Congenital Hearing Loss
Pronunciation: kon-JEN-it-ul
Hearing loss that is present at or before birth, resulting from genetic factors, prenatal infections, or complications during delivery.
Full Definition
Congenital hearing loss encompasses any degree or type of hearing impairment that is present at birth, whether identified immediately or discovered later. It may be syndromic (associated with other abnormalities, such as in Usher syndrome or Waardenburg syndrome) or non-syndromic. Causes include genetic mutations, maternal infections during pregnancy (e.g., rubella, cytomegalovirus), ototoxic drug exposure in utero, and birth complications such as hypoxia. The distinction between congenital and acquired hearing loss is clinically significant because it affects candidacy for cochlear implantation, rehabilitation approaches, and developmental prognosis. Editors should note that 'congenital' does not necessarily mean 'hereditary'; the two terms are not interchangeable.
Usage
Usage note: Do not use 'congenital' and 'hereditary' interchangeably. Congenital describes timing of onset; hereditary describes aetiology.
In Context
- "The newborn hearing screening programme aims to identify congenital hearing loss within the first month of life." — Public health policy document
- "Children with congenital hearing loss often require earlier and more intensive aural rehabilitation compared with those who lose hearing after speech acquisition." — Clinical review article