SIGN OF HEARING LOSS IN CHILDREN.

• Failure to startle or get frightened to sudden or loud sounds.
• Inability to locate source of sound.
• Generally requiring louder sound levels to respond.
• Lack of normal response to sound at age 6 months.
• Babbling ceases or change to more high -pitch screaming sounds around age 6-8 months or becomes monotonous.
• Failure of babbling to evolve into recognizable speech sounds and finally words during child's second year of life.
• Does not seem to notice or stop to listen or smile to mother's or caregiver's soothing sounds when being fed, dressed or cuddled.
• Failure to respond to simple commands by around age 1 year unless the child looks at the speaker's face or body movements.
• Frequently misunderstanding spoken directions or asks things to be repeated.
• Withdraws from social constant may develop behaviour problems such as aggressive and temper tantrums out of frustration over the constant misunderstandings due to hearing loss.
• Frequent touch or pulling one or both ear, indicating pressure or ear infection.

CHALLENGES FACING PARENTS OF THE DEAF IN KENYA TODAY

The following are the challenges facing parents of Deaf children in Kenya

a) Access to information about deafness.
b) Access to services (e.g. educational, medical, auditory rehabilitation, assessment services).
c) How to cope with the effects of the emotional and social effects of deafness.
d) How to communicate with own deaf child.
e) How to help a deaf child to grow up normally like any other child.

MODE OF COMMUNICATION USED BY THE DEAF.

• Body Language e.g. Head movement, Gestures, Body posture etc
• Natural Signs e.g. Fat, Drink, Cut etc
• Lipreading
• Writing and Reading e.g. 2 people exchanging writing papers.
• Speech supported with Signs
• Signs supported with speech 
• Simultaneous Communication
• Kenya Sign Language

PROBLEM OF THE EAR AND HEARING IN CHILDREN

HOW WE HEAR
The ear is divided into three parts:the outer, middle and inner ear.

THE OUTER EAR
It consists of the visible parts called the pinna .The pinna collects sounds and directs it into the external ear canal. The ear canal makes the sound louder and further directs sound towards the eardrum (tympanic membrane). The ear drum acts as a music drum.

MIDDLE EAR
The ear drum vibrates in response to the movements of sound waves entering the ear canal. There are also three bones in the middle ear. They include, the malleus (hammer), the incus (anvil) and the stapes(stirrup),magnifying the movements of the eardrum and transmitting the motion to the inner ear.

THE INNER EAR
The cochlea is the actual sensory organ of the hearing and also located in the inner ear. Te members of the cochlea are filled with fluid. As the bones in the middle ear moves in response to sound waves, they cause the fluid in the cochlea to also move.This stimulates thousands of sensory hair cells which produce small electrical charges. This electrical charges travel along the auditory nerve to the brain where they are processed as the"sound" we hear.

DISEASES OF THE EAR AND HEARING LOSS
Ear blockage
Ear wax
 Foreign objects e.g. beads, seeds
Pain and or pas in the ear coming out
Itching in the ear.

HEARING LOSS
1. CONDUCTIVE

• Affecting outer and middle ear.
• Sounds are not conducted well into the inner ear
• Can be treated and cured.

2. SENSOR NEURAL HEARING LOSS.

• Can not be medically treated.
• Require hearing aids in order to hear well
• Child may not develop speech and language if not attended early in life
• Adult get great problems in communication.
• Children perform poorly in class.

HOW PARENTS CAN HELP TO PREVENT DEAFNESS IN THEIR CHILDREN

• Watch for signs of hearing problems.
• Present your child for hearing screening early.
• Request your doctor to refer you to an ear/hearing specialist if you suspect your child has a hearing problem.
• Find out more about hearing problem including treatment.

MUSICIANS HEARING PROBLEMS

MUSICIANS

Career Musicians including Djs have a very high risk of losing their career early. Exposure to loud music over prolonged periods of time damages hearing.

Musicians assess the quality of their music by carefully listening and analyzing it. Therefore musicians need to have excellent hearing!

In order to maintain excellent hearing musicians need to have.

1.       Hearing tested regularly ( at least once a year)

2.       Use hearing protective devices  e.g. . . . ear muffs , ear plugs (especially percussionists)

3.       Reduce the “loudness” level to safe levels for listening especially in the use of personal listening devices.

4.       Seek advice and help from a health professional in audiology

HEARING IN CHILDREN

Is your child developing well?

You are likely to identify problems with a child early in life especially hearing problems.

When identified early, hearing problem can be managed with good results.

The child may be able to develop language and speech. Sample questions at 3 months:

DO YOUR CHILD DO THE FOLLOWING ?

If your answers is NO then your child is likely to have hearing problem.
1. Child jumps (starters) to land sound          YES                             NO 

2. Stirs from sleep when their is a loud noise   YES                             NO

3. Stops sucking when their is a sudden new sound YES                     NO

Extract from early recognition and feral of hearing impaired children” by N> Matking, 1984, paediatrics in review, 6(5).