HEARING TESTS
For some time now one of our trustees, Sarah Lewington, has been investigating the possibility of the children at Kavule having diagnostic hearing tests and we are delighted to say that through her stirling efforts these tests have now been arranged to take place at the school. Sarah even managed to raise the necessary funding for this herself by doing marathons and other sponsored activities. Naturally the trustees are more than happy to approve these tests.
It would be marvellous if these tests show that at least one or two of these children were given the gift of hearing via hearing aids and we all hope that it can be achieved. Of course that will mean that we need funds to provide and help maintain the hearing aids but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.
Well done Sarah, positive actions which hopefully may result in some positive results, we are all proud of you.
Update ~ Update ~ Update ~ Update ~ Update ~ Update ~ Update ~ Update
Since writing the above we are delighted to say the hearing tests have taken place and the results are below which you might find interesting! It also looks like a small number of these children may have the opportunity of hearing with assistance - how good is that! Our task now is to pursue the provision of hearing aids and continue to raise funding for them. Anyone out there who might have contacts in this field - please let us know.
FINDINGS OF EAR EXAMINATION AND HEARING ASSESSMENT OF PUPILS OF KAVULE PARENT'S SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF 23RD - 24TH NOVEMBER, 2007
INTRODUCTION
This exercise was a joint effort of Clinicians from Mulago Hospital and Biko Medical Centre (Mbale). It covered forty (40) pupils who were present at the school at the time (see attached list of the children tested).
OBJECTIVES
These were:
i) To establish the hearing thresholds of the pupils in the school.
ii) To determine the causes of hearing impairment where possible.
iii) To find out which of the children with hearing impairment have a potential to benefit from the currently available treatment options e.g drug therapy, surgery or hearing Aid fitting.
FINDINGS
1. Four (4) of the tested pupils can benefit from drug treatment in various ways, viz:
a) WENEME SUSAN - She has moderate hearing impairment with perforated ear drums and fungal infection of the external ear canals. She needs antifungal treatment to stop itching in the ears.
b) TOOTO SULAIMAN - Has severe hearing impairment with perforation of both ear drums and pus discharge from the left ear. He needs antibiotics to keep safe and possibly improve hearing and prevent the situation from getting worse.
c) MBAYO MUSA - Has congenital deafness, dry perforation of the right ear drum and left sided otits media with effusion. Antibiotics and ant listamines are only needed to improve general health and prevent the situation from getting worse.
d) NKUME FADIGA - Deaf in both ears and epileptic. He needs anti-convulsants to control the fits.
2. Two (2) of the pupils can benefit from surgery, namely:
(i) WENEME SUSAN - Repair of perforated ear drums to improve
hearing.
(ii) TOOTO SULAIMAN - Repair of perforated ear drum to improve hearing.
3. Six (6) of the tested children have potential to benefit from hearing aids. These are:-
i). NYOPA KASSIM - Severe hearing impairment of unknown cause.
ii) YAKOBO CHANGU - Severe hearing impairment (congenital)
iii) ARIONGET HELLEN - Severe hearing impairment, noise induced.
iv) GAKOWE JAMADA - Has profound hearing impairment in the better ear (88DBHL) but since he is not totally deaf, a powerful body-worn hearing Aid might help.
v) WABWIRE ABBRAHAM - Has profound hearing impairment in the better ear but he might benefit from a powerful body-worn hearing aid.
vi) NAMUKASA ZUWEDA - Might benefit from a powerful body-worn hearing aid.
4. The rest of the children were found to be having permanent sensorinenral deafness which is not amenable to drug therapy or surgery and also highly unlikely to benefit from hearing aid fitting.
RECOMMENDATIONS
i) Drugs should be procured for those with treatable conditions such as infections and epilepsy.
ii) Hearing Aids should be procured for those deemed likely to benefit from their use but efforts should be made to obtain powerful body-worn hearing aids for those with profound hearing loss (i.e hearing thresholds of 80 - 90 DBHL).
iii) The rest of the pupils deemed unlikely to benefit from any of the above-mentioned remedies should continue with sign language as the main mode of communication but at least one member of each of their families should be trained in sign language to serve as their interpreters when they are out of school.
iv) In future, children seeking admission to this school should be encouraged to undergo hearing assessment first. This might help in early detection of those with treatable causes of hearing impairment.
v) The leadership of Kavule Parents' School for the deaf should conduct more awareness campaigns to educate the general public about the benefits of educating deaf children.
