Am J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg | Volume 4, Issue 8 | Research Article | Open Access

Childhood Hearing Impairment in India: A Call for Preventive and Strategic Actions

Mohammad Shamim Ansari

Department of Speech and Hearing, Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped, India

*Correspondance to: Mohammad Shamim Ansari 

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Abstract

Hearing is one of the most important sensory ability endowed to the humankind that serves as a primary human communication channel on which most of the human civilization is established. Hearing impairment even of mild degree has been associated with breakdown in communication, reduced civility and poor quality of life. Hearing impairment impacts about 34 million children  worldwide  and  majority  (80%)  of  them  are  in  south  Asian  countries.  untreated  sensorineural  hearing  impairment  in  the first  year  of  life  has  profound  consequences  that  transverse  almost all  developmental  domains,  manifesting  in  significant  and  often  lifelong  deficits  in  gross  and fine  motor  skills,  cognitive  performance,  speech  and  language  development,  and  psychosocial development.  However,  it  is  unnecessary  for  a  child  to  suffer  from  the  negative  consequences of  hearing  impairment,  despite  there  is  technological  advancement  in  identification  of  hearing impairment, and current rehabilitation strategies in the 21st century are effective and efficient to significantly minimize the negative consequences of hearing impairment. Therefore, this working paper attempts to advocates primary and secondary prevention strategies to reduce the prevalence of hearing impairment and minimize the negative consequences of hearing impairment through introducing  the best  approaches  for  screening  of  hearing  impairment  and  implementing  the established protocols for early intervention of hearing impairment.

Keywords:

Hearing  impairment;  Prevention;  Hearing  screening;  Early  identification; Intervention

Citation:

Ansari MS. Childhood Hearing Impairment in India: A Call for Preventive and Strategic Actions. Am J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021; 4(8): 1155..

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