Early Detection and Prevention of Hearing Loss Crucial for Development, Quality of Life

Identifying and treating hearing loss early, especially in children, is essential for preventing speech and language development issues.

Dr. Binayak Baruah

Sr. Consultant and HOD, Department of ENT, TMH

Hearing loss in India affects 63 million people, yet only 14% seek hearing aids. Early detection and prevention can prevent developmental and social issues.

JAMSHEDPUR – Hearing loss is often thought of as a natural effect of old age and, as such, is typically left untreated. In India, 63 million people (6.3%) suffer from significant hearing loss.

In fact, only 14% of people with hearing loss who could benefit from amplification seek a hearing aid.

However, identifying hearing loss early can be crucial specially in a child as it might also affect his/her speech and language development.

Hearing loss is often linked to other serious issues such as dementia, social isolation, and depression.

Equally important to hearing loss treatment is its prevention. The hearing-related dangers of heavy machinery, firearms, and fireworks at a close distance are well known. However, routine activities such as going to concerts or nightclubs or even attending a music-based fitness class can carry dangerous noise levels.

One should remember that hearing loss can happen at any age. However, hearing impairment at birth, or that develops in infants and toddlers, is of extra concern. It can lead to developmental challenges if not recognized and treated early, since normal hearing is needed to understand spoken language⁠—and then, later, to produce clear speech.

Children in whom speech and language impairments persist past five and a half years of age have an increased incidence of attention and social difficulties.

Types of speech disorder include stuttering or stammering, apraxia (inability to perform common movements on commands), and dysarthria (difficulty in speaking).

There are many possible causes of speech disorders, including muscles weakness, brain injuries, degenerative diseases, autism, and hearing loss.

Speech disorders can affect a person’s self-esteem and their overall quality of life.

We, at Tata Main Hospital in Jamshedpur, regularly perform Newborn screening test called Otoacoustic emission or OAE test. In addition to that we also have the state of art ABER (Auditory Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry) test.

We also cater to speech and language problems at TMH and also at our CHIC (Centre for Hearing Impaired Children) centre, an NGO, affiliated to Tata Steel.

(Dr. Binayak Baruah is the Sr. Consultant and HOD, Department of ENT in TMH, Jamshedpur.)