Question
An infant was diagnosed with congenital hearing loss at birth, but both parents have normal hearing. Why is this the case?
Answer
Congenital hearing loss refers to a condition that occurs during the mother’s pregnancy and manifests as hearing loss at birth. Acquired hearing loss, on the other hand, is hearing loss that occurs after birth due to various reasons. The types and causes of hearing loss are diverse, including genetic hearing loss, infectious hearing loss, drug-induced hearing loss, traumatic hearing loss, and more. Hearing loss can occur in any part of the conductive pathway (conductive hearing loss), inner ear (sensorineural hearing loss), or both (mixed hearing loss). It is recommended to undergo professional diagnosis and receive targeted treatment based on the specific cause.