Early identification of hearing loss helps the hearing Impaired.

A student Screened in SEVAI for hearing

In a one day workshop on “assessment of hearing impaired under IED program” the special educator of SEVAI under IED Project  Ms.Sahunthala in her key note address said “in considering alternative forms of assessment, equal opportunity, not a guaranteed outcome, is the objective. We are not expected to lower standards to accommodate students with a disability but rather are required to give them a reasonable opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.  Once we have a clear picture of how the disability impacts on learning we can consider alternative assessment strategies. Approximately one in ten individuals has a significant hearing loss. Within this population, most individuals have some level of hearing impairment and only a small proportion of the group is Deaf. Types of hearing loss include sensorineural (nerve-related), conductive (affecting the outer or middle ear) or a mixed hearing loss (mixture of both types.) People with profound hearing loss often prefer to be referred to as Deaf rather than hearing impaired. They see this as a positive identity rather than a negative label. The impact of hearing loss depends on the type of disorder, extent and timing of the loss. Some students may have lost hearing over a period of time, for example as a result of ageing or of hereditary conditions. Others may have suffered permanent hearing loss as a result of workplace noise. Students with a hearing impairment may experience difficulty with certain sound frequencies, and may have difficulty when there is significant background noise. Some students may have the condition tinnitus, a high-pitched ringing noise in the ear. Some will have had their hearing enhanced, though not entirely restored, with cochlea implants or hearing devices. Other students may be deaf:  prelingually deaf, or deaf as the result of illness in childhood. Deaf students may lip-read, use sign language, or a combination of these. Students with hearing impairments may require accommodations and assistive devices to have best access to education. Accommodations may be as simple as preferential seating or as complex as wireless assistive listening devices in the classroom”.

Ms.Sahunthala further added “Each learner's needs must be evaluated, and accommodations should be provided to enhance the learning environment for that hearing impaired student. Congenital hearing loss in infants and children has been linked with lifelong deficits in speech and language acquisition, poor academic performance, personal-social maladjustments, and emotional difficulties. Identification of hearing loss through hearing screening as well as objective hearing screening of all infants and children can prevent or reduce many of these adverse consequences. This report outlines the risk indicators for hearing loss, provides guidance for when and how to assess hearing loss, and addresses hearing referral resources for children of all ages. Early identification of hearing loss and appropriate intervention within the first 6 months of life has been demonstrated to prevent many of these adverse consequences and facilitate language acquisition. Pediatricians need to recognize children who are at risk for congenital or acquired hearing loss, be prepared to evaluate their hearing, and arrange for proper referral and treatment by identifying the availability of hearing resources within their communities. This report addresses these resources and offers specific guidelines to identify hearing loss in children of all ages. Significant hearing loss is present in 1 to 6 per 1000 newborns. Most children with congenital hearing loss have hearing impairment at birth and are potentially identifiable by newborn and infant hearing screening. However, some congenital hearing loss may not become evident until later in childhood. Hearing impairment also can be acquired during infancy or childhood for various reasons. Infectious diseases, especially meningitis and otitis media, are leading causes of acquired hearing loss. Certain physical findings, historical events, and developmental conditions may indicate a potential hearing problem. These include but are not limited to anomalies of the ear and other craniofacial structures, significant perinatal events, and global developmental or speech-language delays. All older infants and children should be screened for risk factors involving hearing problems. Although questionnaires and checklists are useful in identifying a child at risk for hearing loss, studies have shown that only 50% of children with hearing loss are identified by the comprehensive use of such questionnaires. Therefore, periodic objective assessment of the hearing of all children should be performed. Parental concern is of greater predictive value than the informal behavioral examination performed in the physician’s office. Parents often report suspicion of hearing loss, inattention, or erratic response to sound before hearing loss is confirmed. Any parental concern should be taken seriously, and formal hearing evaluation should be performed. A thorough physical examination is an essential part of evaluating a child for hearing loss”.-Govin