Diagnosed, Yet Cause is Unknown

An audiologist, in most cases, can evaluate and diagnose the hearing loss, and also recommend a course of treatment for your child. Most often though, once hearing loss or deafness is diagnosed, the child will likely be referred to an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) doctor or Otolaryngologist (another name for ENT) for further assessment and to determine the reason for the hearing loss or deafness. Your child might also be referred to an Otologist, a doctor who particularly specialized in the ear. The ENT and/or Otologist may ask detailed information about family history, prenatal and/or birth history, recommend lab work, imaging studies, genetic testing, and/or other tests to find the reasons for the hearing loss/deafness. If you would like to discover more information about the cause of your child’s hearing status, you could request an additional referral to a genetic counselor.