The childhood deafness is a disability that must be detected as early as possible in order to limit the deleterious effects on language and socialization. Indeed, when deafness is present at birth or settled within 18 months, or it moves later, it can cause the child's muteness or speech disorders. The welfare of the child, his socialization and schooling are at stake
THERE ARE DIFFERENT DEGREES OF DEAFNESS ...
Hearing loss is calculated in decibels (db) depending on treble, bass and speech sounds (sounds of everyday conversation).
It defines 4 stages of hearing loss:
- 0 to 20 decibels of hearing loss is considered normal.
- 20 to 40 decibels of loss we talk about hearing loss or deafness light. 40 decibels corresponds to a normal conversation. The child hears sounds but does not distinguish them well. It follows a misunderstanding of the words or listening fatigue.
- 40 to 70 decibels of hearing loss is called average, hearing impaired child. The child sees the word as if it is pronounced with a loud voice sounds but the distinction escapes him. There is a delayed acquisition of spoken language and a strong defect in pronunciation, articulation.
- 70 to 90 decibels it comes to severe hearing loss. The spoken language is not developed.
Beyond 90 decibels is called profound. The profound deafness accounts for about ¼ of deafness in children.
Depending on the causes and stages of deafness may be proposed wearing a hearing aid, speech therapy, learning lip reading and sign language.
DETECT THE HEARING DISORDERS IN CHILDREN ...
Hearing problems are difficult to detect in children, more so that the disorder is slight and can be confused with a lack of understanding or mental retardation.
Some warning signs can be spotted:
In an infant can notice the lack of response to background noise, voices. The child can still make sounds, moaning, crying but yet the word will not disappear acquired and babbling about 6 months. To 18 months or two years there is an absence or delay of speech development, the lack of response to calls or sounds, the lack of interest in objects that are not in the visual field. Body language or facial expressions often develop concomitantly. Subjects with profound hearing loss or total are generally diagnosed.
At the school, certain abnormalities of speech, articulation defects, a misunderstanding, a learning delay etc. ... may be the warning signs of a mild or moderate hearing loss. It is important to recognize this and to try to track it under penalty of false diagnosis (mental retardation, behavioral disorder ... etc) and distress of the child.