According to the Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) Program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 33 percent of hearing loss in children comes from a non-genetic cause.
“Some of the major infectious causes of hearing loss are known as ‘TORCH’, which stands for Toxoplasmosis, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes simplex virus,” said Anna McCraney, Au.D., a senior audiologist at Texas Children’s Cy-Fair Health Center and Woodlands Pediatric Associates. “Bacterial meningitis can also cause hearing loss.”
A common myth among many parents is that ear infections will result in permanent hearing loss. “In the United States and other developed countries, ear infections often lead to temporary hearing loss but not usually permanent hearing loss,” explained McCraney. “Each time a child develops an ear infection, it can take three or four months for the fluid to completely dissipate, which means the child’s hearing will likely be impaired during that time. The more time a child spends with impaired hearing, the more likely his or her speech/language development will be effected.”
Time is the key for clearing up most ear infections as 80 percent of them are viral and therefore, will not respond to antibiotics. On average, an ear infection will clear up in about two weeks as with any other viral infection.
Read more about detecting hearing loss in infants and children
