DEAFNESS IN CHILDHOOD
Deafness is a partial loss or a complete loss of the sense of hearing. A hearing loss may be slight or severe in one ear or both ears. A child may be born with a hearing loss, or it may develop at any age.
Normal hearing occurs when sound waves pass down the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. Vibrations of the eardrum in turn move the three tiny bones in the middle ear. This motion of the bones transmits the vibrations across the middle ear to the inner ear. In the inner ear, the vibrations are changed to electrical impulses which are carried to the brain through the eighth cranial nerve. The brain interprets these electrical impulses as sound. Damage, disease, or malfunction of any of these structures can result in deafness. Any of the following problems may lead to hearing difficulties.
Ear canal problems that may cause hearing loss include a buildup of earwax, a foreign object in the canal, or swimmer’s ear.
Eardrum and middle ear problems may be caused by an inflammation of the middle ear or a blocked Eustachian tube (the tube that connects the nose and the middle ear).
Inner ear problems may be caused by injuries or infections.
Eighth cranial nerve, problems have several possible causes. A child may be born with a nerve that has not developed properly or that has been damaged before birth. (For example, if a pregnant woman develops rubella, this virus may infect the eighth cranial nerve in the unborn child.) After birth, this nerve can be damaged by an injury or by an infection with a virus (mumps, measles) or with a bacterium (meningitis). This nerve can also be affected by certain medications.
Signs and symptoms
Signs of a hearing loss usually can be seen in a child’s behavior. Suspect a hearing loss if any of the following behavior occurs: an infant over three months old ignores sounds or does not turn the head toward sound; a baby over one year old does not speak at least a few words; a
child over two years old does not speak in at least two-word or three-word sentences; a child over five years old does not speak so that a stranger can understand; a child of any age has learning problems in school; or a child simply does not appear to hear well at home. Any of these symptoms may be caused by a hearing loss, but they also may have some other causes. Every child should be given a professional hearing test before starting kindergarten.
Home care
Home care for a hearing problem depends upon the cause, as well as upon the degree of the hearing loss. If you think your child may have a hearing problem, see your doctor. A doctor can more properly determine if there is a problem and prescribe the best treatment.
Precautions
• Every woman of child-bearing age should consult her doctor about rubella (German measles) immunization.
• Do not put any object, including cotton swabs, into your child’s ear canal for any reason. You may force earwax to become packed into the canal, or you may damage the eardrum.
Medical treatment
Your doctor will examine the ear to determine the cause of deafness. Specialists have equipment to test hearing in children of any age past early infancy. If there is any doubt about the cause or treatment of the hearing loss, your doctor may refer you to a center that specializes in speech and hearing. A deaf child should start special education as soon as the condition is discovered, even if the child is as young as one or two years old.
*47/84/5*
Related Posts:
Tags: General health