Deaf child--a general practitioner's responsibility.

ABSTRACT

The power of a child's speaking language never develops if he is deaf. Deafness persists if it is not detected early. Childhood deafness is either congenital or acquired. At birth, doctors or attendants can detect deafness by arousing the baby with sudden loud noise. At 4 months onwards mothers and doctors can detect deafness. The baby at this age can turn its head or eyes towards the source of the sound. By 12 months to 2 years of age it is very difficult to detect deafness. By the age of 3 years children again become co-operative and it becomes easier to detect deafness. Children should always be screened for deafness while being admitted to nursery classes. In school going age ie, 5 years onwards loss of tests can be employed to detect deafness. If a child is suspected be deaf, a general practitioner's responsibility is to refer him to an ENT specialist earlier. Any child whose mother believes her child is deaf should be given due attention. Otitis media with effusion, enlarged adenoid, chronic suppurative otitis media, recurrent otitis media are some diseases to be carefully looked into by the general practitioners. Now-a-days cochlear implantation surgery is gaining popularity to give hearing to deaf child. Moreover regular screening for deafness should be included school heath programme.