Today Is World Deafness Day
Hearing loss has become the number one disability in the world with loud music, recreational equipment and noisy workplaces causing one-third of all such cases, according to a new study.The study which comes ahead of World Deafness Day on September 24, estimates that around 500 million people worldwide suffer from some form of hearing loss.
People are now losing their hearing at a much younger age than they used to 30 years ago, the study compiled by the Hearing Institute of America said.
The revelation has raised concern among experts, who feel hearing-related ailments are increasing rapidly, especially among the youth.
About 1-2 per 1,000 children across the world are born hearing impaired.
In India, the figure is likely to be higher at about 3-4 children per 1,000, said Ameet Kishore of the Apollo Indraprastha Hospital. "Out of the total deaf population of 6.3 per cent in India, about one per cent suffers from noise induced deafness," he said.
The youth in India, especially those working with tele-calling agencies, are becoming more prone to hearing-related problems.
"It is a real matter of concern, especially at a time when young students are hooked to their mobile phones and music players for long hours," said ENT specialist R C Deka of the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS). (Daily News & Analysis)
***** This blog often highlights common medical ailments and relevant health issues. This is the second posting in the past week on the problem of hearing loss. Parents should be aware of the risks of cell phones and music players which their children have much access to. It is the responsibility of each and every parent to see that these contraptions don't in some way affect the quality of life of their kids in the future.
Being hearing impaired may not be of much concern to the average person but only those with such a disadvantage can tell you of the great practical difficulties they face on a daily basis. On this World Deafness Day it is hoped that people, especially the young, will be more aware of the causes of deafness and the measures to be taken in avoiding the largely self-inflicted varieties.
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Labels: Health
posted by The Malaysian. at 9/24/2007 11:37:00 AM
1 Comments:
What an excellent post.
Education about all disabilities is essential, deafness is a disability which most of us are ignorant about.
The Deaf, and all others with disabilities, and those with illnesses such as Parkinson's Disease, Epilepsy, etc., can benefit greatly if 'Disability Awareness' is taught in our schools, college, and universities. Furthermore the general public, and especially those employed in jobs which involved interaction with the public should receive 'Disabilty Awareness Training"
This is carried out overseas, as this article from the UK shows.
"Taxi drivers go to the dogs.
Taxi drivers in Warwick District will be seeing things differently after attending a new course in disability awareness. Run in conjunction with Leamington based Guide Dogs for the Blind, the three hour course will give all drivers a better awareness of the needs of their disabled passengers.
The Council’s Regulatory Committee took the decision to require all new drivers to attend the course ahead of the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act legislation. Existing drivers will also be attending the course as soon as they are able.
The course covers not only sight disabilities, but also physical disabilities, autism, and depression. In one scenario the drivers are themselves put in a wheelchair and wear special glasses to simulate how their vehicles can appear to someone with a visual impairment. The drivers completing the course receive a certificate and sticker to display in their vehicle."
Malaysia should have legislation which makes discrimination against the disabled (and anyone else for that matter) a criminal offence.
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