Aetiology and Hearing Status of Children under 12 years in a School for Hearing Impaired

Abstract

Objective: To assess degree, type and cause of hearing loss in children under 12 years of age in preschool for hearing impaired children. Methods:This cross sectional study was carried out in children of integrated preschool for hearing impaired children (IPSHIC) of SAHIC, Mohakhali, Dhaka, from September 2010 to March 2011. 50 deaf children were included with age 3-12 years and clinically detected hearing impairment. Data were collected by detailed history, clinical examination and audiometric findings and result were expressed in table form.Results: Most of the children presented with bilateral profound hearing loss and majority of patients presented with sensorineural type of hearing loss. Family history positive in 36% cases and consanguineous marriage were found in 34%.Commonest causes of deafness was infection. Conclusion:Early detection with universal neonatal screening should be practiced in our country and early rehabilitation reveals better out come.

Otological Presentation of Obstructive Nasal Lesions: A Study of 50 Cases

“…EDs in old children, nasal polyp, rarely nasopharyngeal tumour must be searched out; sometimes muffled hearing or aural fullness does not go away even the original cause (usually a bad cold) has gone away, sometimes symptoms persist despite trying all the usual treatments 6 . Chronic ETD does not get any genetic predisposition and constant ear pain, tinnitus and dizziness alongside muffled hearing usually are the harbingers of the complications of ETD like recurring symptoms and AOM, OME, COM, retracted membrane 6 . Treatment for ETD also depends upon both the severity and cause of the condition, thus may include home remedies (chewing, swallowing, suckling, saline nasal spray), OTC medications (antihistamines for allergies, NSAIDs) and prescribed drugs (oral and nasal steroid) and supplements (pressure equalization implant, balloon dilator in eustachian tube) for severe cases, even myringotomy with or without tympanotomy and surgery for nasal obstruction for longlasting severe cases; regarding the treatment of or prevention of the complications the restoration of eustachian tube patency is a mandatory since pressure equalization help with chronic middle ear infections and treating the underlying causes is the best way treat and prevent recurring symptoms hence the otitis media-thus children or adult getting frequent ear infections should be treated with the thinking of ETD 1,2 . Childhood deafness is a common health problem worldwide and in the developing countries, the greater proportion of childhood deafness is due to infection and in a study it was 38% 7 . Eustachian tube is traditionally assumed to be the main route for organisms reaching the middle ear and studies showed that shorter, straighter and more patulous tubes are more prone to AOM but research has found no difference in tubal dimensions in otitis prone and non-prone children rather significantly poorer active tubes are more prone to OM 6 .…”