It doesn’t need to be a disability
HEARING LOSS
IN CHILDREN
Article by:
Local Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon, Dr Neil Crosby,
discusses the importance of testing a newborn’s hearing
early on. He touches on what this involves and what can
be done if a hearing problem is discovered.
WHAT IS BRAIN PLASTICITY?
This is the critical period between ages 0 to 5 years of age. This is the
period during which a child learns to see and hear, as well as eating
and breathing control. It is a critical period during which they learn
language and communication skills. Plasticity can be likened to a
plasticine mould, the brain is pliable and well suited to development
and learning new information. It is a vital period for learning. If a child
does not develop vision and hearing during this time, that child will
remain permanently blind or deaf.
CAN MY CHILD HEAR?
This is the vital question. Deafness (sensorineural hearing loss) is rare, about 1:1000, but it is
important to find these children as soon as possible.
The earlier a diagnosis is made, the earlier effective
intervention can be implemented so that the child
can learn to hear (the brain can learn what sounds
are). The earlier the intervention, the more normal
the life of that child will be. Unfortunately, in a
newborn child there are no signs to alert you.
TESTING THE CHILD
The current drive in ENT is to test every newborn
infant. OAEs (oto-acoustic emissions) is easy and is
the first-line test performed.
WHAT IF THE TEST IS DEFERRED?
This does not mean the child cannot hear. It just
means that fu rther tests are required. This is why
we talk about the test being “deferred” rather than
“failed”.
WHAT IF TESTS SHOW MY CHILD IS DEAF?
Early diagnosis is vital. The sooner the diagnosis is
made, the sooner a plan can be implemented. The
Dr Neil Crosby
MBBCh (Wits) FCORL (ENT Bloem)
Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon
Phone: 041 395 9690
King’s Court, Intercare Medical & Dental Centre
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earlier hearing can be restored, the sooner the child’s
brain gets stimulated during the plasticity period.
It is vital to know the exact degree of hearing loss.
There are a wide variety of hearing aids available.
Most hearing aids consist of a receiver and amplifier
worn behind the ear, with a delivery mechanism to
the ear canal. For more severe hearing loss, the level
of amplification required increases, increasing the
size of the device. For complete deafness, cochlear
implants are an option. These require surgery and
work from a dedicated team of audiologists and
therapists, (currently done by Dr Retief at St Georges
Hospital). If the initial test is a “pass” then your child
can hear. There is no need to repeat the OAE again.
However, many children can develop ear infections
and fluid in the middle ear.
DO I NEED TO REPEAT THE TESTS?
No! Once the OAE has determined that your child
can hear, there is no need to repeat it. However,
children are prone to developing middle ear
infections. This causes build-up of fluid in the middle
ear and blocks sound from entering the ear. The
child’s hearing is intact but the sound cannot get in.
For this, regular ear tests are recommended. This test
involves tympanometry, which differs from an OAE.
Many schools run yearly ear testing programmes.
More info on full article: www.thelittlepages.co.za/blog.
Money saving tools in the palm of your hand
COST SAVING APPS
With rising petrol costs and a flailing rand, many families are having
to tighten their belts a notch as grocery prices escalate seemingly
month on month. Historically, the task of getting creative within a
strict budget has fallen on the shoulders of already burdened moms.
As they have proven generation to generation, when times get
tough, moms get tougher!
In our tech savvy age, the coupon queen has gone digital. With several
smartphone apps readily available and free to use, a time strapped mom can
budget on the go, with no scraps of paper filling her purse or scattered on the
floor of the car forever lost amongst half chewed flings and discarded angry
birds.
We took a look at 3 must have apps
for any family on a budget:
SNAP n SAVE
SNAP n SAVE uploads new ‘offers’ every Friday
and works on a booking system. You book the
offer you want to purchase, buy your groceries,
snap a photo of the till slip and submit. It’s really
that easy, no paper, no fuss. Your coupon amount
is then loaded onto your ‘wallet’ in the app, which
you can cash out at any time to use against your
next grocery purchase. To see the current offers
and find out more, visit their website
www.snapnsave.co.za or download the app.
Takealot Daily Deals
Takealot.com features a Baby & Toddler section
with a varied selection of products from daily
necessities to larger travel and furniture items.
Many of these items are featured regularly on their
Daily Deals. New deals are added daily and are
available for that day only or while stocks last.
Sign up to their newsletter to receive the deals
to your email each morning, or browse the app
where you’ll find a second list of App Only Deals
that are only available for purchase through the
app. Find Daily Deals on www.takealot.com.
All 3 apps are available for download at the Google Play Store for Android
as well as the Apple App Store and are 100% free to use. Happy Savings!
By Sandra Crossman
CHECKERS
EEZICOUPONS
Checkers has their
own store app which
incorporates their special
offers as well as their
Eezicoupons. Once
downloaded, you can
choose your nearest store
and browse the current
specials and coupons.
Keep your shopping list
handy to make notes
or simply use the app
in-store to choose your
items. At the till, enter the
wicode and your savings
will be applied directly
to your purchase. More
at www.checkers.co.za/
eezicoupons.html.
tip
Use the Checkers and
SNAP n SAVE apps in
conjunction to double
up on savings
Keep an eye on future
issues of The Little Pages
where we will feature more
ways to carve more out of
your budget.
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