Sympsium on hearing loss--the otolaryngologist's responsibility. Habilitation and rehabilitation of patients with sensorineural hearing losses.

A philosophy of the (re)habilitation of patients with sensorineural hearing losses from a communication point of view is presented. Pediatric and adult populations are discussed separately. Topics of consideration for pediatric patients include the appropriate use of amplification, team management of the hearing handicap, educational placement and the importance of parent counseling. The discussion of the management of adult patients reviews some problems in hearing aid fitting, patient counseling and appropriate case follow-up. The guiding principle behind these (re)habilitation processes is the integration of the hearing-impaired patient into a hearing world.