AUDITORY HANDICAP

Deaf: a deaf person is recognized as one who is unable with or without the assistance of hearing aid, to
process linguistic information. Deaf persons have un-functional hearing deficiency. Research shows that
deaf persons have poor balance and experience dizziness.

Hard of hearing: A hard of hearing person is referred as one who is able with the help of hearing aid, to
process linguistic information because of residual hearing capability. Head of hearing persons have
functional hearing deficiency.

Hearing Impairment: it is the generic term used to identify both types of hearing disabilities.

Congenital Hearing Impairment: Hearing disability occurs at the time of birth.

Adventitious Hearing Impairment: Hearing disability occurs later in life.

Pre lingual Impairment: A child who is deaf after the age of seven, when speech and language are well
developed then such type of condition is known as post lingual Impairment.

Pathway of Sound: like the eye, ear is a complex organ capable of distinguishing the intensity and
frequency of various sounds. Sound is first received by outer ear then transmitted to middle ear and
finally reaches to the inner ear, where is transferred to the brain via optic nerve.

Measurement of Hearing Loss

Audiologist: A professional who assesses the hearing loss.

Audiometer: An instrument used to measure the hearing loss

Audio graph: A graph on which results (intensity = loudness and frequency = pitch of the sound)

Units: Sound is measured in two units, Decibels (dB) refers to loudness (Intensity) of the sound and Hertz
(HZ) refers to frequency (Pitch) at which sound may be heard.

Hearing loss is noted in decibels. Frequency measures are used to determine whether the hearing loss is
constant at different levels of frequency or not.

Degrees of Hearing Loss

1. Slight Hearing Loss

2. Mild Hearing Loss
3. Marked Hearing Loss
4. Severe Hearing Loss
5. Profound Hearing Loss

Slight Hearing Loss: (27 – 40 dB)

A person slight Hearing loss may have distant speech or faint hearing difficulty will have no difficulty in
education and will require only speech reading.

Mild Hearing Loss: (41 – 55 dB)

A person with mild hearing loss can understand speech at a distance 3-5ft needs special assistance
including hearing aids, speech reading etc.

Marked Hearing loss: (56 – 70 dB)

A person with marked hearing loss can understand the speech with loud voices, facing difficulty in group
discussion needs hearing aid.

Severe Hearing: (71 – 90 dB)

A person with severe hearing loss means that individual may not hear loud voices by one foot from the
ear and he is only able to discriminate only vowels, needs hearing aids and specials technique of
language skills.

Profound Hearing Loss: (91 + dB)

A person with profound hearing loss cannot rely on hearing as their primary channel of communication
although they may have some residual Hearing therefore they Hear very loud voices.

They need full time special class with primary emphasis on communication skills.

Types of Hearing Loss

1. Conductive Hearing Loss

2. Sensorineural Hearing Loss
3. Mixed Hearing Loss

Conductive Hearing Loss:

Causes: External Otitis (Inflammation of the auditory canal due to infection)

Symptoms: Severe swelling and pain.

Prohibited Activity: Swimming

Otitis Media: Infection of middle ear that can damage ossicles, preventing the normal transmission of
sound.

Cause: Blockage of Eustachian Tube

Prohibited Activity: Do not swim, when tubes are worn

Treatment: Insertion of artificial tube may decrease the blockage of Eustachian tube.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss:

It is caused by damage to the cells or nerve fibers that receive and transmit sound stimuli. It is more
serious condition and less likely to be improved by medical treatment. The loss of hearing may range
from mild to total disability. Some degree of sensorineural is common cause of sensorineural deafness is
congenital among children and young adults.

Causes: Research shows mothers having rubella, influenza during the early months of pregnancy may
cause hereditary deafness to their babies. Other common causes are meningitis, brain fever, measles,
influenza etc

Treatment: Hearing aids of improved quality.

Mixed Hearing Loss:

When both conductive deafness and sensorineural present, the result is classified as mixed loss.

Suggested Activities

 All the individual and team sports may be learned by deaf and hard of hearing persons. Such as
bowling fencing archery, golf, tennis, badminton, football, base ball etc.
 Visual signals such as waving of colored flags should be surely and completely understand by all
these participants before ply begins.
 Swimming and other water sports (i.e., water polo balance and experience dizziness because of
damage to semicircular canal. Therefore balance and exercise such as stand (standing on one
foot), stunts (walking on line) and exercise on beam will help them to improve their balance.
 Some specific exercises should also be included to improve co-ordination, flexibility, agility,
endurance etc of deaf students.

Sign Language: A form of communication, frequently used by the hearing impaired, that involves
systemic use of gestures.

Finger Spelling Alphabet and Signs: Finger spelling alphabet and signs are commonly used in physical
education instructions may help hearing impaired students in their education and other physical and
sports activities.