What causes congenital deafness in children?

Maharashtra CHO - 2020

Child Health Nursing (Pediatrics)

Medium

Appeared in: Maharashtra CHO - 2020

Explanation

Congenital deafness has multiple causes, including genetic factors, prenatal infections, and perinatal complications.
Genetic factors are the most common, accounting for approximately 50% of all cases of congenital sensorineural hearing loss.
Prenatal infections, such as Rubella (part of the TORCH complex), are a well-known cause, often leading to sensorineural hearing loss as part of Congenital Rubella Syndrome.
Perinatal events, which can be classified as congenital injuries (e.g., birth asphyxia, severe jaundice, trauma), can also damage the auditory system.
Because genetic factors, congenital injury, and rubella are all established causes, the most accurate and comprehensive answer is 'All of the above'.

Option A: This option is incomplete. While genetic factors are the leading cause of congenital deafness, they are not the only cause.
Option B: This option is incomplete. Congenital injury (perinatal factors) is a known cause, but it represents only a fraction of cases.
Option C: This option is incomplete. Maternal rubella infection is a classic cause, but it is not the sole etiology of congenital deafness, and its incidence has greatly decreased with vaccination.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Etiology of Congenital Deafness as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Early identification of hearing loss through universal newborn hearing screening (using Otoacoustic Emissions or Auditory Brainstem Response tests) is critical to prevent significant delays in speech, language, and cognitive development.
Nurses play a vital role in educating expectant mothers about preventive measures, such as ensuring MMR vaccination is up-to-date before conception to prevent Congenital Rubella Syndrome.
What if? If a newborn fails the initial hearing screen, the nurse's immediate priority is to ensure a follow-up diagnostic audiology evaluation is scheduled before 3 months of age, adhering to the '1-3-6' rule of intervention to optimize developmental outcomes.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the question, which asks for the cause(s) of congenital deafness.
Next, evaluate each of the first three options (Genetic, Congenital injury, Rubella) based on your medical knowledge.
Recall that genetic mutations are a major cause of congenital hearing loss.
Recall that events around birth (congenital injury) like lack of oxygen can damage hearing.
Recall that certain maternal infections during pregnancy, like rubella, can lead to deafness in the infant.
Since you have identified that options A, B, and C are all valid causes, the most encompassing and therefore correct option is 'All of the above'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 2 pp. 1793-1795, 1792-1794