A Parent's Guide to Genetics and Hearing Loss

What to know

This resource aims to help answer common questions that families may have about the genetic causes of hearing loss.

Image of the front cover of A Parent's Guide to Genetics and Hearing Loss

Background

About 1 in 500 infants are born with or develop hearing loss during early childhood. Screening for hearing loss is considered standard care in the United States and in 2021, approximately 98% of children were screened, usually before leaving the hospital. Hearing loss has many causes, including genetic causes (that is, caused by the instructions in the baby's cells) and non-genetic causes (such as certain infections the mother has during pregnancy or infections affecting the newborn baby). A combination of genetic and non-genetic factors also can lead to hearing loss. In general, 4 out of 5 babies (80%) with hearing loss have a genetic cause for their hearing loss, while the rest will have non-genetic cause or a combination of factors.

Also available to download ‎

English: A Parents' Guide to Genetics and Hearing Loss: A guide about genetics for families

Spanish: Guía para padres sobre la genética y la pérdida auditiva

Table of contents

Doctor checking on boys hearing comic style
About the Types of Hearing Loss
There are several causes and types of hearing loss and ways hearing loss is identified.
Graphic representation of a cell with a nucleus. There is a close up of a chromosome from the nucleus. There is a closeup of the DNA of the chromosome with the nucleotides labelled.
About Genetics and Hearing Loss
Genes influence a child's risk for having hearing loss in many ways. 
Graphic representation of DNA.
Genetic Testing
Genetic testing for hearing loss has benefits, limits, and risks. 
A young boy getting ear exam
Intervention Options
Many intervention options can be considered for your child with hearing loss.
More information icon with blue background
Where Can I Find More Information?
There are lots of other resources for parents with children with hearing loss. 
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Content Source:
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities