1. Inner ear disorders Causes: Prenatal, Perinatal and Postnatal Causes: Prenatal, Perinatal and Postnatal Prenatal: Occurs during the development of the cochlea Prenatal: Occurs during the development of the cochlea Perinatal: Occurs during the process of birth Perinatal: Occurs during the process of birth Postnatal: Occurs after birth Postnatal: Occurs after birth

2. Prenatal causes Syndromes Syndromes Rh incompatibility Rh incompatibility Drugs Drugs Viral infections (rubella, AIDS) Viral infections (rubella, AIDS)

3. Perinatal causes Anoxia Anoxia Toxicity in mother’s bloodstream Toxicity in mother’s bloodstream Prematurity Prematurity Trauma Trauma

4. Postnatal causes Complications of otitis media Complications of otitis media Meningitis/ Encephalitis Meningitis/ Encephalitis Viral infections (mumps, measles, chicken pox) Viral infections (mumps, measles, chicken pox) Syphilis Syphilis High fevers High fevers Kidney disease, diabetes Kidney disease, diabetes

5. Other causes Ototoxicity (neomycin, kanamycin, aspirin, furesemide, nicotine, alcohol) Ototoxicity (neomycin, kanamycin, aspirin, furesemide, nicotine, alcohol) Vestibulotoxicity (Streptomycin, gentamycin) Vestibulotoxicity (Streptomycin, gentamycin) Otosclerosis Otosclerosis Barotrauma Barotrauma Noise induced hearing loss Noise induced hearing loss Surgical complications/Trauma Surgical complications/Trauma Sudden/fluctuating hearing loss Sudden/fluctuating hearing loss Meniere’s disease Meniere’s disease Presbycusis Presbycusis

6. Images courtesy of Gerhardt, K. Work on fetal sheep