Genetic testing and genetic counseling for deafness: The future is here

Today, genetic testing is an option for individuals who have deafness and h ard-of-hearing conditions (D/ HOH) and their families for diagnosis and car rier detection. As more and more D/HOH genes are identified, genetic testin g mill become commonplace. However, genetic testing is different from other tests that physicians commonly order and therefore should be conducted dif ferently. The objective of this study was to determine the best manner in w hich to conduct genetic testing for individuals who have D/HOH. Numerous st udies have shown that pretest and posttest genetic counseling is beneficial for patients and families undergoing genetic testing for a variety of cond itions. The need for counseling was emphasized by our recently completed st udy in which we found that the majority of individuals whose children had g enetic testing for D/HOH had a poor understanding of many genetic issues co ncerning recurrence risks for D/HOH and the meaning of the test results. Th e think that genetic counseling should be an integral part of genetic testi ng for individuals who have D/HOH.