HH Full Form

What is the full form of HH?

Hearing Handicapped is abbreviated as HH. It is characterized by a partial or complete inability to hear. It happens when there is an issue with one or more parts of the ear. It can impair children's ability to learn the spoken language. It can affect one or both ears. How can a child understand or learn if he cannot hear properly? It can have an impact on children's learning, while it can have an impact on adults' social and emotional development.

Types of Hearing Impairment

1. Conductive hearing loss:

It is caused by issues with the external or middle ear. It is caused by a middle ear infection, excessive wax, a hole in the tympanic membrane, and bone abnormalities in the middle ear.

2. Sensorineural hearing loss:

The issue is in the inner ear. The sound may reach the inner ear, but the brain does not receive it properly due to damage to the cochlea or auditory nerve. Long-lasting high fever, excessive noise, hereditary factors, head injuries, and medicines are all risk factors.

3. Mixed hearing loss:

It is a combination of both conductive and sensorineural hearing.

4. Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder:

Hearing loss occurs when sound enters the ear normally but is not organized in a way that the brain can understand due to damage to the inner ear.

Classification of Hearing Handicapped

1. Mild hearing loss: On the audiogram, it is categorized as a hearing loss ranging from 26 to 45 decibels and has a minor impact on communication. A person can listen to another individual if he is close by, but it is more difficult if he is a little farther away. They can use a variety of hearing aids.

2. Moderate hearing loss: On an audiogram, it is categorized as hearing loss of 41-55 decibels. In a quiet environment, the child barely hears conversational speech. They may or may not recognise what is being said to them. Medical devices are required in this situation.

3. Severe hearing impairment: It is classified as hearing loss of 71-90 decibels on an audiogram. The child will detect loud sounds but could not hear normal speech.

4. Profound hearing loss is classified as hearing loss of 90-100 decibels. The child likely responds more to vibrations than sound. Children may or may not take benefits from hearing aids.

Causes of Hearing Impairment

• Noise exposure

• Head trauma

• Heredity

• Accident

• Ageing

• Injury to ear.

• Complications during childbirth

• Infection.

Characteristics

• Confused in the words with the same sound.

• Ask for things to repeat

• Difficulty in understanding words.

• Not responding to the sounds.

Education:

1. For such individuals, written material should be provided.

2. Videos or films should be captioned

3. Combination of traditional communication, lip reading sign language.

4. Students who are having impaired hearing should be provided with special schools for their education.

5. Sign language should be used mostly.

6. Teachers should try to focus more on written concepts than speech.

Prevention

Many of the causes of hearing impairment can be avoided by implementing strategies for public health and clinical interventions throughout one's life.

Hearing loss prevention is critical throughout life, from the prenatal and postnatal periods to old age. Nearly 60% of hearing loss in children is caused by preventable causes that can be avoided by implementing public health measures. Similarly, the most widely accepted causes of hearing loss, such as loud noises and ototoxic medications, are avoidable.

Effective methods for preventing hearing loss at various stages of life include:

• Immunization
• Effective maternal and childcare practises
• Genetic consultation
• Common ear conditions identified and managed
• Noise and chemical exposure occupational hearing conservation programmes
• Medicines should be used rationally to avoid ototoxic hearing loss.

Identification and Management

• The early detection of hearing loss and ear diseases is critical for effective management.
• This usually requires systematic screening for hearing loss and related ear diseases in those who are most vulnerable. This includes the following:
• Infants and newborn babies
• Preschool and elementary school-aged children
• At work, people are subjected to noise or chemicals.
• Senior citizens.
• Once hearing loss is identified, it must be addressed as soon as possible and appropriately to minimize any negative effects.