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CAUSES OF HEARING LOSS
This month a variety of informative and educational programming Find out more.
Sound TipsTM
American Abilities TM
Stories from the War Zone takes you to the battlegrounds with American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan only on American Abilities TV with Richard J. McCollough.
Careers in the CIA & NSA
Causes and Prevention
Causes of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss happens for many reasons. Some people lose their hearing slowly as they age. This condition is called presbycusis. Doctors do not know why presbycusis happens, but it seems to run in families.
Another cause is the ear infection otitis media, which can lead to long-term hearing loss if it is not treated.
Hearing loss can also result from taking certain medications. "Ototoxic" medications damage the inner ear, sometimes permanently. Some antibiotics are ototoxic. Even aspirin at some dosages can cause problems, but they are temporary. Check with your doctor if you notice a problem while taking a medication.
Heredity can cause hearing loss, but not all inherited forms of hearing loss take place at birth. Some forms can show up later in life. In otosclerosis, which is thought to be a hereditary disease, an abnormal growth of bone prevents structures within the ear from working properly. A severe blow to the head also can cause hearing loss.
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Classic
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. Global prevalence of autism has increased twenty- to thirty-fold since the earliest studies 40--50 years ago. Just-published CDC data shows an estimated prevalence of 1 in 68 children affected by an autism spectrum disorder.
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