Treating options for deaf children

Although already established for metabolic diseases, universal screening programs for hearing have not been widely applied, despite the high incidence of profound congenital hearing loss. The present paper aims to review the current knowledge on the available treatment options for deaf infants.

The acquisition of spoken language is a time-dependent process. For a child to become linguistically competent, some form of linguistic input should be present as early as possible in his/her life. Although objective audiological methods have certain weaknesses, their combination can give an accurate diagnosis in most of the cases. Later on, behavioural audiometry should confirm the diagnosis. Additional disabilities also need to be considered, although such assessments may be difficult in very young children. Congenital deafness should be managed by a multidisciplinary team (MDT). Affected infants should be bilaterally fitted with hearing aids, no later than three months after birth. They should be monitored and if they are not progressing linguistically, cochlear implantation (CI) should be considered after thorough preoperative assessment. Following CI, the vast majority of congenitally deaf children develop significant speech perception and production abilities over time. Age-at-intervention and oral communication, are the most important determinants of outcomes. Realistic parental expectations are also essential. The continuous support of a dedicated pediatric CI program, in collaboration with local professionals, and community members, are also necessary to achieve a successful outcome.

Congenitally deaf children should be detected early, and referred timely for the process of auditory rehabilitation to be initiated. Strong support by community members, and professional bodies, can maximize the future earnings of pediatric auditory rehabilitation with hearing aids and cochlear implants.