If a parent or grandparent struggles to hear, you may wonder whether the same thing lies ahead for you. Hearing loss can run in families, but sharing genes with a relative doesn’t mean you’ll share their hearing. At The Hearing Place in Calgary’s Northland Centre, Erin (Carter) Davis, M.Sc., R.Aud, Au.D., and Josie Andres, M.Cl.Sc., R.Aud., evaluate hearing with your family history in mind. When hearing loss is common among your relatives, early testing and protective habits help you preserve your hearing and catch changes sooner.
Which Types of Hearing Loss Come From Our Genes?
Hearing loss comes from our genes when changes in those genes affect how the ear develops or functions, and this genetic hearing loss is usually sensorineural. Sensorineural means it involves the hair cells of the inner ear or the auditory nerve. It may be present at birth or develop later in life.
There are two main categories. Nonsyndromic hearing loss accounts for about 70% of genetic cases and occurs without other medical symptoms. Syndromic hearing loss makes up the remaining 30% and occurs alongside other health conditions, such as Usher, Pendred, and Waardenburg syndromes.
Will a Child Inherit Hearing Loss if a Parent Has It?
A child won’t necessarily inherit hearing loss from a parent, because the odds depend on the inheritance pattern of the specific gene involved. Depending on the pattern, a child’s chance may range from no risk to 50% or higher, and in many cases, parents with normal hearing can still have a child with genetic hearing loss.
The main inheritance patterns include:
- Autosomal dominant: Only one changed gene from one parent is needed, giving each child a 50% chance of inheriting the condition.
- Autosomal recessive: Both parents carry one changed gene without having hearing loss themselves, giving each child a 25% chance of inheriting the condition.
- X-linked: The changed gene is on the X chromosome, so males are more likely to be affected, while females are often carriers.
- Mitochondrial: The condition is passed only by the mother and can affect all of her children.
Autosomal recessive inheritance accounts for about 80% of nonsyndromic genetic hearing loss, which explains why most infants with hearing loss are born to parents with normal hearing. Even within the same family, severity and age of onset can vary from one person to another.
Does Genetic Hearing Loss Show Up at Birth or Later in Life?
Genetic hearing loss can show up at birth, during childhood, or well into adulthood. Some forms are congenital and identified through newborn hearing screening, while others are progressive and develop gradually over years or decades.
Congenital hearing loss affects up to three in every 1,000 babies, and inherited genetic factors contribute to about 60% of hearing loss in infants. In young children, signs may include not reacting to loud sounds, not turning toward voices, or delays in speech and language development.
Later-onset genetic hearing loss often develops slowly, which can make it easy to overlook. Adults may notice:
- Difficulty following conversations in noisy places
- Asking others to repeat themselves
- Turning up the television or phone volume
- Ringing or buzzing in the ears
Because gradual changes can go unnoticed, family members are often the first to recognize them.
How Early Should You Have Your Hearing Checked in Calgary?
You should have your hearing checked as soon as you notice changes, and if hearing loss runs in your family, a baseline test and regular evaluations are worthwhile even before symptoms appear.
Almost all hospitals screen newborns for hearing loss within the first few days of life. Children who pass newborn screening but have a family history of hearing loss may still benefit from monitoring, since some genetic forms develop later.
For adults, a baseline hearing evaluation provides a reference point for tracking changes over time. Our audiologists can perform a comprehensive hearing test, talk through your family history, and recommend how often you should return for follow-up testing. When a genetic cause is suspected, Erin Davis or Josie Andres may recommend a referral for genetic counselling or testing. Currently, no genetic test can predict whether a person will develop age-related hearing loss, which makes regular hearing evaluations especially important.
What Daily Habits Help Protect Hearing at Higher Genetic Risk?
The daily habits that help protect hearing at higher genetic risk are limiting noise exposure, wearing hearing protection, reviewing medications with your healthcare providers, managing your overall health, and keeping up with regular hearing evaluations.
Because some genes can make the inner ear more vulnerable to damage, avoiding additional strain is especially important. Wearing earplugs or earmuffs around loud equipment, concerts, or firearms and keeping headphone volume at moderate levels can reduce noise exposure. Some medications can affect hearing, so tell your healthcare providers about a family history of hearing loss before starting new prescriptions.
Overall health also plays a role. Conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes may increase the risk of hearing loss, so managing these conditions supports long-term hearing health.
When hearing loss does develop, our audiologists can recommend options such as hearing aids and track changes over time to adjust your care as needed.
Start With a Baseline Hearing Test at The Hearing Place in Calgary
If hearing loss runs in your family, a hearing evaluation with Erin Davis, Au.D., or Josie Andres, R.Aud., gives you a clear starting point. That first test establishes your baseline and shows whether treatment or continued monitoring is the right next step.
Call 403-454-3669 or contact The Hearing Place to schedule an appointment at our Northland Centre clinic in NW Calgary.