Degree of Deafness in the School for the Deaf in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

The various causes of deafness in children are not uncommon in our environment, despite global efforts on immunization against infectious diseases and other known predisposing factors to this hidden disability. Prevention of deafness must be a priority to all the stake holders. However, the need to know the degree of deafness among those in the school for the deaf so as to know those that can benefit from amplification via the use of high – tech hearing aid or cochlear implant cannot be over-emphasized; hence this study. A prospective study of deaf children in a school for the deaf was carried out over a 7-month period from July 2005 to January 2006 at the ENT Department, Ondo State Specialist Hospital, now University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Akure. A total of 311 pupils comprising 173 males and 138 females had screening and hearing aid trials. Age range was 7 to 20 years. A total of 64 pupils (20.6%) were moderately deaf, 32 pupils (10.3%) were severely deaf while 215 pupils (69.1%) were profoundly deaf. The use of hearing aids, timely cochlear implantation and other rehabilitation measures could bring the beneficiaries into the mainstream of formal education and improved post - qualification employment opportunities.