title: An epidemiological study on children with syndromic hearing loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the epidemiological factors in children with syndromic hearing loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interview based prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Govt. ENT Hospital, AYJNIHH, NIMH-SEC, and Schools for the Deaf-in Hyderabad and SecunderabadPatients: Children aged below 14 years, with hearing loss, their parents/guardians.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study revealed type and degree of hearing impairment. In high risk groups genetic counseling was offered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Epidemiological studies were carried out in 743 children below 14 years with hearing impairment and 138 (18.57%) were found to have syndromic deafness. Majority of the children with hearing loss have an association of ocular abnormality (22.46%, n=31) followed by skeletal anomalies 14.49% (n=20) and dental anomalies (10.86%). We observed 24 cases (3.21%) with genetically well recognized syndromes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data is generated on epidemiological and etiology of Hearing Impairment. Hearing Impairment is due to both environmental and genetic causes. Environmental factors in 17 (13.77%), genetically inherited 21 cases (15.22%) and the cause is not known in the remaining cases. Such a data is required in order to offer genetic counseling to reduce the genetic burden.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Osmania Medical College, Begumpet Hyderabad - 500 016, Andhra Pradesh.
authors.forename: M V V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: V V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Sathyanarayana
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sailakshmi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hemabindu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Usha Ran
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Reddy
keywords: Consanguinity; Epidemiology; Syndrome