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Updated: May 2, 2026
Neuro-rehabilitation Approach for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Published on: January 25, 2016
Hearing loss in the shaken baby syndrome
Musaed Alzahrani1, Justine Ratelle2, Oren Cavel1
1Division of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Insights
Hearing loss may be a consequence of shaken baby syndrome. This study recommends audiological evaluations for infants diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome to detect potential hearing impairments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Audiology
- Child Abuse and Neglect
Background:
- Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a severe form of abusive head trauma in infants.
- The neurological and physical consequences of SBS are well-documented, but hearing deficits are less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and type of hearing loss in children diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome.
- To establish baseline audiological data for this vulnerable population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study at a pediatric tertiary care center (2006-2012).
- Hearing evaluations included conventional audiometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs).
Main Results:
- Twenty-eight children with SBS were evaluated.
- One child presented with moderate sensorineural hearing loss.
- Most children had normal tympanic membrane mobility, but some showed abnormalities like negative pressure.
Conclusions:
- This study suggests a potential link between shaken baby syndrome and hearing loss.
- Further research with larger cohorts is needed to confirm these findings.
- Routine hearing evaluations are recommended for all children diagnosed with SBS to identify and manage hearing impairments early.
Objectives:
To evaluate hearing in children diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome.
Methods:
A retrospective study conducted in a pediatric tertiary care center between 2006 and 2012. Children diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome were included for hearing evaluation by conventional audiometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions and auditory brainstem responses.
Results:
Twenty-eight children were included (22 boys and 6 girls). The mean age of children at presentation was 8 months (range 1-26 months) and the mean delay before audiometric evaluation was 30 months (range 1-87 months). One child was diagnosed as having a moderate sensorineural hearing loss. The tympanic membrane mobility was normal (type A) for both ears in 22 children, one child had a reduced tympanic mobility in one ear, two children had a negative pressure, one child had a functional trans-tympanic tube and test was not performed in 2 patients.
Conclusion:
This is the first study reporting hearing loss as a possible result of shaken baby syndrome. However, further studies with larger number of children would be preferable. We recommend hearing evaluation for these children to rule out hearing loss.
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