EARLY DETECTION AND TREATMENT OF HEARING LOSS

Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Health (a) if there is a hearing impairment detection programme for the newly borns in all hospitals; and (b) whether a policy will be formalised in relation to early detection and intervention programmes in order to arrest hearing impairment of the very young.

Mr Lim Hng Kiang: The routine medical examination of newborns in public hospitals includes a test for hearing loss. Babies who are suspected to have hearing loss or who are at higher risk (eg, premature babies or those with family history of deafness) are referred to audiologists for further tests using more sophisticated equipment and techniques. Those with confirmed hearing loss will be referred for treatment and rehabilitation.

My Ministry recognises the value of early detection and treatment of hearing loss to minimise speech and learning disabilities in children. It has therefore appointed a Committee in October 1999 to Study the Early Detection and Treatment of Hearing Loss in Children in Singapore. This Committee comprises ENT surgeons, paediatricians, audiologists and family physicians from both the public and private sectors.

The Committee will be reviewing the current system of hearing loss detection in children to see how our present screening methods and coverage of newborns can be further improved. It will also make recommendations to strengthen the intervention programme for hearing impaired children to support the expanded screening efforts.