TYPES OF HEARING LOSS

1. Conductive Hearing Loss
Hearing loss resulting from damage inefficiency or disease in the outer and middle ear. Sounds entering into the ear are not well conducted due to disease, damage e.g. injury to the ear by a blow or slap, accidents etc or inefficiency including obstruction e.g. by wax, resulting in a person not hearing well. Ear infection in young children is the most commonest cause while excessive wax, ear injuries including noise are among the causes in adults. The problem can be rectified by medical treatment or operation. Such cases need immediate referral for medical management. When the voice is sufficiently raised the person hears speech.

2. Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss that results from the inner ear damage and the nerves that pass information about hearing to the brain. It is permanent in nature and medical treatment does not correct it. Hearing Aids and helping the person to develop hearing communication skills is helpful. The person is unable to hear soft or even loud sounds in severe cases. It also affects the ability to hear speech clearly and understand it. When the voice is raised, speech may become difficult to understand. The hearing loss can range from slight to profound. Most common cause include diseases e.g.

• Meningitis, 
• Drugs which damage the ear e.g. Anti Tb treatment, 
• Some malaria treatment 
• Some medicines taken by the mothers during pregnancy including alcohol;
•  Inherited genetic conditions (Deafness observed in the family tree) 
• Injuries of the head; Ear infections
•  Infections at birth and there after
• Lack of oxygen at birth as in difficult labour
• Premature birth
• Severe Jaundice in a new born 
• Aging
• Noise

3. Mixed Hearing Loss

Hearing loss where there are elements ob both conductive an sensorineural hearing loss. The problem affects the sound conducting organs, sound analysis and the nerve pathways to the brain. Medical treatment and hearing Aids in combination or hearing aids alone may be the preferred management. Th e cause for the hearing loss must be fully established before commencing management. www.superacoustics.kbo.co.ke

HEAR BETTER CENTER: CAN DEAFNESS BE PREVENTED? ...

HEAR BETTER CENTER: CAN DEAFNESS BE PREVENTED?                       ...: CAN DEAFNESS BE PREVENTED?                                       Yes if action is taken early. In some cases the negative impact can ...

CAN DEAFNESS BE PREVENTED?

CAN DEAFNESS BE PREVENTED?                                      

Yes if action is taken early. In some cases the negative impact can be reduced.

Some ways to help prevent deafness or the impact is:

• Knowing about the problem early and seeking help.
• Hearing testing by a qualified hearing specialist.
• Early medical treatment of ear disease especially painful ears and ears with pus coming out.
• Not taking medicine that is not given by a doctor.
• Avoid loud noises and injuries to the head.
• Young babies should be immunized against diseases.
• Good nutrition and healthy environment for children.
• Fitting hearing aids that work efficiently by a qualified hearing health professional(Audiologist). 

 DO HEARING AIDS REALLY HELP CHILDREN TO HEAR?

Professionally fitted hearing aids with good diagnosis and follow up will improve the child's communication to "near normal" depending on the degree of hearing problem, the time it was detected and the cooperation of the family members and hearing specialist.

          How do they help?

  There are four types of hearing aids. Those worn on the body; placed behind the ear; those in the ear and others are inserted deep into the ear. They all work by making sounds louder and clearer. Some types of hearing aids can selectively keep off unwanted noise from getting into the ear and also pick up the wanted sounds and process them so that they are not only louder but also clearer. When this is accomplished the young baby can hear himself and receive sounds and speech in such a way as to develop language and speech. However this will develop much slowly than a normal hearing child but may eventually "catch up".

   A child fitted early with a hearing aid can join a regular school(depending on the degree of loss) and cope with education with little or no additional support.

   Youths are able to restore or retain relationships as they are able to participate in group interactions when the have a hearing aid.

   The older person is able to interact with his/her family in a more meaningful way thereby improving on family interactions and relationships.

   For the hearing impaired, life makes sense when sounds are easily identified with meanings attached to them and communication through speech flows unhindered due to efficient and effective hearing aids and other related appliances.

