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The identification and management of deaf children
1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Illinois, Chicago, USA.
Insights
Childhood deafness, the inability to use hearing for speech, affects 1 in 1,000 newborns. This review covers causes, diagnosis, and management of deafness in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Otolaryngology
- Genetics
Background:
- Deafness is the inability to use hearing for speech, even with amplification.
- Hearing loss encompasses varying degrees of auditory impairment.
- In the U.S., 1 in 1,000 children are born deaf, with 3-5 per 1,000 having less severe hearing impairment.
Purpose of the Study:
- Review the effects of deafness on children.
- Discuss the diverse causes of childhood deafness.
- Describe diagnostic methods and management strategies for deaf children.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on childhood deafness.
- Analysis of clinical characteristics for early diagnosis.
- Description of the otolaryngologist's diagnostic algorithm.
- Overview of management and rehabilitation outcomes.
Main Results:
- Deafness can be congenital (genetic, injury, developmental anomalies) or acquired (toxic, infectious, neoplastic, traumatic, degenerative).
- Early diagnosis relies on specific clinical characteristics and a structured investigative approach.
- Management involves a multidisciplinary approach focusing on rehabilitation and support.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the causes and effects of deafness is crucial for effective intervention.
- Timely diagnosis and appropriate management significantly impact a deaf child's development and quality of life.
- Rehabilitation strategies are essential for maximizing communication and integration outcomes.
Abstract:
Deafness is defined as the inability to use hearing as a primary channel for receiving speech, even with amplification. Hearing loss, on the other hand, is hearing impairment of various degrees that could be unilateral or bilateral. In the United States, approximately one out of every 1,000 children is born deaf with 3-5 being born with less severe degrees of hearing impairment. Deafness present at birth could be due to genetic abnormalities or due to injury to the developing auditory system or due to developmental anomalies of this system. Deafness can also develop after birth and, in broad terms, the cause can be toxic, infectious, neoplastic, traumatic or degenerative. The purpose of this paper is to: (1) review the effects of deafness on the child, (2) discuss the causes of deafness, (3) describe the clinical characteristics which allow early diagnosis and the algorithm otolaryngologists use to investigate a child suspected to be deaf, (4) describe the management of the deaf child and finally, (5) review the results of rehabilitation.