Premature babies are often more prone to infections. if you are deaf, or if deafness runs in your family, genetic information may be helpful to: Try to identify the cause of your deafness; Find out the chances of having a child who is deaf;. deafness can be an inherited condition that is present when a baby is born. Inherited deafness can also develop over time during childhood or adulthood. mutism is typically understood as a person's inability to speak, and commonly observed by their family members, caregivers, teachers, doctors or…