Fact:Deafness 2

Prevention Half of all cases of hearing loss can be prevented through primary prevention. Some simple strategies for prevention include: immunizing children against childhood diseases, including measles, meningitis, rubella and mumps; immunizing adolescent girls and women of reproductive age against rubella before pregnancy; screening for and treating syphilis and other infections in pregnant women; improving antenatal and perinatal care, including promotion of safe childbirth; following healthy ear care practices; screening of children for otitis media, followed by appropriate medical or surgical interventions; avoiding the use of particular drugs which may be harmful to hearing, unless prescribed and monitored by a qualified physician; referring infants at high risk, such as those with a family history of deafness or those born with low birth weight, birth asphyxia, jaundice or meningitis, for early assessment of hearing, prompt diagnosis and appropriate management, as required; reducing exposure (both occupational and recreational) to loud sounds by raising awareness about the risks; developing and enforcing relevant legislation; and encouraging individuals to use personal protective devices such as earplugs and noise-cancelling earphones and headphones. Identification and management Early detection and intervention are crucial to minimizing the impact of hearing loss on a child’s development and educational achievements. In infants and young children with hearing loss, early identification and management through infant hearing screening programmes can improve the linguistic and educational outcomes for the child. Children with deafness should be given the opportunity to learn sign language along with their families. Pre-school, school and occupational screening for ear diseases and hearing loss is an effective tool for early identification and management of hearing loss. People with hearing loss can benefit from the use of hearing devices, such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other assistive devices. They may also benefit from speech therapy, aural rehabilitation and other related services. However, global production of hearing aids meets less than 10% of global need and less than 3% of developing countries’ needs. The lack of availability of services for fitting and maintaining these devices, and the lack of batteries are also barriers in many low-income settings. Making properly- fitted, affordable hearing aids and cochlear implants and providing accessible follow-up services in all parts of the world will benefit many people with hearing loss. People who develop hearing loss can learn to communicate through development of lip-reading skills, use of written or printed text, and sign language. Teaching in sign language will benefit children with hearing loss, while provision of captioning and sign language interpretation on television will facilitate access to information. Officially recognizing national sign languages and increasing the availability of sign language interpreters are important actions to improve access to sign language services. Human rights legislation and other protections can also help ensure better inclusion for people with hearing loss. WHO response WHO assists Members States in developing programmes for hearing care that are integrated into the primary health-care system of the country. WHO’s work includes: providing technical support to Member States in development and implementation of national plans for hearing care; providing technical resources and guidance for training of health-care workers on hearing care; developing and disseminating recommendations to address the major preventable causes of hearing loss; undertaking advocacy to raise awareness about the prevalence, causes and impact of hearing loss as well as opportunities for prevention, identification and management; developing and disseminating evidence-based tools for effective advocacy; building partnerships to develop strong hearing care programmes, including initiatives for affordable hearing aids, cochlear implants and services; collating data on deafness and hearing loss to demonstrate the scale and the impact of the problem; and promoting social inclusion of people with disabilities, including people with hearing loss and deafness, for example, through community-based rehabilitation networks and programmes.