Genes of Hearing Loss
Three out of 100 babies are born with hearing loss, which is a common birth defect. The defective genes passed on from parents to children play an important role in the development of the condition. However, scientists are also looking into possibilities of defective genes in the elderly with hearing loss. The data seem to indicate that some people are prone to hearing loss than others.
What we understand is that hearing impairment can occur as a result of acoustic trauma, head/neck injury, medications, diseases like Meniere’s disease, and tumor growths. What is not yet understood is how the genes actively play in the existence of the condition.
There is some possibility that a parent with hearing loss may pass on the genes that may cause their offspring to develop hearing loss in the future too. But the possibility that a deaf parent will give birth to a deaf child is a matter of speculation. For instance, if the mother is susceptible to ototoxicity, does this mean that her children will suffer from ototoxicity-induced hearing impairment as well? On the other hand, genetic mutations can lead to congenital defects, such as hearing impairment in both ears. However, congenital defects are quite rare, and children born with ear abnormalities are likely to have other abnormalities as well like visual impairment or mental retardation.
