an audiological survey in a school of deaf children in zagazig

Hearing loss of ch i Idhood onset represents a much greater handicap to the individual in th3t it may, when of sufficient severity, i rrterf ere with normal education anci with the acquisition of speech, thereby leading to l i f e l onq problems in communication which are far greater than in the case ’of ac1ult hearing losses as substantial sme l iorat ion or mi t i qai i on .or h, aring loss of adult onset i s of t en pass i b 1 e, whether by surgery or through the use of hearing aids. This study had been executed on the pupils attending Zagazig School for Deaf Chi Idren which harbours 325 ch i Idren (200 boys and 125 girls) ranging from 6-17 years of age. A carefully worked out interview, with full case history, was commenced which was followed by physical and audiological examinations to evaluate the deaf-mute children, elucidate the various etiological factors and their rela- tive importance. Special investigations were carded out; as non- verbal I.O. tests, measurement of interorbital distances, ophthal- mological and radiological examinations, when indicated. The availa - ble data were then-statistically correlated. Investigation of hearing loss of children revealed the following data: - The ratio of males to females was found to be 1.6 : 1.Most of children (75.7%) were diagnosed at tlhe 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of life.