Early Identification Of Hearing Loss And Its Importance

Hi,

I am Riddhi Potdar, Audiologist and speech therapist, Aahan Ent Clinic, Mumbai. Today we will be talking about early identification of hearing loss and its importance. Reduced hearing equity during early childhood interference with speech and Mobil language development especially significantly reduced auditory input in cases severe profound hearing loses, adversely affect the developing auditory nervous system. It can have harmful effects on child overall socials, emotions, cognitive and academic performance. We all should be knowing that the first 4 years of life are regarded as the critical period of speech and language development. In this period, the elasticity and the availability of the brain to learn any new skill is at its best. So, when the problem identified early and the child receives the appropriate amplification devices like hearing aids and cochlear implants, he can take full advantage of this critical period and enjoy normal social development.

Lesser hearing loss often goes unnoticed. However, the child is present with unclear speech, unwillingness to communicate, difficulty in understanding instructions and need to ask for repetitions. These children also show the poor class performance due to adverse class noise in the worse condition. So, this problem must be recognized as early as possible. It is advised that the newborn baby should be screened one month of age by hearing impairment. At 3 months of age, they should be diagnosed with hearing loss. And at 6 months they should be fitted with an appropriate with hearing aids or cochlear implantation. Along with newborn babies, it is also advised that primary school-going children should be screened at regular interval to identify any hearing impairment and management should begin at the earliest. For more information, contact us through Lybrate.

Thank You.