Genetics - Various genes can cause deafness. People with genetic deafness can have hearing parents and/or hearing children.

Illness - For example, meningitis or mumps.

Maternal illness - If a woman catches certain diseases, such as rubella (German Measles) while pregnant, her child could be born deaf or if the baby is born premature.

Trauma - Including physical accidents as well as overexposure to loud noise.

Age - Many older people have some degree of hearing loss, this is called presbyacusis, and it is the most common of hearing loss.

Drugs – Certain drugs such as aspirin, codeine or antibiotics can cause hearing loss in some people.

Different degrees of hearing loss

The levels of hearing loss are assessed by Audiologists and they produce an Audiogram. The purpose of the audiogram is to illustrate the degree of hearing loss you have across a decibel* range, and enable the audiologist to recommend a particular type of hearing aid best suiting your hearing loss, or an alternative option which you would then consider and discuss.

*Decibels are the unit used for measuring the range of sounds heard.