Neonatal- Events occurring within a few weeks of birth.

Nerve Deafness - Older term for sensorineural hearing loss.

Ossicles- 3 bones of the middle ear. Malleus (hammer), Incus (anvil) and Stapes (stirrup)

Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)- Tiny sounds created in the inner ear in response to a stimulus.

Otoplasty- Surgical reconstruction or re-shaping of the pinna (outer ear).

Otosclerosis- A disease in which spongy bone grows around the stapes, limiting movement, and causing progressive, conductive hearing loss.

Ototoxic- Medications which cause damage to the nerve structures of the inner ear.

Paternal- Of or pertaining to the father

Perilymph- The fluid of the inner ear.

Perinatal- The first few hours of life.

Pinna- The outer ear that funnels sound into the ear canal.

Pitch- The perception of frequency (i.e. bass or treble).

Postauricular- Behind the ear.

Prenatal- Events occurring prior to birth.

Profound Hearing Loss- Hearing loss greater than 90 dB.