| Q: |
What are some
signs that indicate my baby has normal hearing? |
| A: |
Birth to 3 or 4 months:
Startles to sudden, loud sounds; stops moving or crying
in response to your voice.
3 months: Imitates gurgling or cooing sounds; awakes to
loud noises.
4 to 5 months: Turns eyes and head in direction of sounds.
7 to 9 months: Responds to his name; babbles in multiple
syllables.
9 months: Makes vowel sounds.
9 to 12 months: Uses his/her voice to get attention; says
first word; imitates sounds; responds to music.
12 to 18 months: Imitates sounds and simple words; uses
3 to 20 words. |
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| Q: |
Why is newborn
hearing screening important? |
| A: |
Since there are no
visual indicators, most hearing-impaired children who
are not screened at birth are not identified until between
1-1/2 and 3 years of age – well beyond the critical
period for healthy speech and language development. With
the help of a newborn hearing screening, a hearing-impaired
child can be identified and treated only (prior to 6 months).
Studies have shown that in such a case the child will
most likely develop language, speech and social skills
comparable to his or her normal-hearing peers and thus
avoid a lifetime of hearing-loss related disabilities. |
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| Q: |
How should
we look after our ears? |
| A: |
1. |
If water gets into
our ears during swimming or while washing our hair, we
should tilt our head to let the water run out. There is
no need to apply a cotton swab or any other foreign objects
to the ear. |
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2. |
Ear wax is normally
expelled from the ear canal by migration, a process which
is aided by movement of the jaw. Using a cotton swab may
push the earwax back into the ear canal. |
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3. |
If, due to ear canal
problems, ear wax is not able to expel by itself, you
should consult a doctor. |
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4. |
If you suffer from
a middle-ear infection, you should not take any pain killer
without consulting a doctor first. |
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5. |
While working in a
noisy environment, where the noise level is above 90 decibels,
you should wear ear plugs or ear protectors. |
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6. |
If you experience
ear aches, constant itching, ringing, emission of liquid
from your ears, etc., you should consult a doctor immediately. |
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| Q: |
If we suspect
a hearing problem, what should we do? |
| A: |
You should consider
consulting an ear, nose and throat specialist and/or an
audiologist, and arrange for a hearing test. |
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| Q: |
What are some
common symptoms of hearing loss in the elderly? |
| A: |
Common signs of hearing
impairment include asking people to repeat, turning TV
& radio volume unnecessarily loud; watching the faces
of the speakers and relying heavily on lip-reading in
conversations; non-responsive to sounds. |
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| Q: |
What are the
causes for hearing impairment? |
| A: |
Congenital
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Acquired |
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Hereditary |
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Maternal illness
during pregnancy |
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Exposure to
certain drugs e.g. cancer-fighting medication
and certain antibiotics, which have
an adverse effect on the baby |
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Being infected
during pregnancy, e.g. Rubella (German
measles) |
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Complications
during delivery, e.g. birth injury and
lack of oxygen |
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Incompatibility
between the blood types of the mother
and the baby |
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Pre-maturity
or low birth weight |
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Some infectious
diseases can cause hearing loss, such
as meningitis, encephalitis & mumps,
etc. |
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Taking certain
medications that are damaging to hearing; |
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other types
of infections affecting hearing e.g.
syphilis |
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Trauma |
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Noise |
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Any disease
accompanied by a high fever may damage
hearing |
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Eardrum perforation |
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Aging and the
accompanying deterioration of bodily
functions. |
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| Q: |
How many types
of hearing loss are there? |
| A: |
Conductive
hearing loss
There
is a problem with the mechanism that conducts sound from
the environment to the inner ear. This type of hearing
loss can often be corrected by medication or surgery,
and – if not – the hearing-impaired person
does very well with a hearing aid.
Sensorineural
hearing loss
There
is damage to the inner ear (the cochlea) or auditory nerve.
At this time, there is no medical remedy for this type
of hearing loss. However, sufferer may benefit from such
treatments as a hearing aid, cochlear implant, and educational
and communication therapies.
Mixed
hearing loss
Some
people with sensorineural hearing loss may also develop
a conductive hearing loss. |
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| Q: |
How to avoid
non-congenital hearing loss? |
| A: |
Baby
feeding in an upright or semi-upright position
Babies’ Eustachian tubes tend to be shorter &
flatter than an adult’s. If a baby remains lying
down while nursing, coughed up milk can travel back into
the middle ear, leading to a middle-ear infection. Therefore,
it is necessary to raise the baby’s head slightly
while nursing and do not put the baby back in bed immediately
after nursing.
Vaccinations
After the baby’s born, do follow the Health Department’s
directives regarding vaccinations, reducing the possibility
of the baby contracting infectious diseases which may
affect its hearing.
Fix bodily deformities early
Certain jaw deformities, such as cleft palate, can affect
the normal functioning of the Eustachian tubes, and can
even lead to the accumulation of bodily fluid in the middle
ear. Parents should arrange to have operations performed
to correct the problems prior to two years of age.
Attend to colds and influenzas
Middle-ear infections can be caused by minor respiratory
illnesses, so you should consult a doctor early. |
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| Q: |
What inappropriate
behaviour can cause damage to the ears? |
| A: |
Introducing a cotton
swab or other foreign matters into the ear; loud noise
and using the incorrect method for blowing one’s
nose. |
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| Q: |
What is cochlear
implant? |
| A: |
Cochlear implant is
an advanced medical equipment, improving the hearing of
those who do not benefit from the use of normal hearing
aids and those who suffer from severe hearing loss. Through
the implant and the subsequent speech training, the cochlear
implant can help the hearing-impaired regain their hearing. |
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