Vol. 3, Issue 8, Part B (2017)

Abstract
Children with mild to moderate hearing loss may have significant difficulties in their language, academic and social emotional development compared with their peers with normal hearing. This checklist will help in early detection of hearing and intervention of such children. The aim of the present study is to detect mild to moderate hearing loss in children. Children with mild-moderate hearing loss have a problem in development of speech-language skills. If they are detected early, this problem can be minimized. Academic achievement will be poorer as a result of delayed identification of hearing loss. For this study, a checklist containing 16 questions were developed both in Bangla and English. The questions were given to 10 audiologist and speech- language pathologist for the purpose of validation. They validated the questions. The validity of the questionnaire was tested quantitatively through cronbach’s alpha method. Then these questions were asked to the class teacher of Bengali and English medium school. 500 children ranging from 6 to 10 years were considered for this study. Teachers were instructed to answer in ‘yes’ or ‘no’ only. The answers would be given on the basis of class performance of the child and any other activities in the school. We select those children for whom the answer comes as ‘yes’ from the teacher for at least one question. The selected children were brought to A.Y.J.N.I.H.H., E.R.C. for detailed audiological assessment. The audiometric test as well as tympanometry was carried out to rule out if there is any hearing loss is present. The result showed that the class teachers respond as “yes” for 30 students out of 500 students. Out of 30 students 5 students audiometric result showed PTA less than 25 dBHL with suggestive of normal hearing having ‘A’ type tympanogram with presence of acoustic reflex both ipsi and contralaterally. Rest of the 25 students’ threshold were 26 to 55 dBHL which suggestive of mild to moderate hearing loss unilaterally or bilaterally. The result of this activity will able to better identify those children who have late-onset hearing loss or who are missed during newborn hearing screening. With this study we hope to generate an understanding of the impact and importance of this checklist to detect mild to moderate hearing loss in children.