This condition is difficult to detect and it affects about a third of all babies with Down syndrome. A baby who has tested positively for Down syndrome should undergo screening by echocardiography immediately and continue to be monitored for some time. Modern surgical procedures can repair many of these conditions. It is caused by a deficiency of the hormone thyroxine. Your child should be screened for this regularly.
Treatment is by prescribed thyroid supplements.
To a large extent, these conditions are remediable. Accumulation of fluid in the middle ear caused by narrow Eustachian tubes is common in children with Down syndrome. Blockage of the tubes prevents drainage of the liquid causing hearing loss. Often this clears spontaneously or may require treatment by antibiotics. In extreme cases, drainage by inserting plastic tubes into the eardrum may be advised.