[Principles of early management of deaf children]

First of all there is an introduction regarding the significance of hearing-defects in small children (0-3 years), concerning aswell the development of personality as also divergences in the development of language. After a short survey over the methods of early recognition of hearing defected small children and the supply of a hearing-aid a therapy-concept for early care of hearing defected small children is introduced. This therapy-concept was developed at the I. Ear-, Nose- and Throat-Clinic in Vienna and divides itself into three sections that run partially parallel. 1. Parent consultation: This represents the first step regarding the early recognition and is undertaken whilst a diagnosis is being made. 2. The setting up of the acoustical perception: As soon as the technical preliminaries are done, the early-training of small children with hearing-defects starts with a training of a constant turn toward the sound-source. The essential steps of this therapy are then explained in this study. 3. The prepare of speech: The training consists of three points of main effort: The setting up of vocabulary. The foundation of articulation and speech correction. Continued hearing-practice. The team executing this consists of an Ear-, Nose- and Throat-specialist, a psychologist and a logopedist.