| In Hong Kong about 8 – 12% of
children, i.e. 60,000 in total are suffering from various
degrees of hearing and speech problems. And another 800,000
elderly people have mild to severe hearing problems as
well. In China, the situation is even more astonish-ing.
The National Ear Care Day Committee estimates that one-third
of the 60 million disabled persons in China suffer from
hearing problems. This figure already excludes the number
of the elderly. Hence it illustrates the magnitude of
communicative problems in the population of HK and China.
Hearing loss can be present at birth, or it may develop
later in life. Without
proper hearing, children can never develop speech and
language that would allow them to learn and become productive
members of the society. Aging and exposure to noise
are important factors that cause hearing problems and
reduce the quality of life among adults.
Except for genetic factors, many cases of hearing loss
are preventable. But yet too few people take their hearing
cautiously and fail to protect them.
With the support of the Chinese University of Hong
Kong, a group of dedicated pro-fessionals, including
ear, nose & throat specialists, audiologists, speech
therapists and educators, established the “Hear
Talk Foundation” in late 2003. It aims at de-livering
a concerted effort focusing on public education and
elevating the standard of care.
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