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Identification and follow-up of children with hearing loss in Mauritius
1Department of Communication Pathology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.
Insights
Early identification and intervention for childhood hearing loss are crucial. In Mauritius, a developing nation, children face late diagnosis (median 24 months) and fragmented care, highlighting a need for improved early intervention programs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Audiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Early identification and intervention are vital for children with hearing impairment to mitigate developmental deficits.
- Intervention programs must be multidisciplinary, technologically advanced, and context-specific.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the current status of intervention processes for hearing-impaired children in Mauritius.
- To gather baseline data on the identification and management of childhood hearing loss in a developing country context.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire-based study involving parents of 37 hearing-impaired children.
- Data collection focused on median ages of suspicion, diagnosis, hearing aid fitting, and referral processes.
Main Results:
- Children were identified late, with a median age of 24 months for suspicion of hearing loss.
- The management process is fragmented, with significant time lapses in diagnosis and hearing aid provision.
- Strengths include parental involvement and public service structures, but coordination of services is lacking.
Conclusions:
- Current systems in Mauritius show delays and fragmentation in early intervention for hearing loss.
- Recommendations are proposed for a practical, prototype early intervention program for Mauritius and other developing nations.
Abstract:
Early identification of hearing loss followed by a timely and effective intervention programme for children with hearing impairment is necessary to minimise the negative effects of hearing loss on the development of cognition, psychosocial and verbal communication skills. Such early intervention programmes need to be multidisciplinary, technologically sound and most important, it should take cognizance of the specific context (community, country) in which the child and family function. The main aim of this study is to obtain accurate and reliable baseline information regarding current status of the intervention process for children with hearing loss in Mauritius, a developing country. Questionnaire-based interviews were carried out to obtain information from 37 hearing impaired children's parents regarding the median ages of suspicion of hearing loss, diagnosis and placement of hearing aids. The referral process, diagnosis and the management of these children is also described. The findings indicate that children in the study were identified late (median age 24 months) and that the management process is fragmented. The strengths in the current identification and follow-up process namely, parental involvement and established public service structure are highlighted. The weaknesses in the current system are identified, for example, time lapses in the identification process and the provision of hearing aids and the lack of co-ordinated services. The theoretical and empirical research carried out forms the basis of recommendations that have practical implications for an early intervention programme for children with hearing loss in Mauritius and can possibly function as a prototype for other developing countries.
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