Scope of the Problem of Child Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is a hidden disability and it is commonly diagnosed too late for optimal treatment.
Hearing loss is the most
common disability in newborn babies. Between 400,000 and 760,000 children with hearing loss were born in 2004 alone, with over three million children under the age of five with hearing loss at any one time worldwide.
The incidence of hearing loss is three in 1,000 in developed countries and higher in non-developed countries.
The implications of significant hearing loss in children may include severe problems with:
- listening
- speech development
- spoken language
- education
- literacy
- academic skills
- social development
- emotional development
- future career
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The Urgent Need
Hearing loss is ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHILDHOOD DISABILITIES WORLDWIDE.
- 278 million people worldwide are affected with permanent hearing impairment. Two thirds of these live in developing countries.
- Hearing impairment is also very common in adults and may cause depression and isolation.
- There are presently only enough trained listening and speaking professionals to effectively treat 8% of all children and adults with hearing loss worldwide.
The Hear and Say WorldWide Hearing Health Team Education Program will assist in alleviating the critical need for appropriately qualified listening and speaking professionals and increase the potential to meet this rapidly increasing global service demand.
Join Us
Join forces wih Hear and Say WorldWide as leaders and catalysts, change the way the world thinks about and treats children with hearing loss.
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