Beware of Born deaf Children

DEAFNESS can also occur from birth, is called congenital deafness. Congenital deafness can occur due to factors that affect pregnancy or at birth. 

This deafness may be partially deaf (hearing impaired) or total deafness (Deaf). Partial deafness is a state function of hearing loss but can still be used to communicate with or without the aid of hearing devices. Total deafness is a condition that such a disruption of auditory function that can not communicate even got pavement noise (amplification). 

Congenital deafness is divided into two, genetic hereditary (genetic) and non-genetic. To prevent hereditary deafness avoid inter-family marriage / incest. Congenital deafness can occur in: 

1. During pregnancy (prenatal) 

First trimester of pregnancy is an important period for bacterial and viral infection will result in deafness. Frequent infections affect hearing include TORCHS infection (Toxoplasmosis, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes, and Syphilis), measles and mumps. 

Several types of drugs and teratogenic ototoksik such as salicylates, quinine, gentamycin, streptomycin, and others, also have the potential to cause interference with the process of organ formation and hair cells in the cochlea (the cochlea). 

   

2. At birth (perinatal) 

The cause of deafness at birth, among others, were born premature, weighing less than 1500 grams, the action with the tool during the process of birth (vacuum extraction, forceps), and baby yellow (hyperbilirubinemia), infants who were born not to cry (asphyxia), and hypoxia brain (Apgar score less than 5 in the first 5 minutes). 

Congenital deafness is a problem in children which will impact on speech development, social, cognitive and academic. Children will experience a developmental disorder of communication, language and school achievement, are not able to socialize, emotional behavior, such as irritability, stress, and eventually became humans with low-quality human resources and low employment opportunities as well. 

The problem, it is difficult to detect whether the baby was normal or deaf. Usually new parents aware of hearing loss in children when there is no response to loud noise, or not/too late to talk. Therefore, it is important for parents to respond to child development. If there is the slightest abnormality, for example in response to sound, the anatomy of the neck and head, speech and sound, and so on, it never hurts to check with your doctor. 

To determine the presence of hearing loss, so early diagnosis is necessary. An easy way to do a hearing if there is no means by providing the sounds at a distance of 1 meter behind the child. Further diagnoses can also be done in a hospital, such as Otoacoustic emission (OAE), Automated Audiometry Brainstem Response (AABR), and no less importantly Behavioral observation audiometry (BOA).