We speak of deafness when a hearing loss of 90 dB or more has occurred. The difference with hearing impairment is that hearing ability in this case cannot be improved with a hearing aid. In some cases, however, this can be done with a cochlear implant.
Causes of deafness
Deafness can be caused by old age, prolonged and/or frequent exposure to loud sounds (noise-related deafness), heredity or by an illness or accident. Hereditary forms include Usher’s Syndrome, Waardenburg’s Syndrome and Buchem’s Disease. Examples of deafness due to a disease or accident are:
- meningitis;
- ear infection;
- rubella during pregnancy;
- drug poisoning;
- tumors;
- tympanosclerosis;
- sudden changes in pressure such as when flying or diving;
- otoscelerosis or ossification of parts of the inner and middle ear.
Prelingual and postlingual deafness
When someone is born deaf or becomes deaf before the development of spoken language has started (before the third year of life), they are called prelingually deaf. Postlingually deaf means that someone has become deaf after the development of spoken language. We distinguish between sudden deafness, in which a person becomes deaf from one moment to the next, and late deafness, in which this happens gradually.
Treatments
Sometimes deafness is temporary. Think of an ear infection, cold or extreme pressure changes. With some rest and/or a possible painkiller or antibiotics, the ear will then recover on its own. When someone is permanently deaf, this cannot be cured, nor are there any aids to improve it. In young children, there is still the possibility of inserting a cochlear implant (CI). This is surgically inserted and stimulates the auditory nerve, allowing them to still perceive sounds. A cochlear implant can be inserted as early as seven months of age.
