Know different types of Hearing Loss
Post by on Wednesday, July 7, 2021
Hearing loss refers to partial or total inability to hear sounds.
Suggestive features of hearing loss in a patient include:
Excessive loud speech.
Asks to speak one by one.
Strained facial expression.
Constant need for clarification of heard speech.
Failure of development of speech in children.
WHO global prevalence in 2018 estimated 466 million people to have disabling Hearing loss which comprises 93 % adults and 7 % children.
WHO recognizes major causes of disabling hearing loss as:
Congenital/ early childhood hearing loss.
Chronic middle ear infections (CSOM).
Trauma/ Noise induced/ Barotrauma(atmospheric pressure changes).
Age induced ( Presbycusis).
Ototoxic drugs ( which damage inner ear).
60 % of childhood hearing loss are preventable out of which infections account for 31 %. Congential CMV infection is the leading cause of non genetic hearing loss in children. 3/4 th of genetic causes are autosomal recessive and are a result of consangious ( cousins) marriages .
Awareness about prenatal infections and strengthening of maternal and child health programmes will help in reducing hearing loss in children.
Dr Sajad Majid Qazi
Professor and HOD
ENT & HNS
GMC Anantnag.