Frequency of Severity and Types of Hearing Impairment In Children of Age 5 to 10 Years in Audiology Department

Abstract

Hearing impairment also known as hearing loss is a total or partial incapability to hear. Hard of hearing individuals have difficulty understanding speech sounds. The hearing tribulations in children could have an effect on the ability to learn spoken language as well as in adults it could be able to generate difficulty with social communication in addition to at work. \nObjective:\xa0To determine the Frequency of severity level along with its types of hearing loss in children age 5 to 15 years coming to the Department of Audiology in Children Hospital and ICH, Lahore. \nMethods:\xa0The Descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in the Audiology Department of Children Hospital and ICH in Lahore District, Punjab Province, Pakistan. Children of age limit between 5 to 15 years were had screened and examine for hearing impairment according to the World Health Organization (WHO) protocols. A purposive sampling technique was used. The Case-control analysis of the audiometric test had performed to find out the type and degree of Hearing loss, follow by Chi-Square analysis. \nResults:\xa0The total of 175 children comprised the study population, in which 51.4% (n=90) children belong to the age group of 10-12 years, had Moderate to Severe SNHL due to Birth complications and lack of awareness about Preventable hearing loss especially in rural areas of Pakistan, 28.5% (n=50) children belong to the age group of 13-15 years, had Severe to Profound\xa0SNHL due to Consanguineous marriages, 20% (n=35) children belong to the age group of 7-9 years, had Mild to Moderate CHL due to Ear Discharge and other complications like Tonsillitis and Adenoids, etc. \nConclusions:\xa0This study concluded that a total of 175 children participated in that research, in which 90 children had Moderate to Severe SNHL, 50 children had Severe to Profound SNHL and 35 children had Mild to Moderate CHL.\xa0\xa0 \n\xa0