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Hearing disorders in children with fetal alcohol syndrome: findings from case reports
1Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI.
Insights
Hearing problems are common in children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Many experience recurrent ear infections and some have sensorineural hearing loss, impacting development.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Pediatrics
- Genetics
Background:
- Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a leading cause of preventable birth defects.
- Hearing disorders are not widely recognized as a characteristic of FAS.
- Previous studies have confirmed visual, health, and speech/language issues in FAS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate audiologic status in children with FAS.
- To identify the prevalence of hearing disorders in this population.
- To explore potential etiologic factors for hearing impairments in FAS.
Main Methods:
- Standard audiologic evaluations were performed on 14 children with FAS.
- Case histories were reviewed for childhood hearing disorders and otitis media.
- Etiologic factors for hearing loss and ear infections were discussed.
Main Results:
- 13 of 14 children (93%) had histories of recurrent bilateral otitis media.
- 4 children (29%) had bilateral sensorineural hearing loss in addition to otitis media.
- Interventions included ventilation tubes and sound amplification.
Conclusions:
- Hearing disorders, including otitis media and sensorineural loss, appear to be a significant characteristic of FAS.
- These hearing issues may contribute to speech, language, and learning difficulties in children with FAS.
- Further research into alcohol ototoxicity and embryonic malformations is warranted.
Abstract:
Fourteen children with the fetal alcohol syndrome were evaluated by standard audiologic procedures. Thirteen of the 14 children had childhood histories of hearing disorders. All 13 of these children (93%) had clinically significant histories of bilateral recurrent serous otitis media (ie, they were otitis prone), and at least four children (29%) had bilateral sensorineural hearing losses in addition to being otitis prone. Many of the children with recurrent serous otitis media required repeated myringotomies with placement of ventilation tubes, and those with sensorineural hearing losses required sound amplification during childhood. Recurrent respiratory infections (secondary to immune deficiencies) and eustachian tube dysfunction (secondary to embryonic malformations of the first and second branchial arches) are discussed as possible etiologic factors in the presence of the recurrent serous otitis media. An alcohol-induced neuroectoderm syndrome and alcohol ototoxicity are discussed as possible etiologic factors in the occurrence of sensorineural hearing loss. The findings suggest that hearing disorders are a heretofore unrecognized characteristic of the fetal alcohol syndrome. Such hearing disorders may contribute to the speech and language and learning difficulties seen in children with fetal alcohol syndrome. The present study also provided confirmatory evidence of visual, health, and speech and language disorders in children with this syndrome.