Abstract
Cerebral palsy may be caused by birth asphyxia or neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, and is classified by the degree of paralysis and the parts affected by the paralysis. The spasticity type is often associated with hearing loss. Before the introduction of ABR, the hearing loss in cases of cerebral palsy was considered to be central (in the brain) in origin. In newborn infants, the blood-labyrinth barrier is immature. The high bilirubin levels are thus easily transferred to the inner ear, damaging the cochlea. The hypoxia caused by asphyxia can also damage the cochlea.
There are few reports about the hearing ability in cerebral palsy patients in adulthood. We encountered some such cases with hearing loss. All of the patients had sensorineural hearing loss, although the degree of hearing loss varied. Even in cases with moderate hearing loss, the hearing loss was often not noticed until adulthood. In some cases, the hearing improved with hearing aids, which brought much satisfaction. Although there are many cases of patients with cerebral palsy that have never consulted an otolaryngologist, evaluation and treatment of hearing loss are very important in these patients.
