All children identified with permanent hearing loss should receive the following specialty care evaluations:

• Otolaryngology (ENT) Evaluation

  • The ENT physician should have expertise in childhood hearing loss.  The ENT physician is responsible for investigating the etiology of hearing loss and for determining whether medical or surgical intervention may be an appropriate option.  In addition, the ENT physician provides information about and participates in the assessment of the options for amplification, assistive listening devices, and cochlear implantation.  The ENT physician should participate in the long-term monitoring of the child’s hearing in partnership with the primary care team.

• Ophthalmologic Examination

  • Children with hearing loss often have vision problems.  The role of the ophthalmologist is to assess for the presence of syndromic visual loss associated with hearing loss, such as in Usher’s syndrome.  Evaluation for more common types of visual impairment, including refractive error,  is essential for children who will likely be strong visual learners.

• Genetic Evaluation and Counseling

  • Half of all hearing loss is genetic.  The purpose of the evaluation performed by a clinical geneticist is to determine the cause of hearing loss, identify other medical issues that are associated with hearing loss, and develop long-term medical management plans based on associated conditions.