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Hearing loss is often referred to as the “invisible disability,” a term that reflects the lack of visible signs and the public’s inability to recognize its severity. This silent reality results in stigma and social exclusion for many people. With more than 1.5 billion people living with hearing loss, the global community is faced with one of the most widespread and growing health problems.

According to the World Health Organization:

• If effective measures are not taken by 2050, hearing loss will affect an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide
• 65% of adults over 60 and 34 million children experience hearing loss
• 60% of hearing loss in children under 15 is preventable
• More than 1 billion young people are at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to unsafe levels of noise in recreational activities

Several factors affect hearing ability such as:

• intrauterine infections
• postnatal infections (scarlet fever, measles, meningitis, mumps)
• prematurity, hypoxia & low birth weight
• loud sounds & noise
• ototoxic drugs
• chronic ear inflammation
• old age

In general, communication difficulties due to hearing loss:

• adversely affect quality of life
• lead to isolation, loneliness & early onset of dementia

In addition, in children:

• delay speech & language development
• cause reduced school performance & learning problems

At the same time, there are also economic impacts due to reduced productivity and burdens on the health sector.

Tackling hearing loss requires actions that include:

• raising awareness among the public and health professionals
• promoting prevention
• encouraging early diagnosis and treatment

Preventive neonatal hearing screening is essential for every newborn for the early diagnosis of hearing disorders

 In addition, it is necessary to protect the ears from exposure to high levels of noise by using earplugs in noisy environments and avoiding the use of hearing aids at high volume

Good care of ear infections can prevent inflammation

A visit to a specialist otolaryngologist to diagnose and treat hearing problems can prevent further deterioration of the condition, reverse hearing loss and limit complications