Congenital deafness can be caused by genetic factors, malformations of the ear, maternal drug/alcohol use, infections, or lack of oxygen. Treatment options include cochlear implants and sign language education. Some deaf parents prefer deaf children, but the ethical issue of selecting deaf embryos or refusing treatment is controversial.
Congenital deafness is a lack of hearing present at birth. The term does not imply a particular source of the deafness and the cause is not limited to genetic factors. Treatment for congenital deafness varies depending on the cause of the deafness and the strategy adopted by the deaf child’s parents. Deafness is a complex social issue as well as a physical trait, and both of these issues often play into the treatment of congenital deafness.
Some people who are born deaf are deaf due to a malformation of the ear. For example, Mondini dysplasia is a deformation of the cochlea that can cause congenital deafness. Maternal use of drugs or alcohol, infections of the uterus, or lack of oxygen can also cause deafness in newborns. In these cases, the parents of the deaf child may not have had deaf relatives or may be deaf themselves.
Many children who are born deaf inherit the condition from their parents. There are a variety of conditions that are heritable and cause deafness and hearing loss can be present in one or both parents. Both recessive and dominant genes can cause deafness, and it is possible that the same set of parents can produce both hearing and deaf children.
Treatment for congenital deafness is usually most successful when it starts early in the child’s life. Cochlear implants are one option for treating deafness in infants, but they are not available to people in many parts of the world, nor are they without complications. Congenitally deaf children can also be taught sign language from an early age, which in itself can prepare them for life in a hearing world. Different cultures often have different programs for deaf children, which can include special education and medical programs.
Some deaf parents believe that having children born congenitally deaf is preferable to having hearing children. These parents may believe they are better equipped to raise a deaf child than a hearing one, even though hearing children can also learn sign language. Some families include many generations of deaf members and for these families, raising deaf children may not be considered a medical problem at all. Even so, the question of whether or not parents have the right to select deaf embryos or refuse to seek treatment for their children is a highly contentious ethical issue with valid points on both sides.
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