Hearing problems can affect child's studies, says Dubai expert

A Dubai-based ear clinic is raising awareness in schools about children who may unknowingly be suffering from hearing problems.

As part of the initiative, Dr Mahaboob Shahnawaz, from hearLIFE, recently held a hearing screening programme at Star International School for pupils aged six to nine.

The school nurse, Joanne Chapman, said few schools in the UAE provide hearing tests, but it is a precaution that should be taken. She said: “Kids should receive the best education. There should be no barriers.”

​A Dubai-based ear clinic is raising awareness in schools about children who may  unknowingly be suffering from hearing problems.
A Dubai-based ear clinic is raising awareness in schools about children who may unknowingly be suffering from hearing problems.

Shahnawaz explained that ear infections and common colds and coughs, if left untreated, can in some cases lead to permanent hearing loss.

“The child will suffer from it inadver­tently within himself unless a parent or teacher notices any signs of the problem. A child in a classroom suffering from hearing loss misses out on vocabulary growth and other learning material, which leads to psychological and social problems,” Shahnawaz added.

If a student is not responding well in the class, it could be because of hearing problems, according to Shahnawaz. He explained: “The child is usually considered disobedient by the teacher if the problem remains unidentified.”

When a child has a hearing loss of 25 to 30 decibels, they miss out on ele­ments of speech, which can cause slurring and pronunciation problems. “This can lead to dyslexia. When treating dyslexia, a hearing examination is the first test to be considered,” he said.

Shahnawaz explained that monitoring a child’s hearing is crucial up to the age of seven, as it is the period where key learning takes place. “After the age of seven, nearly 75 per cent of the brain has matured,” he said.

Shahnawaz also said loud noises should be avoided, such as concerts. These can cause temporary hearing loss, leading to permanent problems.

He said: “Kids should also not use cotton buds. They like playing with them, but they can cause infection.”

If the child fails a hearing test, Shahnawaz said they will need to undergo a further medical examination to get to the root of the problem. He said: “It varies with each patient. The child may have to wear

a hearing aid.”

Parents and teachers often do not realise a child’s lack of attention or decreased motivation in studies could be due to hearing problems, which can be detected if the child is taken for the simple test.

“The screening takes about 10 to 15 minutes,” said Shahnawaz.

HearLIFE also hopes to expand its programme to test for hearing loss among UAE labourers, who are particularly vulnerable because they are exposed to large amounts of noise pollution.

sarwat@7days.ae

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