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HEARING SCREENING AND IT’S IMPORTANCE
The purpose of hearing screening is to identify children with hearinglosses which may affect their intellectual, emotional, social, speech
orlanguage development. Early identification and interventionprocedures provide the best opportunity for effective remediation, andaim to reduce the negative effects of hearing loss on the child’sdevelopment.
A hearing screening program should be part of the total integratedschool health program, and should operate within the parameters ofthe national health system, at a primary health care level.
The main objectives of school hearing-screening programs are to:
- Promote optimal hearing health
- Identify children who may have a hearing loss
- Notify a parent or guardian of a child’s hearing failure and the need for referral to an audiologist or an Otolaryngologist (ENT)
- Establish a follow up system to ensure that the child has received appropriate care.
- Notify the teachers about the child’s hearing condition and offer recommendations regarding appropriate modification of the classroom environment
- Make provision for specialised educational facilities for students with hearing loss (e.g. FM systems)
What is EHDI?
Early Hearing Detection and Identification (EHDI) is a universal screening guideline stating that
- All infants should have access to hearing screening at no later than 1 month of age.
- Infants that do not pass must be re-screened by no later 3 months
of age. - All infants with confirmed permanent hearing loss should receive intervention services as soon as possible after diagnosis but at no later than 6 months of age.
Education and Empowerment
A hearing screening is a quick and efficient way toassess the status of a child/adults hearing
Areas that are assessed include:
- History about the client identifying if any concerns are present
- Examination of the external ear canal and eardrum
- Examination of the status of the middle ear system
- Examination of sounds audible to the child/adult therefore indicating if a loss is present or if results are within normal limits
- Feedback and referral to another discipline if indicated
