The prevention, screening and treatment of communication disorders among children, including the use of e-health and innovative solutions, is one of the priorities in the field of public health during just started Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Official information can be found here.
Screening
In accordance with that, “European consensus on hearing, sight and speech screenings for children beginning the school education” was signed in Warsaw, as one of the main tools for the implementation of the priority. This initiative is a continuation of unique Polish research in that field started 18 years ago by IFiPS (Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing) in Warsaw. In 2011 only, IFiPS will examine the hearing of 200.000 pupils nationwide. Screening programs showed that 20% of primary school pupils suffered from hearing disorders. Around 60% of these cases were diagnosed for the first time and led to earlier medical interventions.
Noise exposure prevention
One of the most important factors causing an increase in hearing disorders among children is noise.
Prof. Henryk Skarżyński, IFPiS director and chairman of the International Center of Hearing and Speech in Kajetany says:
‘The youth of today at age of 30 will have the hearing of today’s 70-years old. 75% of them may have problems with speech communication in everyday life after 30!”
This is an alarming perspective. The main reason for that situation is ubiquitous noise. For instance, a growing problem among secondary education pupils is tinnitus. In the beginning, it is temporary trouble (but it can affect even 50% of pupils spending their break in noisy school corridors) and thus ignored.
after 20 minutes of long noisy breaks children’s hearing needs 90 minutes of relative silence to return to its normal
Few know, that after 20 minutes of long noisy breaks (that suppose to be rest time!) children’s hearing needs 90 minutes of relative silence to return to its normal, physiological sensitivity. When speaking about noise’s impact on people, we usually have in mind the risk of hearing impairment, but this is only one aspect of noise exposure. We forget that noise affects also the work of different human organs and systems. Blood pressure changes, heart rate disorders, hyperactivity, neurosis, and metabolism troubles are other noise effects. Thus noise prevention is so important.
Awareness
People should know how to avoid noise at their homes, schools, on their way to work or school, on leisure premises, etc. They should know how high the noise levels are in these places.
Talking about risks connected with noise doesn’t mean that we want to prohibit listening to music, as some teenagers think, but we ask for more respect for silence. Screening showed us just how many are affected!
