Hearing level in children with Down syndrome at the age of eight.
One in three young learners with Down syndrome has measurable hearing loss—routine audiological monitoring is non-negotiable.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Doctors tested the hearing of every young learners with Down syndrome in one part of Norway.
They used standard beep tests and ear exams in a quiet clinic room.
The goal was simple: count how many kids had hearing loss and what kind it was.
What they found
One in three children had hearing loss louder than a soft whisper (25 dB).
Some kids had fluid problems in the middle ear. Others had nerve damage deep inside.
Boys and girls were affected almost equally.
How this fits with other research
Koritsas et al. (2009) followed adults with Down syndrome and saw stable life skills. Their work shows why catching hearing loss early matters—kids who can’t hear fall behind faster.
Sasson et al. (2022) proved you can still screen for autism in deaf adults with ID if you tweak the tools. Their paper pairs with Erna’s: once you know a child has hearing loss, you can adjust later assessments instead of missing diagnoses.
Gallagher et al. (2003) found autism looks the same in deaf and hearing children. Together these studies warn us: never blame hearing loss for “autistic-looking” behaviors until you rule out real deafness first.
Why it matters
Add a quick audiogram to every Down-syndrome annual review. If the child fails, refer the same day. Better hearing means clearer instructions, faster skill gains, and fewer behaviors rooted in frustration.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study examines the prevalence of hearing loss in children with Down syndrome at the age of 8. All children were examined in the ENT-departments of public hospitals in Norway and the study population consisted of children born in Norway in 2002 with Down syndrome. Hearing loss was defined as pure-tone air-conduction reduction by on average more than 25 dB HL in the best hearing ear. A cross sectional clinical and audiological population based study was chosen as study design. Hearing loss more than 25 dB HL in the best hearing ear was found in 17/49 children (35%). Mild hearing loss was found in 13 children (26%), moderate in 3 (6%) children and severe hearing loss in 1 child (2%). Conductive hearing loss was found in 8 children (16%), 9 children (18%) had a sensory-neural hearing loss, and mixed hearing loss was found in 3 children. Mean hearing level among boys and girls were 30.0 dB HL (SD 15.7) and 25.5 dB HL (SD13.7) respectively, a non-significant difference (p=0.139). In conclusion this study indicates that both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, is still common in children with Down syndrome children at the age of eight and as much as two thirds of the children may have a bilateral impairment. The study population was under diagnosed in terms of hearing loss and thus our findings underline the importance of continuous audiological follow up of this group of children throughout childhood.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2013 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2013.04.006