Hearing Deficit in Children with Congenital Hypothyroidism

Primary congenital hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disease & remains the leading cause of preventable mental impairment worldwide. Children with congenital hypothyroidism can develop hearing problems as part of extrathyroidal comorbidities of congenital hypothyroidism. Thyroid hormones are crucial for auditory pathways development and maturation. However, the incidence of hearing loss is still uncertain, and it could affect about 20% of patients with congenital hypothyroidism. This study aimed to assess prevalence and type of hearing loss in children with congenital hypothyroidism and its association with presence or absence of thyroid gland. Therefore, this cross-sectional study was conducted on patients diagnosed tohave congenital hypothyroidism (primary). All patients were followed up at the department of pediatric endocrinology of the Children Welfare Teaching Hospital – Medical city / Baghdad. The study included 67 children aged one week to 16 years. Hearing acuity was assessed in all congenital hypothyroid patientsusing methods based on the age of the child. Findings revealed that congenital hypothyroidism was more frequent in children at age 1-5 years Female to male ratio was 1.09 to one. Hearing impairment found infive (7.5%) patients of sensorineural type & in the frequency ranges of moderate, severe & profound. The association of hearing deficit & thyroid agenesis was not significant. In conclusion, Children with congenital hypothyroidism have to be carefully followed and their hearing acuity should be monitored and evaluated regularly.