German measles is one type of virus known to cause damage to the hair cells of the inner ear. We inherit hair color and eye color from parents. Your particular hair color may go back to a grandparent. In a similar way, some children or adults may inherit a hearing loss because their father, mother, or other close relative may have a hearing loss. It is harder to identify a hearing loss as an inherited loss when there is no record of previous hearing loss in a family and when no living relative, young or old, has hearing loss.
Serious illness can cause damage to the delicate parts of the inner ear.
Mumps and meningitis, for example, are illnesses that may cause permanent hearing loss. At times doctors need to make difficult decisions in order to save a sick person's life. Some life-saving drugs can cause permanent damage to ears. Doctors only choose to use this kind of medicine if someone is very ill. Accidents to the head can also damage the ear.