When a baby is born he/she is expected to respond to the surroundings in the first hours of his/her time on earth. This way the baby is able to talk at the age of 2 -3 years. In this case the baby is "normal" in that he/she doesn't suffer from disability. How would a parent know that the child is suffering from deafness or hearing loss?
If the child does not immediately respond to sound, example; when the child is asleep and something/someone makes noise like a spoon falling, the expected result is that the child will be startled and wake-up crying but what if the child does not respond to the loud sound immediately or non at all?
Parents should be able to identify some signs of hearing loss, this way it may help prevent deafness. Therefore the earlier the hearing loss occurs in a child the more serious the effects on the child's development. Similarly, the earlier the problem is identified and intervention begun, the less serious the overall effect.
An ear of a deaf man
Deafness is the third most common disability worldwide but it usually goes unnoticed because it is known as invisible disability, unlike other disabilities; example blindness which is widely portrayed ,it is unnoticeable to the naked eye. Therefore, when you come across someone whom you have never seen before or you suspect might be deaf; there are some steps that should be followed before starting a conversation;
- Get their attention before speaking this way it will be clear if he/she can hear you, if no then make yourself visible to them
- Introduce yourself and ask how they prefer to communicate
It is important for parents to keep an eye on their children
N/B: DO NOT ASK WHETHER HE/SHE IS DEAF.
wow,. so i just learnt the letters from your post and i can now communicate with the deaf.
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