Audiology and Speech Therapy
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- Speech instructor (for spoken language) Maram Kokash exercising the pronounciation of individual Arabic letters with eight year old Mohammed. The deaf boy is attending the kindergarten in the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf in Salt/Jordan. It is a rehabilitation centre for hearing impaired children and young people. © CBM
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Consequences of Hearing Impairment
Hearing impairment, especially deafness, has profound consequences on individuals’ abilities to communicate and, therefore, on their lives. Especially in young children, hearing loss usually interferes with the development of speech and language. Also, adults who become hard of hearing start mispronouncing words, due to the missing auditory feedback. Audiology and Speech therapy services in CBM primarily targets two groups: the young children and the elderly, hearing-impaired people.
The Key: Early Diagnosis
To minimise the negative effects of hearing impairment, early diagnosis and intervention are crucial. CBM promotes the following measures:
The Key: Early Diagnosis
To minimise the negative effects of hearing impairment, early diagnosis and intervention are crucial. CBM promotes the following measures:
- regular screenings for hearing impairment to facilitate early diagnosis
- fitting hearing aids and offering maintenance of the devices; carried out and provided by trained audiologists
- auditory training to maximise residual hearing abilities
- offering speech therapy, and teaching communication skills in order to develop language competence in deaf and hard of hearing people (oral, aural, tactile and/or signed languages)
- counselling parents to support their hearing-impaired children
In Figures
In 2006,
- CBM dispensed 4,290 (2005: 4,093) hearing aids
- CBM had 3,971 (5,551) ear moulds produced
- CBM supported 6 (6) special programmes for communication skills training
