An analysis of 45 children attending Niv School for Deaf Children in Beersheva showed the preponderance of hereditary deafness as the cause of sensorineural deafness in this region. Seventy-three per cent of the cases were considered to be familial. An extremely high incidence was observed among children of Moroccan origin, accounting for 82 per cent of the cases of familial deafness and 58 per cent in the nonfamilial group. More than a third of the children were found to have additional congenital defects. It is concluded that a detailed clinical examination and family history are of prime importance in the evaluation of deaf children.