Bysshe J
Prof Care Mother Child. 1994 Aug-Sep;4(6):180-3.
Recent technological advances make it possible to detect hearing impairments in very young babies. Babies as young as a few weeks old can now be helped with hearing aids and early language therapy. The earlier the diagnosis and start of treatment, the better the later performance in speech. Nurses and midwives, together with the parents, are often the first to suspect a baby has a hearing loss. Bear in mind the risk factors--low birth weight, neonatal jaundice, family history of deafness etc-and if in doubt, always refer. There are different degrees of hearing loss and it is possible to be misled into thinking a child with partial hearing can hear normally. Again, if in doubt, refer. Hearing aids are essential for almost all children with sensori-neural hearing loss and can also be helpful for moderate conductive hearing loss. Remember that while some parents are the first to suspect deafness and seek treatment, others may deny their suspicions and even refuse to accept a diagnosis of hearing loss. They want to be able to believe that their child is normal.
近期的技术进步使得检测非常年幼婴儿的听力障碍成为可能。现在，只有几周大的婴儿也能借助助听器和早期语言治疗得到帮助。诊断和开始治疗的时间越早，后期的语言表现就越好。护士和助产士，连同父母，往往是最先怀疑婴儿有听力损失的人。要记住风险因素——低出生体重、新生儿黄疸、耳聋家族史等——如有疑问，一定要转诊。听力损失有不同程度，有可能会被误导，认为有部分听力的孩子听力正常。同样，如有疑问，转诊。助听器对几乎所有感音神经性听力损失的儿童来说都是必不可少的，对中度传导性听力损失也可能有帮助。要记住，虽然有些父母最先怀疑孩子耳聋并寻求治疗，但另一些父母可能会否认他们的怀疑，甚至拒绝接受听力损失的诊断。他们希望能够相信自己的孩子是正常的。
