Hearing impairment

Hearing lossIt indicate disability of hearing that may range

in severity from mild to profound.

In 2012 ,WHO estimated that there are 360 million people in the world

with disabling hearing loss (5.3% of world population)

32 (9%)million of these are children

Types : 3 basic types Conductive hearing loss= sound is not conducted through outer ear

canal to the ear drum and ossicles of middle ear. Causes include-Middle ear infection and exudation-Impacted earwax-Infection in the ear canal-Presence of foreign body Sensorineural hearing loss = damage to inner ear or to the nerve

pathway from inner ear to the brain. Permanent loss . it not only involves reduction in sound level , ability to hear faint sound but also affect speech understanding . cause by disease ,birth injury , genetic syndrome.

Mixed hearing loss=sometime hearing loss occurs with combination of both above hearing loss.

Sign and symptoms: The child may experience frequent ear infections. delayed in their language development. difficult to identify or locate certain sounds. watch TV at a really high volume. behavioral issues, displaying inattentiveness

and disruptive behavior. sound different or not speak clearly. vocabulary may consist many words that are

often missing endings.

Management:Hearing aid may be option for children with unilateral hearing

loss(UHL)Conventional hearing loss=recommended if there is usable

hearing in the impaired ear . allow child to have perception of more balanced hearing . most young children are fit with Behind-The-Ear (BTE)type of hearing aid when child ear canal grows slows at approx 12yrs he/she is candidate for In The Ear (ITE) .

Osseointegrated hearing device=placed surgically in the bone behind the ear . it is approved for children over 5yrs of age

Contralateral routing of signal CROS aid=severe or profound UHL .it pick sound on the impaired side & delivers into good ear . useful in quiet listening situation.

Cochlear implant=placed surgically in inner ear , only for children with severe or profound hearing loss in both ears

References:Child health nursing tumla shresthakidshealth.org/en/parents/hear.htmlwww.webmd.com/parenting/help-for-parents-hearing-impaired-children