Deafness – The Invisible Handicap
Hearing loss is of 2 types
Conductive: Resulting from malfunction in the outer or middle ear. This can often be corrected medically or surgically.
Sensory neural loss: This results due to malfunction in the inner ear or in the auditory nerve.

Causes of Deafness before birth

• Hereditary causes.
• Consanguineous marriages.
• Rh factor or blood group incompatibility.
• High intake of antibiotic or ototoxic drugs.
• Exposure to X–Rays.

During Birth

• Instrumental delivery.
• Birth anoxia.
• Birth weight less than 1200 gms.

After Birth

• Jaundice.
• High fever.
• Measles–mumps–rubella.
• Convulsions.
• Heavy intake of antibiotics.
• Accidents.
• Meningitis–otosclerosis.

Age of onset could be
Prelingual prior to learning spoken language. Post lingual after learning spoken language i.e. after 2 to 3 years.A deaf child is not dumb: Hearing children learn to speak by imitating sounds that they hear and by enjoying the sounds that they make i.e. babbling, cooing etc.A deaf child has to be taught speech which is a very challenging task for the pupil and the teacher. Deaf children vary in intelligence like hearing children.

The following points should be considered

• A deaf child has to be helped to hear better by giving him amlification and conditioning his residual hearing.
• Visual supplement must be offered through lip–reading, manual signs etc.

To conclude, a deaf child is a personality striving to communicate his thoughts and feelings and trying to understand yours. By knowing and appreciating his problems you can help a deaf child by treating him more patiently and naturally.