Pendred Syndrome Treatment

Pendred syndrome, or Pendred disease, is a disorder that results in hearing loss. Children develop the disease due to a mutation in an inherited gene from their parents. According to the National Center for Biotechnology (NCBI), Pendred accounts for nearly 10 percent of deafness that is hereditary. Treatment requires visiting several specialists, as the disease is incurable. Seeing specialists, especially in children, is important to help your child develop necessary communication skills if hearing loss is substantial.

Pendred Syndrome Gene

• Small child

  The disease is most common in children. The Pendred-carrying gene is known as SLC26A4, or the PDS gene. In order for the syndrome to be active, your child must inherit a gene from both parents. Genetic testing is available to see if you're a carrier of the gene. A family history of hearing loss can also be an indicator for the disease. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, a child who is born with the syndrome can have hearing loss at birth, or develop hearing loss by the time she is three.

Pendred is usually diagnosed before the age of three.

• An otolaryngologist is a specialist who looks at diseases of the nose, ears, throat and head. Such a specialist can examine your child's inner ear to determine the extent of damage and pattern of hearing loss. Pendred syndrome is characterized by an abnormally shaped cochlea (which is responsible for your hearing), and an enlarged vestibular aqueduct. The vestibular aqueduct is a canal that runs from the cochlea to the canals of the inner skull. If these are present, your otolaryngologist can then determine how to treat your child's condition.

Audiologist

• An audiologist is a specialist who can evaluate your child's hearing loss, as well as other associative disorders. The vestibular system, which is responsible for maintaining and controlling balance, is affected in children with Pendred. This can cause a loss of bodily balance. An audiologist can test your child's balancing functions, and if necessary, fit your child with a hearing aid.

Speech Language Pathologist

• A sign language class

  A speech language pathologist can help your child learn how to communicate if he suffers from substantial hearing loss. Sign language and cued speech can be implemented to help your child learn to communicate with others. Sign language uses hand gestures to break communication barriers between the deaf and those who can hear. Cued speech is a form of visual language that uses both mouth movements and hand gestures to convey a way of communicating. Cued speech is often used in conjunction with a cochlear implant.

Cochlear Implant

• A cochlear implant is used in place of a hearing aid when a child's hearing loss is substantial. It cannot restore a child's hearing. Instead, sounds are amplified to help the child become aware of her surroundings. A cochlear implant can help a child to learn to listen for warning signals.