Signed:
For and on behalf of:
- Dr. Fred Bisso (Biko Medical Centre)
- Mrs. Josephine Senyonga (Mulago Hospital)
- Miss Rose Nalwoga (Mulago Hospital)
It would be marvellous if these tests show that at least one or two of these children were given the gift of hearing via hearing aids and we all hope that it can be achieved. Of course that will mean that we need funds to provide and help maintain the hearing aids but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.
Well done Sarah, positive actions which hopefully may result in some positive results, we are all proud of you.
Update ~ Update ~ Update ~ Update ~ Update ~ Update ~ Update ~ Update
Since writing the above we are delighted to say the hearing tests have taken place and the results are below which you might find interesting! It also looks like a small number of these children may have the opportunity of hearing with assistance - how good is that! Our task now is to pursue the provision of hearing aids and continue to raise funding for them. Anyone out there who might have contacts in this field - please let us know.
FINDINGS OF EAR EXAMINATION AND HEARING ASSESSMENT OF PUPILS OF KAVULE PARENT'S SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF 23RD - 24TH NOVEMBER, 2007
INTRODUCTION
This exercise was a joint effort of Clinicians from Mulago Hospital and Biko Medical Centre (Mbale). It covered forty (40) pupils who were present at the school at the time (see attached list of the children tested).
OBJECTIVES
These were:
i) To establish the hearing thresholds of the pupils in the school.
ii) To determine the causes of hearing impairment where possible.
iii) To find out which of the children with hearing impairment have a potential to benefit from the currently available treatment options e.g drug therapy, surgery or hearing Aid fitting.
FINDINGS
1. Four (4) of the tested pupils can benefit from drug treatment in various ways, viz:
a) WENEME SUSAN - She has moderate hearing impairment with perforated ear drums and fungal infection of the external ear canals. She needs antifungal treatment to stop itching in the ears.
b) TOOTO SULAIMAN - Has severe hearing impairment with perforation of both ear drums and pus discharge from the left ear. He needs antibiotics to keep safe and possibly improve hearing and prevent the situation from getting worse.
c) MBAYO MUSA - Has congenital deafness, dry perforation of the right ear drum and left sided otits media with effusion. Antibiotics and ant listamines are only needed to improve general health and prevent the situation from getting worse.
d) NKUME FADIGA - Deaf in both ears and epileptic. He needs anti-convulsants to control the fits.
2. Two (2) of the pupils can benefit from surgery, namely:
(i) WENEME SUSAN - Repair of perforated ear drums to improve
hearing.
(ii) TOOTO SULAIMAN - Repair of perforated ear drum to improve hearing.
3. Six (6) of the tested children have potential to benefit from hearing aids. These are:-
i). NYOPA KASSIM - Severe hearing impairment of unknown cause.
ii) YAKOBO CHANGU - Severe hearing impairment (congenital)
iii) ARIONGET HELLEN - Severe hearing impairment, noise induced.
iv) GAKOWE JAMADA - Has profound hearing impairment in the better ear (88DBHL) but since he is not totally deaf, a powerful body-worn hearing Aid might help.
v) WABWIRE ABBRAHAM - Has profound hearing impairment in the better ear but he might benefit from a powerful body-worn hearing aid.
vi) NAMUKASA ZUWEDA - Might benefit from a powerful body-worn hearing aid.
4. The rest of the children were found to be having permanent sensorinenral deafness which is not amenable to drug therapy or surgery and also highly unlikely to benefit from hearing aid fitting.
RECOMMENDATIONS
i) Drugs should be procured for those with treatable conditions such as infections and epilepsy.
ii) Hearing Aids should be procured for those deemed likely to benefit from their use but efforts should be made to obtain powerful body-worn hearing aids for those with profound hearing loss (i.e hearing thresholds of 80 - 90 DBHL).
iii) The rest of the pupils deemed unlikely to benefit from any of the above-mentioned remedies should continue with sign language as the main mode of communication but at least one member of each of their families should be trained in sign language to serve as their interpreters when they are out of school.
iv) In future, children seeking admission to this school should be encouraged to undergo hearing assessment first. This might help in early detection of those with treatable causes of hearing impairment.
v) The leadership of Kavule Parents' School for the deaf should conduct more awareness campaigns to educate the general public about the benefits of educating deaf children.
Signed:
For and on behalf of:
- Dr. Fred Bisso (Biko Medical Centre)
- Mrs. Josephine Senyonga (Mulago Hospital)
- Miss Rose Nalwoga (Mulago Hospital)