children s health issues
Hearing Impairment in Children
Treatment
Treating the cause when possible Hearing aids or cochlear implants Sign language Treating reversible causes of hearing loss and ear defects can restore hearing. For example, ear infections can be treated with antibiotics or surgery, earwax can be manually removed or dissolved with ear drops, and cholesteatomas can be surgically removed. Most often the cause of a child’s hearing loss cannot be reversed, and treatment involves use of a hearing aid to compensate for the impairment as much as possible. Hearing Aids are available for infants as well as older children. If hearing loss is mild or moderate or affects only one ear, a hearing aid or earphones can be used. Children who have hearing impairment in only one ear can be helped by using an The behind-the-ear hearing aid is the most powerful but least attractive hearing aid. The in-the-ear hearing aid is the best choice for severe hearing loss. It is easy to adjust but is difficult to use with telephones. The in-the-canal hearing aid is used for mild to moderate hearing loss. This aid is relatively inconspicuous. The completely-in-the-canal hearing aid is used for mild to moderate hearing loss. This aid has good sound, is nearly invisible, and can be easily used with telephones. It is removed by pulling on a small string. However, it is the most expensive and hard to adjust. Cochlear Implants (a surgically implanted system that sends electrical signals directly into the auditory nerve in response to sounds) may be used for children whose hearing loss is severe enough that it cannot be managed with hearing aids. Children may also require therapy to support their language development, such as being taught a visually based Treatment in children . People in deaf communities are proud of their rich culture and alternative forms of communication. Many deaf people oppose surgery for the treatment of severe hearing impairment on the grounds that it may deny children membership in the deaf community. Families who wish to consider this approach should discuss it with their doctor. 