Advances in the Understanding of the Genetic Causes of Hearing Loss in Children Inform a Rational Approach to Evaluation.

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Abstract

Hearing loss represents the most common sensory disability of children. Remarkable advances in the identification of genes underlying nonsyndromic and syndromic hearing loss in just the last 2 decades have led to the ability to determine the specific genetic cause of hearing loss in many children. Surprisingly one gene, GJB2, encoding the protein connexin-26, accounts for about 20 % of sensorineural hearing loss (including in India) and is considered the first tier test in evaluating an infant with unexplained congenital hearing loss. Using the knowledge of the etiology of hearing loss, the authors propose a diagnostic reasoning process for the assessment of a child in the pediatric setting. Second tier testing consists of the multiple gene panels using whole exome sequencing strategies, and is becoming available in some regions of the world including the US. Referral to medical genetics is always a consideration in a child with no explanation for the hearing loss and in families with questions about recurrence risk.