The association of a hearing deficit with Larsen's syndrome

A retrospective study of 45 cases of Larsen's syndrome reported since 1950 reveals a prevalence of cleft palate in this disease of about 30 per cent. Although cleft palate abnormalities in infancy invariably cause otitis media, which may result in hearing loss, only rarely have hearing deficits been reported in association with Larsen's disease. This paper reports the occurrence of a bilateral conductive hearing loss secondary to otitis media, and possible ossicular abnormality in a five-year-old with cleft palate and Larsen's disease and considers the possibility that this otologic problem may be more prevalent than currently suspected.