File photo used for representation only
The National Programme for Early Detection of Hearing Loss, an initiative for timely diagnosis of hearing weakness in children, is screening around 28,000 newborns across the Hamad Medical Corporation hospitals every year.
Every year, 20-25 children are diagnosed with a hearing impairment annually, this corresponding to the global statistics on the number of children with hearing impairment, 1-3 per thousand children, said Dr. Khalid A. Hadi, National Lead for health and well-being of people with special needs.
“According to the new protocol, newborns are examined at the age of two to three months with the first vaccination using otoacoustic emissions, in addition to automated auditory brainstem response test. And among children between the ages of 2 to 4 years, about 20 to 30 children per year are detected with hearing loss,” Dr. Hadi, told The Peninsula.
Dr. Hadi — who is also the Senior Consultant, Head of Audiology and Balance Unit, Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) — said early intervention is helpful in managing cases of hearing impairment.
He said the delay in intervention leads to social isolation and the inability to receive basic education like the rest of his peers, and the economic costs for the family and the nation.
Established in 2003, National Programme for Early Detection of Hearing Loss provides hearing screenings to all babies born in Qatar prior to their discharge from the hospital. Under the programme, all babies are tested again when they have their first vaccination in two months.
The Hearing and Balance Department at Hamad Medical Corporation was established in 2004, and since then the department has been witnessing continuous development. Currently, it has more than 11 clinics. These clinics and services care for more than 45,000 patients every year.
Clinics include paediatric audiology clinic, auditory brainstem response clinic, tinnitus clinic, ototoxicity clinic, dizzy clinic, cochlear implant clinic, hearing aid fitting and programming clinic, vestibular rehabilitation clinic, auditory verbal therapy clinic and hearing aid lab.
According to Dr. Hadi, nearly 315 cochlear implants have been performed with a 100 percent success rate. He said cochlear implants are suitable for individuals at any age.
Hearing aid molds are manufactured in ‘Hearing Aid Lab’. A dedicated laboratory has greatly reduced waiting times for hearing-impaired children and adults.
“This laboratory is the first of its kind in the region, not only in the manufacture of these molds, but in the maintenance of the hearing aids, and a 3D printer has been recently introduced, which will save a lot of time and is characterised by accuracy in the manufacture of these molds and will be activated in the near future,” said Dr. Hadi.
The Hearing and Balance Department at HMC participated in the celebration of World Hearing Day, which was marked on March 3 under the slogan, ‘To hear for life, Listen with care.’
This year, the focus is on ‘Noised induced Hearing Loss’. As loud sounds and continuous noise may lead to hearing impairment of various degrees, and in certain cases it may lead to complete hearing loss.
