Hearing loss falls into two causal categories: nongenetic and genetic (Andrews et al., 2004). The most common nongenetic causes are infections, Rh incompatibility, ototoxic drugs, prematurity, and noise-induced hearing loss, although noise-induced hearing losses are rarely found in children. The table below lists some of the characteristics of common nongenetic causes of hearing loss.
| Etiology | Insult | Possible Outcomes |
| Rubella | Eye, ear, brain, heart | Deaf-blindness, learning disabilities, idiosyncratic effect on residual hearing, impulsivity, distractibility |
| Meningitis | Ear, brain | Severe hearing loss, possible aphasia, distractibility, possible effect on vestibular system |
| Congenital toxoplasmosis | Eye, ear, brain | Eye scarring, microcephaly, seizures, stable or progressive hearing loss, motor and cognitive delays |
| Erythroblastosis fetalis | Ear, brain | Hearing loss, seizures, cerebral palsy, possible language problems |
| Ototoxic drugs | Ear, brain | Fetal alcohol syndrome; conductive or sensorineural hearing loss; mental retardation; learning, behavioral, and emotional difficulties |
| Prematurity | Eye, ear, brain | Vision impairments, hearing loss, cognitive and motor delays |
| Cytomegalovirus | Ear, eye brain | Hearing loss, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, motor difficulties, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, emotional problems |
| HIV | Ear, brain | Hearing loss, developmental delays |
Excerpted From:
Excerpt from Early Childhood Special Education - 0 to 8 Years: Strategies for Positive Outcomes, by S.A. Raver, 2009 edition, p. 283.
© ______ 2009, Merrill, an imprint of Pearson Education Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The reproduction, duplication, or distribution of this material by any means including but not limited to email and blogs is strictly prohibited without the explicit permission of the publisher.
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