Full Recovery of Sensorineural Hearing Loss in a Patient with Congenital Hypothyroidism.

Abstract

Background:  Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is one of the most preventable causes of intellectual disability in the world. Screening programs have led to earlier detection of CH, and children with adequate thyroid supplementation can have minor long-term differences in overall neuropsychological testing compared to baseline.

Purpose:  Despite early identification, up to one-fourth of children born with CH suffer from hearing loss even with early and adequate thyroid hormone supplementation. We present a unique case of an individual born with congenital hypothyroidism found to have sensorineural hearing loss.

Research design:  Case report.

Study sample:  Single subject.

Intervention:  Diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism at 1 week of life and initiation of treatment with levothyroxine.

Data collection and analysis:  Degree of hearing loss was measured with age-appropriate audiological testing at ages 4 weeks, 7 weeks, 3 months, 7 months, 9 months, 11 months, and 12 months.

Results:  The patient was treated early with thyroid hormone supplementation and demonstrated full recovery of hearing by age 12 months.

Conclusions:  Despite the body of literature documenting hearing loss as an ongoing complication of CH, this patient demonstrates a unique case of full hearing recovery with early treatment.