Cape & Islands Hearing Centers Inc. | (508) 247-0060 | http://capecodhearingaids.com

Discover more great content here: http://twitter.com/hearingaidma

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cape-Islands-Hearing-Center/295545913822212 http://www.youtube.com/user/duncanhearing

http://www.pinterest.com/capecodhearing

Can Hearing Loss Ever Be Hereditary?

Is there such a thing as genetic hearing loss? The basic response to this question is “Yes.” Genetic

abnormalities actually cause most forms of hearing loss. Additionally, developmental experts consider

genetic hearing loss to be the most common birth defect in developed countries.

Genetics 101. Our is DNA composed of genes, which act like

little pieces of code that, when set in a specific combination,

cause us to look and function the way we do. Hearing is a

complex body function that is known to involve no less than

100 distinct genes. If any of these genes are altered or absent

from the DNA, hearing loss is frequently the outcome. When an

individual having these irregular gene sequences has a child,

the irregular gene or genes can be passed on to the child too.

Different kinds of genetic hearing loss. Some varieties of genetic hearing loss can visibly affect the outer

ear, while other types just affect hearing in the inner ear. The hearing loss can be sensorineural,

conductive or mixed. Note that, hereditary hearing loss can present itself at birth or later on in life. One of

the most common conditions to affect hearing is Usher syndrome, a condition that is believed to affect

over 50% of deaf-blind individuals according to the National Institutes of Health. Waardenburg syndrome

is another common condition that affects hearing in the inner ear but also causes streaks of white hair,

pale skin, and light or multi-colored eyes.

What’s the good news? Fortunately, hearing loss is not automatically passed from parent to child. Genes

which result in hearing loss are commonly recessive. Provided that the child receives a normal copy of the

gene from one parent, their hearing should be normal. Even if both parents have hearing loss, their child

may still not be affected by hearing loss because different genes may be responsible in each parent.

People concerned with hereditary hearing loss can see a specialist for genetic testing that can help identify

risks.