Diagnosis of Deafness in Infancy

1987 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 163-166
Author(s):  
Robert J. Ruben

In the past 20 years, the prospects for hearing-impaired infants have improved significantly. It is now possible to diagnose deafness even in neonates and premature infants and to provide care that can prevent or ameliorate some of the most devastating effects of hearing loss. There have been steady advances in surgical and other medical procedures and in habilitation techniques. The value of many forms of therapy, however, depends greatly on how early intervention occurs. Approximately one in 1,000, or 0.1%, of all infants are severely to profoundly deaf; their problems are permanent and pervasive. An estimated four to ten times as many infants suffer from hearing loss that is either unilateral or less than profound. Hearing deficits affect language acquisition and consequently cognitive, social, and emotional growth. Behavioral and biologic evidence points to a critical time for linguistic development. Children normally master the language they hear around them by the age of 4 or 5 years, when they become competent to comprehend and produce all the variations of sentence construction found in adult speech. In this same period, deaf children can be taught sign language. The aptitude and flexibility for language acquisition diminishs with age. Early language deprivation results in permanent impairment. Infants suspected of having hearing loss can be evaluated by means of auditory-evoked potentials, recently developed technology available at audiologic facilities throughout the country.

Author(s):  
Diane Lillo-Martin ◽  
Jonathan Henner

Natural sign languages of deaf communities are acquired on the same time scale as that of spoken languages if children have access to fluent signers providing input from birth. Infants are sensitive to linguistic information provided visually, and early milestones show many parallels. The modality may affect various areas of language acquisition; such effects include the form of signs (sign phonology), the potential advantage presented by visual iconicity, and the use of spatial locations to represent referents, locations, and movement events. Unfortunately, the vast majority of deaf children do not receive accessible linguistic input in infancy, and these children experience language deprivation. Negative effects on language are observed when first-language acquisition is delayed. For those who eventually begin to learn a sign language, earlier input is associated with better language and academic outcomes. Further research is especially needed with a broader diversity of participants. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Linguistics, Volume 7 is January 14, 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.


2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leisha Eiten ◽  
Dawna Lewis

Background: For children with hearing loss, the benefits of FM systems in overcoming deleterious effects of noise, distance, and reverberation have led to recommendations for use beyond classroom settings. It is important that audiologists who recommend and fit these devices understand the rationale and procedures underlying fitting and verification. Objectives: This article reviews previousguidelines for FM verification, addresses technological advances, and introduces verification procedures appropriate for current FM and hearing-aid technology. Methods: Previous guidelines for verification of FM systems are reviewed. Those recommendations that are appropriate for current technology are addressed, as are procedures that are no longer adequate for hearing aids and FM systems utilizing more complex processing than in the past. Technological advances are discussed, and an updated approach to FM verification is proposed. Conclusions: Approaches to verification andfitting of FM systems must keep pace with advances in hearing-aid and FM technology. The transparency approach addressed in this paper is recommended for verification of FM systems coupled to hearing aids.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 797-797
Author(s):  
Nicholas Reed

Abstract Hearing Loss (HL) is common among older adults and is associated with poor health care quality outcomes include 30-day readmissions, length of stay, poorer satisfaction, and increased medical expenditures. These associations may manifest in changes in help-seeking behaviour. In the 2015 Current Medicare Beneficiary Study (MCBS) (n=10848; weighted sample=46.3 million), participants reported whether they knowingly had avoided seeking care in the past year and self-reported HL was measured as degree of trouble (none, a little, or a lot) hearing when using a hearing aid if applicable. In a model adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, and health factors, those with a little trouble (OR= 1.612; 95% CI= 1.334-1.947; P<0.001) and a lot of trouble hearing (OR= 2.011; 95% CI= 1.443-2.801; P<0.001) had 61.2% and 101.1% higher odds of avoiding health care over the past year relative to participants with no trouble hearing. Future work should examine whether hearing care modifies this association.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tengku Zulaila Hasma Tengku Zam Zam ◽  
Ahmad Aidil Arafat Dzulkarnain ◽  
Sarah Rahmat ◽  
Masnira Jusoh

