Etiological Factors and Audiological Evaluation of Children with Congenital Unilateral Hearing Loss

Objectives: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the audiological, radiological, and etiological in terms of clinical findings relating to babies and children with congenital unilateral hearing loss. Materials and Methods: Audiometric tests, tympanometric and acoustic reflex measurements, otoacoustic emission tests, and auditory brainstem response assessments were conducted. Twenty-nine babies and children (13 F ;16 M) diagnosed with congenital unilateral hearing loss, between the ages of 3–87 months, were included in this study. Results: Of these patients, 65.5% (n:19) were diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss and 34.5% (n:10) with conductive hearing loss. Of the subjects with sensorineural hearing loss, 57.9% were diagnosed with profound hearing loss. Of the subjects with conductive hearing loss, 7 of the 10 (70%) had been diagnosed with microtia. Of the patients with conductive hearing loss, all those who had received CT scans were diagnosed with ossicular chain malformations. The most frequent risk factor for sensorineural hearing loss is intermarriage (26.3%), whereas the most frequent risk factor for conductive hearing loss is craniofacial anomalies (30%). Conclusion: The interdisciplinary work in otology, audiology, and radiology is essential for early diagnosis and effective treatment of congenital unilateral hearing loss cases.