by BabyCenter Guest Blogger posted in Parenting

As unfortunate and sad as it is, babies are sometimes born deaf. According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders , about 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears. This article explains different causes of deafness and hearing loss in newborns.
Genetics
Genetics are responsible for more than half of babies born without the ability to hear. Autosomal Dominant, Autosomal Recessive and X-Linked are three types of generic hearing loss babies can inherit.

Autosomal Dominant hearing loss is when one parent carries an abnormal gene while the gene from the other parent is normal. The one abnormal gene alone can be responsible for hearing loss. While this type may be more rare, it is still responsible for about 15 percent of babies with hearing loss. Autosomal Recessive hearing loss is when both parents carry the recessive gene and therefore pass it onto the baby. The parents are not always aware that they carry these genes and can be shocked when they find out their baby is deaf. This inheritance is responsible for 70 percent of babies with hearing loss.
X-Linked inheritance occurs when the abnormal gene is lying on the X chromosome. Although girls have 2 X chromosomes while boys only have 1, boys are more likely to get the effects of this particular inheritance. This is the most rare form of the 3.
Non-Genetic Facto...