Speech disorders could be an indicator of hearing problems in children

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Early speech disorders can be one of the things parents should watch out for as a sign of possible hearing problems in children, especially for those who have not undergone hearing screening. This was stated by ENT specialist Dr. Fikry Hamdan Yasin, SP.THTBKL, Subsp.K.(K) at the National Central Public Hospital Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo (RSCM) during a live broadcast on social media via Instagram account @rscm.kencana, on Wednesday. “Usually in children who have been deaf or have ear problems since birth, their speech development is also affected. For example, at 6-8 months they may not be able to babble or coo. Or they may not be able to say words that repeat like mama, papa,” said Dr. Fikry. However, not all speech disorders are a definite sign that a child has hearing problems and perhaps the child has normal hearing. This is because there are many other factors that can cause a child to have speech disorders, such as inappropriate screentime and inconsistent language use at home. If it is later proven that the child has hearing problems based on suspected speech disorders, Dr. Fikry says one rehabilitation that can be done is hearing therapy or Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT). This therapy is an early intervention designed to help children with hearing impairment develop their listening and spoken language. The WHO also notes that roughly 60 percent of ear and hearing problems can be prevented or treated as long as treatment from trained health professionals is available and there is sufficient equipment and medicines. Unfortunately, 80 percent of people with ear and hearing problems currently do not receive the appropriate treatment, which affects their quality of life.