 Introduction: Patient self-perceived handicap inventory is an important tool for modern health care including hearing loss. The HHIA is a self-reporting outcome measurement invented to verify the hearing-impaired patients’ complaint and carry out for appropriate client-centered rehabilitation program. To the author’s knowledge, none of the self-reported questionnaire for hearing loss is available in Malay language, therefore, further research is required. The aim of this study was to translate the English version of HHIA into Bahasa Malaysia and to psychometrically validate the questionnaire. Methods: The questionnaire was initially translated using forward-backward translation techniques by four-panelists (2 panels for each level). The translated questionnaire was then reconciled and harmonized for cultural and content by the researchers and two expert panels before being piloted among 10 hearing impaired patients. At the present stage, psychometric evaluations have been conducted among 30 adults hearing-impaired participants using Cronbach’s α (for internal reliability) and Pearson’s correlation for (inter-item correlation). All participants were recruited from IIUM Hearing and Speech Clinic. Results: Cronbach’s α value was 0.96 for combined items. There were a strong correlation between the total score of the combined items with each of the sub-scale scores (social and emotional) and between each of the sub-scale scores (r=0.92-0.98, ρ<0.01). Conclusions: The preliminary finding suggests the translated version of HHIA has the potential to be a reliable and valid tool to evaluate the hearing handicaps among hearing-impaired patients in Malaysia. A large sample of subjects is needed for further evaluation to support this notion.


2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 11-16
Author(s):  
Amina Asif Siddiqui

The age old understanding that an individual with a hearing loss is incapable of acquiring verbal communication skills was readily accepted in the past, which led to the inadvertent but unfortunate coining of phrases “deaf and dumb” or “deaf and mute, " and the development of non-verbal or manual communication methodolgies of Sign language. Further, this caused the segregation and isolation of otherwise physically and intellectually competent individuals from mainstream society, unjustifiably denying them opportunities of education and vocation. Studies have proved that in the absence of any organic or inorganic complication, a child with a hearing loss may not only score a high Intelligence Quotient but can also acquire more than one language fluently. Early Intervention with appropriate amplification of residual hearing is underscored as the fundamental prerequisite for children with bilateral congenital profound sensorineural hearing loss, for subsequent acquisition of good listening and normal speech-language skills and plausible bilingualism; that further equips them with scholastic achievements comparable to their hearing peers. The past half century has witnessed stupendous technological enhancements in amplification devices manufactured for children having hearing loss, complemented by steady success in fostering their Inclusive Education. This paper highlights the urgent need in Pakistan to address this issue as well as the importance of early detection, diagnosis, and (re)habilitation along with parent training initiated within the first year of life. An otherwise anticipated disabling condition may be overcome completely if neonatal screening, which is not only inexpensive but also easy to perform; is made mandatory at all hospitals and maternity homes, as practiced in the developed world. This shall ease the challenges faced by the families of children having hearing loss; and enable the professionals working with them to successfully alleviate their communicative, social, educational and vocational difficulties, and ensure that they become successfully contributing members of our verbal society.


2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-108
Author(s):  
Mohammad Nasimul Jamal ◽  
Ali Imam Ahsan ◽  
Mohammed Sattar ◽  
Md Abul Hasnat Joarder

Introduction: Deafness is the invisible disability and the commonest human sensory defects.  It leads to difficult speech development, poor educational and employment prospects of  chilhood. Comprehensive otologic and audiological evaluations are very much essential for  etiological assessment of hearing impaired children and management efficacy.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with the aim to evaluate the etiological  factors, degree of hearing loss, type of hearing loss, and results of aided audiogram among  the below 12 years deaf children. The study included 100 deaf children below 12 years with  history of deafness and non-development of speech.Result: The etiology of deaf Children was diverse. Infection was the predominating etiological  factor (38%). The infections were: measles (31.5%), pneumonia (26.2%), typhoid (21.5%),  maternal rubella (5.2%), varicella (5.2%), mumps (5.2%) and meningitis (5.2%). 48% of deaf  child had a parental suspicion of deafness below the one year of age. 35% had a positive  family history and 32% had history of consanguinal marriage. The deaf children were managed  with hearing device, among them 89% with hearing aid and 11% with cochlear implant 42.7% of child used hearing aid in both ears. The results of aided audiogram reflected that, the gain  after using hearing aid within 31-60 dB were 80%. 10% in right ear, 71.10% in left year and  70.00% in both ears, so average gain after using hearing aid was 74% within 31- 60 dB. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjo.v18i2.11981 Bangladesh J Otorhinolaryngol 2012; 18(2): 103-108


2008 ◽  
Vol 119 (9) ◽  
pp. e144
Author(s):  
E.B. Nuñez ◽  
R.M. Pérez ◽  
M. Amador ◽  
S. Batista

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document