Screening To Detect Hearing Defects for Children Under 5 Made Mandatory in Mangalore

Under the Assistance to Disabled Persons scheme, the government provides free screening and subsidized treatment costs to make Mangalore hearing problem-free.

Minister for Health and Family Welfare U T Khader said that all the mother and child hospitals (MCH) in Mangalore would make infant hearing screening mandatory.

Though it is compulsory in all the state government hospitals, even private hospital should follow this to make Karnataka, hearing problem-free.

Screening with Hearing Tests
Ideally, screening tests for hearing loss should be conducted before the infant is 1 month of age.

The announcement was made in the presence of nine beneficiary kids of cochlear implant surgery conducted under Assistance to Disabled Persons (ADIP) scheme to solve hearing disability, with the assistance of State government.

Four months ago, a camp was organized for children below 5 to detect hearing problems in children. Thirteen children were chosen and cochlear implant surgery was conducted on 10 kids at Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health Hospital in Bengaluru.

Awareness about detecting hearing disabilities at the earliest is being created through ASHA workers. The minister said that, if children need hearing aids, it would be provided. If they need surgery, a list of such children would be maintained and surgery would be done in the Wenlock Hospital itself, which has a speech therapy facility.

Occupational Hearing Loss - Identification and Prevention
Noise-Induced hearing loss is one of the major avoidable causes of hearing loss and is also one of the major occupational hazards.

All India Institute of Speech and Hearing Executive Member Dr J M Hans said till date 40 cochlear implant surgeries have been conducted in Karnataka using PM and CM fund. The surgery can be done on 8-month-old baby to 7-year-old kid. Now, it has become around 30 minute process.

Dr Vasanthi, who has performed around 150 successful cochlear implant surgeries, said CT scan, MRI scan and Bera (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Responses) tests are done before surgery to test hearing abilities of the child.

Audiometry - The Hearing Test - Audiometer - Procedure - Audiogram - Types
Audiometry or the hearing test helps to determine the ability of a person to hear various sounds and consequently identify the location of damage in a person with diminished hearing sensitivity.

Proper Auditory Verbal Therapy should follow the surgery and family should be supportive. The child should be sent to mainstream schools. Awareness should be created among people to treat hearing problems among kids before five years.

Source-Medindia

Hearing Loss - Symptom Evaluation - Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Health Tips, FAQs
Hearing loss is a common problem that could occur in childhood or often develops with age or is caused by repeated exposure to loud noises. Keep abreast on its causes and symptoms.