   

Do hearing Aids restore hearing to levels of normal hearing person?

Unfortunately not. However, hearing is brought close to normal. The gap is reduced by learning to observe the face and attach meanings to words that are not clear. For children who do not develop speech, speech training is usually done by a speech therapist. The older adult who looses hearing after speech is developed needs retraining and speech therapy

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 CHALLENGES FACING PARENTS OF THE DEAF IN KENYA TODAY

The following are the challenges facing parents of Deaf children in Kenya

a) Access to information about deafness.
b) Access to services (e.g. educational, medical, auditory rehabilitation, assessment                              services).
c) How to cope with the effects of the emotional and social effects of deafness.
d) How to communicate with own deaf child.
e) How to help a deaf child to grow up normally like any other child.

MODE OF COMMUNICATION USED BY THE DEAF.

• Body Language e.g. Head movement, Gestures, Body posture etc
• Natural Signs e.g. Fat, Drink, Cut etc
• Lipreading
• Writing and Reading e.g. 2 people exchanging writing papers.
• Speech supported with Signs
• Signs supported with speech 
• Simultaneous Communication
• Kenya Sign Language

DEAFNESS

 What is deafness?
It is a disability that occurs when one is not able to hear sounds and people talking.

How can you loose your hearing?
Some children develop deafness while in the mothers womb. Others develop after being born.

What causes deafness after a child is born?
    The commonest is the conditions that might occur at or during birth e.g.

• Premature child(weight below 1.5kgs)
• Infections occurring during birth.
• Injuries to the child including lack of oxygen at birth.
• Medicine given at birth that may affect the ears.
• Yellowness of the eyes occurring at birth and persisting 

   Conditions occurring after birth include:                           

• Infections e.g. Measles, mumps, meningitis etc.
• Injuries to the ear and head.
• Too much noise in the ears.
• Family (inherited) deafness.
• Infections of the ear. 

Does deafness occur in the same degree to all deaf people?

• Some people have only a slight hearing problem, others have a greater one and others cannot hear unless shouted to or even not at all.
• Sometimes one ear is affected alone.

How can you tell that someone has a hearing problem?

• They keep requesting you to repeat.
• Keenly looking at your face.
• Making mistakes when answering back.
• Not actively participating in group discussions.
• Asks others not to speak too softly.
• Not interested in group discussion.
• Setting the TV or radio volume too high.
• Setting the volume of the phone high and shouting while talking.

What are the bad effects of hearing problem?

• Feeling embarrassed in a group for missing conversation.
• Getting very tired due to strain of listening.
• Withdrawing from group activities.
• Friends withdrawing from the person with the problem. 
• Frequent arguments with family over loud volume setting.
• Loss of opportunities( Education, Business,Marriage, Employment etc)
• High cost and prolonged management of hearing problems(Hearing Aids, speech therapy etc.)
• Inability to develop language and speech leading to "deaf-mute" situation(in children who are deaf before developing language)
• Low self-esteem and resulting psycho-social effects particularly depression.

PREVENTING EAR DAMAGE
Parents & Teachers


■ Monitor the noise levels to which children
are exposed. If you have to shout for a child
to hear you over his or her recreational
activities, the noise is too loud.
■ Purchase personal stereos with volume limiters.
■ Listen to toys prior to purchase. Consult
safety resources such as www.toysafety.net.
■ Ask for the volume to be lowered at video
arcades, dances and other places your
children frequent.

■ Limit the time your child spends in noisy places.
■ Provide earplugs or earmuffs sized for your
child’s ears when the noise can’t be reduced.
■ Be a good role model — use hearing
protection yourself when exposed to
hazardous noise.                                                          
■ Make sure your child’s school has a hearing
loss prevention program for music, shop
and other noisy classes.
■ Have your child’s hearing tested yearly if
they participate in noisy activities or you
suspect a change in hearing ability.