ABSTRACT
Hearing impairment is a common disorder in humans affecting individuals of all ages. For the 1 in 1000 children born with moderate to profound hearing impairment, particularly in families in which there is no previous history of deafness, the diagnosis has a major impact on that family. Concerns arise about communication with and the education of the child, as well as their development in a hearing world. Although hearing impairment later in life may not have such dramatic consequences it will nevertheless still have a major impact on that individual’s life. Technologies such as cochlear implants and hearing aids are constantly improving, as are methods for communication, making it easier for deaf people to integrate into a hearing society. The last few years have also seen rapid advances in our understanding of the genetic causes of deafness in children. With these advances come prospects of improved genetic testing and counseling and ultimately the potential of therapies to prevent or cure deafness.
