By Eva Neumann Jul 31, 2006, 3:18 GMT
Mainz, Germany On or two out of every 1,000 babies born in Germany will have a serious hearing problem and in most cases the cause is damage to the inner ear.
'Unfortunately, we see a lot of cases where the parents come to us when their child is already two years old,' says Professor Annerose Keilmann of the Clinic for Communication Disorders at the University of Mainz.
Although hearing tests for newborns do exist, physicians are not obliged to carry them out which makes observation by parents very important.
That rule applies not only to young babies - one in every 2,000 children has problems with both middle ears, mostly due to infections.
Quick treatment is essential.
'The great risk is their speech development but also their emotional competence will suffer as a result,' says Fabienne Becker- Stoll, head of the Institute for Early Pedagogy in Munich.
Parents should watch out for telltale signs. One possible indicator is if the child does not feel scared when a door closes unexpectedly. Another is if the child continues to sleep while loud music is being played.
'If an older child begins to mutter, that can indicate a hearing defect,' says Keilmann. Another indication is family history of hearing loss, sickness during pregnancy or a difficult birth.
However, it is important to remember it can be a long road from the moment parents become suspicious to getting a definitive medical diagnosis.
'Parents are often accused of being overanxious and are not taken seriously during that time,' says Klaus Hartmann of the German Association of Parents and Friends of Children with Hearing Loss.
But the earlier a therapy begins, the greater the chance the child will develop satisfactory speech and social skills.
A cochlear implant, an artificial inner ear, can help in borderline cases of hearing loss, while in other cases a hearing aid might improve the ear's performance.
'But it is an illusion to believe we can completely cancel the effects of hearing loss with a hearing aid,' says Keilmann, adding, 'However, it can improve the life situation of the child and later the adult.'
An audiologist is responsible for fitting a hearing aid. 'Sometimes it can take more than three or four weeks to complete tests,' says Marianne Frickel, president of the German Association of Audiologists.
When choosing a hearing aid, the child's interest must be encouraged. 'We have a lot of success with colourful or decorated hearing aids,' says Frickel.
Parents can play a motivational role for their children. 'They should treat their child normally and definitely not over gesticulate or speak very loudly,' recommends Hartmann.
Regular medical and technical check-ups are also part of a therapy. 'The hearing aid should be checked every three months to see if it still fits the ear,' says Frickel.
Depending on the age of the child, their hearing ability should also be checked every six months.
Special treatment provided by a speech therapist or visiting a nursery that caters to the needs of children with hearing loss can also help improve the child's quality of life.
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