Other FAQs

 
  1. What is hearing impairment ?
    Hearing impairment is when your child’s ears can’t do all the things they should be able to do. For example , your child might have muffled hearing, or he / she might not be able to hear sounds coming from some directions, or might have trouble hearing certain sounds.
     
  2. Why is early detection of hearing impairment & early intervention important ?
    Early detection of hearing impairment means your child can get early intervention and support. This can make a big difference to child’s language development as first 3 years of life are very crucial in development of speech and language. If your child has undiagnosed hearing impairment in early childhood, he/she could miss out on essential learning and development opportunities.
     
  3. At what age can hearing impairment be diagnosed ?
    Hearing impairment can be diagnosed as early as 24 hours after birth.
     
  4. At what age can hearing aid be put at the earliest ?
    Hearing aids can be given to a child of age 1 – 2 months after conducting all the necessary tests to confirm hearing  impairment .
     
  5. Will an older child start speaking immediately after wearing hearing aid for the first time ?
    No. Hearing aid is a tool which helps sound to reach the inner ear. It is not a medicine which will cure hearing impairment. Child has to undergo proper training from a speech therapist or a special teacher after wearing hearing aid to be able to speak.
     
  6. How long is speech therapy required ?
    This depends on the age at which the child starts using hearing aids and starts speech therapy. Younger the age of wearing hearing aid and starting speech therapy, better the outcome.
     
  7. Does the child have to wear hearing aid only during speech therapy sessions ?
    No. Child has to wear hearing aids as long as possible during the day, preferably throughout the day.
     
  8. Should the hearing be removed before the child goes to sleep ?
    Its ok if the child goes to sleep with the hearing aid.
     
  9. Will watching and listening to television help the child to learn speech once hearing aid is given ?
    No. Till the child learns speech and language from a teacher or a therapist, television would not help.
     
  10. What language is used in the preschool to teach hearing impaired children ?
    In the preschool, every child is taught in its mother-tongue as it becomes easier for the child to learn the language that is spoken at home.
     
  11. When can child learn additional language ?
    Once the child learns to use mother-tongue satisfactorily, additional language can be taught at the age of 3 to 4 years.

Deafness and Hereditary Hearing Loss Overview
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