Early detection of hearing loss is vital, says advocate
Hearing loss affects individual’s ability to develop language, interact with society
Born profoundly deaf, Joanne Weber understands the frustrations of those who live in a silent world.
“I did not pick up sign language until I was 25,” said Weber, a PhD candidate at the University of Regina who is specializing in deaf education.
But, she added, there were many supports in the 1960s and ’70s.
“We had a very strong Hearing Aid Plan, we had good audiologists, there was a school for the deaf and a lot of post-secondary support at that time,” Weber said. “Now we’ve lost almost all of that.”
That said, she’s pleased Tuesday’s provincial budget took a step forward in remedying the lack of services by allocating $523,000 to establish a universal newborn screening program to detect hearing loss in Saskatchewan babies.
If hearing loss isn’t detected early, it can impact a person’s ability to develop language and that can lead to issues with social, intellectual, emotional and cognitive development, Weber said.
“Very often, the people who become very language deprived struggle with life and they’re very isolated … Language deprivation is totally avoidable,” she said.
Weber noted maximum language development occurs between birth and two years.
“When you start diagnosing kids after that two-year window, then you’re going to start dealing with language deprivation or language delay,” she said. “What happens then is that the child has lost two years of that maximum opportunity to pick up language … Language is what makes us human and language is what makes us able to have relationships, to understand how to behave and how to socialize.”
Generally, the average age of hearing loss was detected between 18 months and three years in Saskatchewan.
“It depends if they’ve been screened in a major hospital,” Weber said. “But when you have people living in the rural communities that have smaller hospitals, they may not have that screening.”
Interventions for language deprivation include sign language, cochlear implants, hearing aids and speech therapy.
“When you delay with those interventions, then the whole child’s life can become very difficult to navigate,” Weber said. “Newborn screening is one big piece, but you need to have all of the supports — from birth to adulthood.”
She maintains other measures are needed to better serve those with hearing impairments including the reinstatement of the Hearing Aid Plan which was cut in last year’s provincial budget to save $3 million.
“It was a very valuable service,” Weber said. “It has been said that going to a private dealer doesn’t cost that much more money, but actually in my experience it has.”
Several years ago, under the Hearing Aid Plan, she paid between $700 and $800 for a hearing aid. Now, one hearing aid costs her $2,200. Even with health benefits through her employer, she shells out $1,700 for her hearing aid.
Additionally, significant cuts to education funding in last year’s budget resulted in the loss of the preschool program for deaf and hard of hearing children.
Weber added more supports, such as sign language or tutors, are required for those accessing post-secondary training.
“You have to provide support at every stage of a child’s life,” she said.
Pediatric hearing evaluations and hearing aid sales and services continue to be provided through the Saskatchewan Health Authority in both the Saskatoon and Regina clinics, said Dawn Skalicky-Souliere, director of licensing with the Ministry of Health.
“Hearing aids continue to be covered for eligible individuals under Family Health Benefits or the Supplementary Health program,” she said.
When you delay with those interventions, then the whole child’s life can become very difficult to navigate.