Helping Hearing Impaired Children Communicate

NEED

The World Health Organisation defines health as complete physical, mental and social well-being of an individual. With no visible symptoms, infant hearing loss often escapes early detection. While not life-threatening, left untreated this common impairment can pose a serious threat to a child’s quality of life by impacting negatively on her opportunities for education and employment as well as her ability to integrate socially.

Early intervention can help to prevent secondary complications often associated with hearing loss, such as delays in linguistic development. This is in line with government policy; the White Paper on an Integrated National Disability Strategy calls for early identification of impairments and appropriate interventions within the primary healthcare system. However, without assistance from civil society, government is unable to implement a far-reaching early-detection and intervention system. There is thus a huge demand for civil society partners to assist with the implementation of this strategy.

OVERVIEW

The Carel du Toit Community Hearing Outreach Project (CHOP) offers a free hearing screening programme for children throughout the Tshwane and Metsweding (Refilwe) districts. Results of the tests are recorded as the testing occurs and follow up appointments are made for those with inconclusive or negative tests.

Families of children diagnosed with hearing impairments receive information about their child’s condition and support services from trained CHOP staff. Hearing aids and assistive devices are sourced for the children with hearing difficulties who, with the help of the correct equipment, can begin their journey towards improved hearing and communication.

WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THIS PROJECT

• This organisation has a rich understanding of the need they are dealing with, informed by years of experience in working with the hearing impaired.
• The Carel du Toit Community Hearing Outreach Programme has a team of highly skilled individuals with highly specialised responsibilities.
• The organisation has excellent monitoring and evaluation systems as well as strong systems of governance.

IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS

This project will directly benefit the 3688 children who will be tested for hearing impairments through the local clinics and schools. The children who are found to have hearing difficulties will be scheduled for follow-up visits and from there the necessary course of action for each child will be decided upon. This project will also indirectly benefit all of the children’s families – an estimated total of 15 808 people. In 2009 of the 600 new patients that were submitted for retesting 15 were found to be in need of hearing assistance. 6 received hearing aids, 3 were fitted with grommets and 6 patients had a Tympanoplasty Operation.

Through educating the parents about hearing difficulties the Community Hearing Outreach Project also aims to assist these communities in accepting people with hearing difficulties, thereby fighting the stigma that all-too-often accompanies hearing impairments.

ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY

The Carel du Toit Centre - Pretoria was established in May 1996 to offer habilitation services to deaf children. The centre brings hope to deaf children who, after identification of their hearing disability, enter the extensive auditory- oral programme to teach them how to talk. The Carel Du Toit Centre adopts best practice techniques by not using sign language but instead using spoken language to teach children to speak and develop listening skills. This enables the children to ultimately enter mainstream schooling.

From the centre two community outreach programmes were developed namely the Community Hearing Outreach Project (CHOP) and the Parent Guidance Program. Their proven track record has resulted in partnerships with the private sector, government, the medical community as well as the civil sector.

The CHOP project has a proven track record. In 2008 over 1200 children were consulted with 850 new consultations in 2009. The children who were found to have hearing difficulties have either been fitted with hearing aids or have received a Tympanoplasty Operation.

RISK PROFILE

Key Strengths

• Concept: The procedure the project uses to assist hearing impaired children is well structured and aligned to best practice.
• Control: The Carel du Toit centre has engaged with many stakeholders as well as the community in ensuring that this project is implemented and managed in the best possible way.
• Design: The project is designed to reach children who otherwise would not have had access to this type medical testing.
• Capability: This organisation has a proven track record in implementing this type of project. They have a team of audiologists and therapists that work together in carrying out the objectives of this programme.

Key Risks - Low

• Sustainability: This organisation relies on donations to run its operations and currently only has sufficient reserves to support operations for 6 months.
• Design: This organisation needs to focus on increasing their follow up rate. Measures should be incorporated into the design of the project in order to ensure that more patients return for the scheduled follow up visits.