Hearing loss can run in families, though you won’t always be as susceptible as your relatives. At New River Valley Hearing & Balance, audiologist and licensed hearing aid specialist Joanne F. Dillon, M.S., CCC-A, FAAA, can evaluate your hearing within the context of your family history at our Radford and Floyd offices. If hearing loss is a known condition in your family, early testing and protective habits can help you preserve your hearing and address changes sooner.
Which Hearing Loss Comes From Genetic Changes?
Hearing loss comes from genetic changes when a gene that affects how the ear develops or functions is altered. Most genetic hearing loss is sensorineural, meaning it involves the hair cells of the inner ear or the auditory nerve. It may be present at birth or develop later in life.
Genetic hearing loss is generally divided into two categories. Nonsyndromic hearing loss accounts for about 70% of genetic cases and occurs without other medical symptoms. Syndromic hearing loss makes up the remaining 30% and occurs alongside other health conditions, such as Usher, Pendred, and Waardenburg syndromes.
How Do Parents Pass Genetic Hearing Loss to Their Children?
Parents pass genetic hearing loss to their children through one of several inheritance patterns, and the specific gene involved determines the odds. Depending on the pattern, a child’s chance may range from no risk to 50% or higher, and in many cases, parents with normal hearing can still have a child with genetic hearing loss.
The main inheritance patterns include:
- Autosomal dominant: Only one changed gene from one parent is needed, giving each child a 50% chance of inheriting the condition.
- Autosomal recessive: Both parents carry one changed gene without having hearing loss themselves, giving each child a 25% chance of inheriting the condition.
- X-linked: The changed gene is on the X chromosome, so males are more likely to be affected, while females are often carriers.
- Mitochondrial: The condition is passed only by the mother and can affect all of her children.
Autosomal recessive inheritance accounts for about 80% of nonsyndromic genetic hearing loss, which explains why most infants with hearing loss are born to parents with normal hearing. Even within the same family, severity and age of onset can vary from one person to another.
When Do Symptoms of Hereditary Hearing Loss First Appear?
Symptoms of hereditary hearing loss may first appear at birth, during childhood, or later in adulthood. Some forms are congenital and identified through newborn hearing screening, while others are progressive and develop gradually over years or decades.
Congenital hearing loss affects up to three in every 1,000 babies, and inherited genetic factors contribute to about 60% of hearing loss in infants. In young children, signs may include not reacting to loud sounds, not turning toward voices, or delays in speech and language development.
Later-onset genetic hearing loss often develops slowly, which can make it easy to overlook. Adults may notice:
- Difficulty following conversations in noisy places
- Asking others to repeat themselves
- Turning up the television or phone volume
- Ringing or buzzing in the ears
Because gradual changes can go unnoticed, family members are often the first to recognize them.
Should You Get a Hearing Test in Radford Before Symptoms Begin?
If hearing loss runs in your family, a baseline hearing test before symptoms begin can be worthwhile, and anyone who notices changes in their hearing should be tested promptly.
Almost all hospitals screen newborns for hearing loss within the first few days of life. Children who pass newborn screening but have a family history of hearing loss may still benefit from monitoring, since some genetic forms develop later.
For adults, a baseline hearing evaluation provides a reference point for tracking changes over time. Joanne Dillon can perform comprehensive hearing tests, discuss your family history, and recommend how often you should return for follow-up testing. When a genetic cause is suspected, she may recommend a referral for genetic counseling or testing. Currently, no genetic test can predict whether a person will develop age-related hearing loss, which makes regular hearing evaluations especially important.
Which Precautions Help if You’re Prone to Hearing Loss?
If you’re prone to hearing loss because of your genes, the most helpful precautions are limiting noise exposure, using hearing protection, reviewing medications with your healthcare providers, managing your overall health, and scheduling regular hearing evaluations.
Because some genes can make the inner ear more vulnerable to damage, avoiding additional strain is especially important. Wearing earplugs or earmuffs around loud equipment, concerts, or firearms and keeping headphone volume at moderate levels can reduce noise exposure. Some medications can affect hearing, so patients should let their healthcare providers know about a family history of hearing loss before starting new prescriptions.
Overall health also plays a role. Conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes may increase the risk of hearing loss, so managing these conditions supports long-term hearing health.
When hearing loss does develop, Joanne Dillon can recommend options such as hearing aids and track changes over time to adjust your care as needed.
Schedule a Hearing Test With Joanne Dillon in Radford or Floyd
If hearing loss runs in your family, a hearing evaluation with Joanne Dillon, M.S., is a sound first step. Your first visit establishes a baseline and helps determine whether treatment or continued monitoring is right for you.
Our Radford and Floyd offices share one number. Call 540-731-4327 or contact New River Valley Hearing & Balance to schedule an appointment.
