Relationship of Pathology to Function in Congenital Hearing Loss: II. The Auditory Function in Congenital Hearing Loss

Abstract

The pathological entities are of value to audiologists because the hearing function of each individual represented is known. Such knowledge permits us to make prediction in similar cases as to what can be expected auditorally of other young children. From this information a more rational selection of therapeutic techniques can be made for the child. In the cases of the polytomograms shown previously, standard audiometric tests reveal the amount of hearing present or absent; in the cases of the histo-pathological studies, hearing tests using observations of responses were taken shortly after birth, before the infants expired. Logical extrapolation to other children can be made, and a system of assigning each child to the appropriate habilitation procedure is described. Manual, oral, and auditory approaches – or some combinations of these – must all be considered, in view of the findings reported.

Key Words:

• Maternal rubella hearing loss
• Treacher Collins' syndrome
• Trisomy
• Pendred's syndrome
• Polytomogram