Most Common Hearing Problems in Down syndrome

Conductive hearing impairment (CHL) is seen in over 70% of children with Down syndrome, often caused by glue ear (60%) or by a simple plug of wax in the ear canal (65%). For most children glue ear is a self-limiting problem that they tend to grow out of as the ear develops. In children with Down syndrome however, the condition is much more persistent because of the structure of the ear.

Sensori-neural Hearing Loss (SNHL) About 10-15 % of children with Down syndrome have sensori-neural deafness.  A small number of children with Down syndrome are born with this type of deafness and some develop sensori-neural deafness as they get older, particularly in adolescence and into adult life.

Mixed Hearing Loss (MHL) is also seen more frequently in children with Down syndrome.