Cases of hearing impairment among young people (below 55 years) are on the increase. A recent report of the World Health Organisation (WHO), says 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults (12 to 35 years) are at risk of hearing loss due to the unsafe use of personal audio devices.
In 2o11, WHO reported that about 360 million people around the world suffered from hearing impairment, with two-thirds of them living in developing countries. WHO also noted that in the past, hearing impairment was more common among people of 50 years and above. The condition used to be caused by changes in the nerves and cells of the inner ear that occur as someone becomes older, explained Dan Kaija, the client relationship officer at Kampala Audiology and Speech Centre.
Kaija was speaking at the launch of the ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) Society in Kampala recently.
Hearing impairment
Hearing impairment is when a person loses part or all their ability to hear, explains Kaija. He disclosed that a survey of 6,041 people carried out in 2008 in Masindi district discovered that n.7% of adults suffered from hearing impairment. About 10.2% of the children were also found to suffer from hearing loss. More so 2.3% of the children were deemed to suffer from significant hearing problems.
Causes
Causes of hearing impairment can be divided into congenital and acquired causes, explains Dr. Julius Omoding, an ENT specialist. He says congenital causes may lead to hearing loss being present at or acquired soon after birth. Hearing loss can be caused by genetic factors or complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Dr. Josephine Likichoru, an audiologist (specialist in dealing with functioning of the ear), says some children are born with under-developed ears, especially premature babies. Even head injury, or lack of oxygen to the brain can cause hearing impairment.
On the other hand, acquired causes may lead to hearing loss at any age. Such causes include infectious diseases such as meningitis, measles and mumps; chronic ear infections and use of certain drags that damage the inner ear such as some antibiotics and anti-malarials. Other causes are continuous exposure to excessive noise, which damages the delicate hair cells in the inner ear. This damage often results in permanent hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in ears).
Treatment
“Treatment of hearing impairment is prescribed depending on the type and cause. If the cause is an infection, the patient is put on antibiotics and it clears,” Likichoru says. She adds that if the patient has mild hearing loss, he or she is given a hearing aid to amplify the sound and enable him/her to hear properly. The aids are sometimes given out free of charge at government health centres, such as Kisugu Health Centre. In private facilities, a hearing aid costs about shr.8m. If the condition cannot be corrected, a patient is referred to the school of the deaf to learn sign language.
Prevention
Dr. Likichoru says half of all cases of hearing loss can be prevented through primary prevention. Some simple strategies for prevention include immunizing children against childhood diseases such as measles, meningitis, rubella and mumps. Adolescent girls and women of reproductive age should also be immunized against rubella before pregnancy. Pregnant women should also be screened for and treated for diseases such as syphilis, which might cause hearing loss in an unborn child.
“We believe more in prevention rather than treatment. This is why we encourage people to go for regular check-up to find out about the functioning of their ears,” Kaija says. Dr. Hillary Ogutti, an ENT surgeon at Arua Hospital, warned people against using sharp objects such as matchsticks to clean their ears, saying they could damage the ear drums, leading to hearing loss.
“Don’t have your television, radio or music on too loud. This is particularly important if you have young children because their ears are more delicate than those of an adult. When listening to radio or television, the safe volume should be at a level whereby one can comfortably have a conversation with someone who is two metres away,” explains Ogutti.
He also urges people to get examined if they experience a dull hearing or ringing in the ears after listening to music.
Source: New Vision