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Without
newborn screening, children with hearing impairment
usually are not diagnosed until 2 to 3 years of age
. The goal of early screening, diagnosis and treatment
is to help children with hearing impairment develop
language and academic skills equal to those of their
peers.
Hearing impairment can be inherited (genetic) or
nongenetic. Nongenetic causes include illness or
injury occurring before, during or after birth. In
some cases, the cause of hearing impairment is not
known. About 90 percent of babies with congenital
hearing impairment are born to hearing parents.
Genetic factors are believed
to cause 33 percent of cases of hearing impairment
in infants and young children. Scientists believe that
mutations (changes) in as many as 400 genes may contribute
to hearing impairment
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