essential to identify hearing loss very early in life, ideally by six months of age, and intervene properly to prevent long-term detrimental effects on speech and language development.