Table of ContentsTypes of Hearing Loss in ChildrenCongenital Hearing LossAcquired Hearing LossHearing is important for children to develop their speech and language skills as they grow. In the past, hearing loss in children was often not detected until around the age of two, when it became clear that they were not yet speaking. Children learn to communicate by copying the sounds they hear. If they have undetected and untreated hearing loss, they may miss much of the speech and language around them. This leads to delayed speech development, social problems and academic difficulties. Hearing loss, to varying degrees, affects two in 100 children under the age of eighteen. Unfortunately, there are very few hearing losses that modern technology cannot remedy. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Types of Hearing Loss in Children Hearing loss in children can be present at birth (congenital) or acquired after birth. The two main types of hearing loss are: Sensorineural hearing loss – This type of hearing loss is related to damage or defect in the inner ear or the neural connection to the brain. Sensorineural hearing loss can be caused by congenital factors or occur after birth. Conductive hearing loss – A reduction in sound sent to the inner ear caused by a problem in the outer or middle ear. Conductive hearing loss is the most common type of hearing loss in children and is usually acquired. In a minority of cases, this type of deafness is congenital. Deafness can also be a mixture of these two types, affecting both the inner ear and the outer/middle ear. Congenital deafnessCongenital deafness means that it was present in an infant. at birth. There are various causes of congenital deafness, although they are not always easy to identify. There are both non-genetic and genetic factors that can cause hearing loss. Non-genetic factors that can cause congenital hearing loss include: Birth complications, including the presence of herpes, rubella cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis or other serious infection, lack of oxygen or the need for a blood transfusion for any reason. Premature birth. Babies who have a birth weight less than 3 pounds or who require certain life-sustaining medications to breathe due to prematurity are at risk of hearing loss. A disorder of the nervous system or brain. Maternal use of ototoxic medications during pregnancy. Ototoxic medications are generally not illicit substances: medications like various antibiotics and NSAIDs can potentially cause damage to the auditory nerve or other hearing structures of the fetus. The mother had an infection during pregnancy, including toxoplasmosis, cytomegolavirus, herpes simplex, or German measles. .Maternal diabetes.Maternal drug or alcohol abuse or smoking during pregnancy.Acquired deafnessChildren can also be affected by acquired deafness, that is, it occurs after birth. There are various causes of acquired hearing loss, including: A perforation of the eardrum. Otosclerosis or Ménière's disease, which are progressive. Infections such as meningitis, measles, mumps or whooping cough. Taking ototoxic medications. Serious head trauma. Exposure to loud noise,