Deaf Awareness Week is celebrated worldwide from September 24th- 30th. This is an initiative by The World Federation of the Deaf, which is an international organization that combines the initiative of 120 different national associations working for the cause of deaf people. They work in tandem with the United Nations and during this week, seminars and awareness programmes are initiated to iron out some of the crucial problems faced by the deaf.

Interview with Principal St Clare Oral School For Deaf On the occasion of World Deaf Awareness Day, Medindia spoke to the Principal, Sister Phincita of St.Clare Oral School for the Deaf in Kerala. Sister Phincita has been keenly involved in the education of hearing impaired children for 13 years.

Cochlear implants offer a way out of hearing impairment. They are surgically implanted electronic devices, often referred to as a bionic ear. Under appropriate conditions, an implant can give a deaf person a useful auditory understanding of the environment and/or hearing and help them to understand speech, although post-implantation therapy is usually required.

Presbycusis is the loss of hearing that gradually occurs in most individuals as they grow old. Everyone who lives long enough will develop some degree of presbycusis, some sooner than others. Those who damage their ears from loud noise exposure will develop it sooner. It is estimated that 40-50 percent of people 75 and older have some degree of hearing loss. The loss associated with presbycusis is usually greater for high-pitched sounds.

Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear (the space behind the eardrum). Ear infections are the most common illnesses in babies and young children. Otitis media usually occurs in children under 3 years of age. Actually three out of four children experience otitis media at some stage. Boys tend to get ear infections more often than girls.