Does autism cause hearing impairments in patients?

Autism itself does not cause direct hearing impairments in patients. Individuals with autism may exhibit symptoms related to hearing, primarily due to abnormalities in their central nervous system that might affect how sounds are processed and understood, rather than damage to the auditory organs themselves. Specifically, individuals with autism may have communication disorders, including difficulties in language comprehension and expression, which could lead others to mistakenly believe they have hearing problems. Additionally, individuals with autism may display abnormal responses to sound stimuli, such as hypersensitivity or delayed reactions, but these do not necessarily indicate hearing impairments. Therefore, when hearing-related symptoms are observed in individuals with autism, organic factors such as ear canal diseases should first be ruled out, and diagnosis and treatment should be conducted under the guidance of a qualified physician.