Hearing impairment
Hearing impairment – Loss of sixty decibels or more in the better ear in the conversational range of frequencies.
AT HOME:
Parents can observe and identify the children with disabilities by using the
following checklist for early identification of disabilities:
I. Hearing Impairment-Screening New Born
1. Is there any one in the family with deafness since childhood.
2. Did the mother take an abortificient drug or any other medicine in large doses during the first three months of pregnancy.
3. Is the birth weight below 1500 gms.
4. Did the child had a delayed cry after birth.
5. Did the child have significant jaundice (yellowness of eyes) during the first10 days after birth.
6. Does the child have a cleft in the lip or palate, or a malformed pinna.
Screening Children in the age group of 6 months to 2 years:
1. Does a child turn towards the source of sound which is located either at the back or towards one side of the body?
2. Does he/she have discharge from the ear?
Screening Children above 2 years age
1. Does he/she turn when called from behind?
2. Uses gestures excessively
3. The child does not speak or has a defective speech.
4. The child does not understand the spoken language.
5. The child has an ear discharge.
Hearing:
(a) Malformation of the ear
(b) Discharge from ear
(c) Pain in ear.
(d) Irritation in ear.
(e) Trying to listen from a closer distance.
(f) Ask for the instructions repeatedly.
(g) Not able to write properly.
(h) Trying to listen to the echo reflection rather than from the speaker.
(i) Make errors while copying from black board.
(j) Frequently ask a colleague to show his workbook.
(k) Proble ms in paying attention in the class
(l) Favour one ear for listening purposes.
(m) Problems when anyone speaks from behind.
(n) Child speaks loudly or too softly.
(o) Exhibit voice problem and mispronunciation
(p) Tune the TV/Radio too loud.
(q) Irrelevant answers.
(r) The child keeps away from his age mates.
(s) The child is unable to respond when you call from the other room.
(t) The child understands only after few repetitions.
Note: If any of the above 3-4 questions elicits response that indicates some kind of
hearing/speech loss, then the child should be carefully examined by a qualified
ENT specialist, an audiologist, and also by a speech therapist for complete
evaluation. In case the child is below 4-5 years, a psychologist should also be
consulted to address and identify any associa ted psychological problems which
may not be overtly evident.
HEARING IMPAIRMENT CATEGORIES
| Sl.No | Type of Impairment | DB level and/or | Speech discrimination | Percentage impairment |
| 1 | Mild | 26 to 40 dB in better ear
| 80 to 100% in better ear | Less than 40% |
| 2 | Moderate | 41 to 60 dB in better ear | 50 to 80% in better ear | 40% to 50% |
| 3 | Severe | 61 to 70- dB hearing impairment better ear | 40 to 50% in better ear | 50% to 75% |
| 4 | (a) Total deafness (b) Near Total (c) Profound | No hearing 91 dB and above and better hear 71 to 90 dB | No discrimination. Very poor discrimination Less than 40% in better ear. | 100% 100% 100% , 71% to 100% |
a) Pure tone average of hearing in 500, and 2000 HZ, 4000 Hz by conduction (AC and BC) should be taken as the basis for consideration as per test recommendations.
b) When there is only an island of hearing present in one or two frequencies in the better ear, it should be considered as total loss of hearing.
c) When there is no response (NR) at any of the 4 frequencies (500,1000, 2000 and 4000HZ) it should be considered as equivalent to 100 dB loss for the purpose of
classification of disability and in arriving at the average.
Note: As per the latest guidelines for evaluation of disabilities(2001), definition of hearing disability is : ‘A person with hearing impairment having difficulty of
various degrees in sounds is an impaired person’.
CONTACT – E.N.T Specialist in INDIA
E.N.T Specialist- available at block, district, State hospital for assessment.
Assessment Process – Audio- logical assessment through battery of tests
Organizations for education – Formal schools, Open School, Special School.
Organizations for providing – Field: Sub-health Centre, Primary Health Center,
Aids and appliances Gram Panchayat, Rehabilitation centre if available,
NGOs working in the field of disability.
Block : Block Welfare Officer
District: District Welfare Officer
Students get aids and appliances in schools
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Director
Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Impaired
Kishanchand Marg
Bandra (W)
Mumbai – 400 050
Ph:022-6409176/6422638.
(a) Regional Center
Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped.
C/o. N.I.M.H., P.O. Bowanpally
Manovikas Nagar
Secunderabad –500 011.
Ph: 040-7759267/7758817, Fax:040-7750198
(b) Regional Center
Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped.
B.T. Road
Bonhooghly
Calcutta – 700090
Ph: 033-528379.
(c) Regional Center
Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped.
Kasturba Niketan
Lajpat Nagar
New Delhi – 110 024.
Ph: 011-685093.