Skip to main content Text Size: sML  Pendred Syndrome   On this
page:  What is Pendred syndrome?  Pendred syndrome is a genetic
disorder that causes early hearing loss in children. It also can
affect the thyroid gland and sometimes creates problems with
balance. The syndrome is named after Vaughan Pendred, the
physician who first described people with the disorder.
Children who are born with Pendred syndrome may begin to lose
their hearing at birth or by the time they are three years old.
Usually, their hearing will worsen over time. The loss of
hearing often happens suddenly, although some individuals will
later regain some hearing. Eventually, some children with
Pendred syndrome become totally deaf.  Almost all children with
Pendred syndrome have bilateral hearing loss, which means
hearing loss in both ears, although one ear may have more
hearing loss than the other.  Childhood hearing loss has many
causes. Researchers believe that in the United States 50 to 60
percent of cases are due to genetic causes, a