Risks Factors
Babies, Infants
-
Hearing loss inherited directly or indirectly from parents.
-
Use of certain medicines that damage hearing.
-
Jaundice, especially where it was not treated.
-
Premature birth and/or low birth weight.
-
Birthing difficulties where the baby may suffer lack of oxygen (hypoxia).
-
Infections in the mother, such as rubella (german measles), syphilis, cytomegalovirus infection and toxoplasmosis during pregnancy can cause damage to the baby’s inner ear.
Children
-
Infections such as mumps, measles and meningitis.
-
Medicines e.g. certain anti-malarial drugs like quinine, antibiotics such as gentamycin, certain anti-cancer medicines.
-
Ear infections commonly presenting with recurrent or persistent ear discharge.
-
Glue ear or fluid that remains in the middle ear after a cold or ear infection.
-
Injuries to the head or ear depending on the location and severity of the injury.
-
Excessive ear was or a foreign body (e.g. beads, insects) in the ear canal.
-
Loud sounds e.g listening to loud music through headphones/earphones, in places such as music shows, exposure to loud explosions or fireworks.
Adults
-
Prolonged noise exposure from working in noisy places e.g. loud machinery use, music industry, working with guns and other weapons.
-
Listening to loud music through headphones, or in places with loud music, or single exposure to a high intensity sound like a blast or an explosion.
-
Medicines that can damage hearing such as certain antibiotics, antimalarials, anticancer medicines and injectables for drug resistant tuberculosis
-
Injury to the head or ears.
-
Untreated, prolonged ear infections.
-
Age-related hearing loss.
-
Ear diseases indicated by recurrent or persistent ear discharge or pain.
-
Health conditions such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes.