Causes of hearing problems in babies and children

There are a number of reasons why a child may have a hearing problem, includingtemporary hearing loss froma common illness such as a cold . Somepossible causes of hearingloss thatmay be detected during routine tests include: glue ear a build-up of fluid in the middle ear, which is common inyoungchildren infections that develop in the womb or at birth, such as rubella or cytomegalovirus , whichcan cause progressive hearing loss inherited conditions, such as otosclerosis , which stop the ears or nerves from working properly damage to the cochlear or auditory nerves (which transmit hearing signals to the brain); this could be caused by a severe head injury , exposure to loud noise or head surgery, for example being starved of oxygen at birth (birth asphyxia) illnesses such as meningitis and encephalitis (which both involve swelling in the brain)