Sensorineural/mixed hearing loss and hearing aid in children with Down syndrome

Abstract

Hearing loss is a common complication of Down syndrome, along with a variety of other complications. Of 43 ears in 27 children with Down syndrome who had hearing loss, 14 ears in 11 children with sensorineural and mixed hearing loss were examined for the percentage, severity, and cause of sensorineural impairment (sensorineural and mixed hearing loss), as well as cases of hearing aid user and of cochlear malformations.

Although the majority of children with Down syndrome had conductive hearing impairment (70%), there were not a few with sensorineural impairment (33%). Thirty percent of the patients with conductive hearing impairment in Down syndrome had mixed hearing loss. More than half of the patients with sensorineural impairment had cochlear malformations, and it is useful to screen for cochlear malformations by imaging to diagnose the cause of hearing loss in infants and children with developmental delays in whom bone conductometry is not available. Although it is often difficult for children with Down syndrome to wear hearing aids, it is important to promote understanding of hearing aids not only to parents but also to rehabilitation facilities.