Unfortunately, the hearing loss is only recognised much later when they are slow or unable to develop speech.

In a study done in 1996 by UKM researchers, 83 per cent of children were only diagnosed after one year of age, with 41 per cent being diagnosed after three years of age.

Most of these children were fitted with hearing aids late, about five years of age. This is unfortunate because the child's ability to speak hinges on early diagnosis and treatment.

A study done in the US has shown that at the age of three years, a normal child may speak about 700 words compared to 400 words for a child with hearing loss diagnosed and treated at birth.

However, a child with hearing loss diagnosed at two years may barely speak 30 words. This is because children would have to be exposed to speech from a young age in order to develop it.

In fact, if by the age of seven years, the hearing loss is not detected and treated, and then the child will probably not be able to speak at all for the rest of his/her life.

In the ENT department of QEH, since 2002 a total of 50 children have been diagnosed with severe hearing loss in both ears.

Slightly more than half (56 per cent) were males. The average age was five years, with the youngest being two years old and the eldest being 16 years. All of these children require hearing aid for at least one ear in order to hear and develop speech.

However, most of these children are from poor socio-economic background and could not afford the RM1,500 necessary to buy the hearing aid for an ear.

They were referred to the Welfare Department but only three managed to get any assistance, probably due to funding and prioritisation issues.

These unfortunate children would now be classified as deaf children and lose any hope of gaining any useful speech.

This of course in no way detracts from the excellent job various associations have done of teaching these children essential skills like sign language, lip reading, vocational training, even to the extent of job placements.

However, the fact remains that for the want of a mere RM1,500 per child they are being denied the chance of reaching their full potential and are resigned to being labelled as disabled and forced to function in an disable-unfriendly environment as ours.

From Daily Express