IDIOPATHIC PROGRESSIVE SENSORINEURAL HEARING-LOSS IN CHILDREN

Clinical observations were made of 42 children with bilateral idiopath ic progressive sensorineural hearing loss considering hearing loss dis tribution in relation to age at onset, audiometric features, audiologi c characteristics and possible correlation with some haematochemical a lterations. Patients were divided into 2 groups on the basis of hearin g onset: Group I, 0-6 years; Group II, 7-14 years. A peak in the distr ibution of onset age was observed in the range of 4-6 years. In most c ases a 'descending' curve was recognized accompanied by recruitment. T he haematochemical tests only suggested a possible correlation between hearing loss and anaemia. Finally, no significant difference of incid ence between the sexes was observed.