ABSTRACT
In Chapter 2 it was pointed out that a genetically determined hearing loss does not usually affect the general health or intellectual potential of the child, whereas other causes, for example rubella and extreme prematurity, can result in global damage. At one time many of the children in the latter categories would not have survived infancy. This is mentioned because when the historical development of ‘deaf education’ is considered, those who were taught were predominantly physically healthy children whose hearing loss was caused by a recessive gene. A small proportion had lost their hearing as a result of infections, which could have occurred before or after the acquisition of speech and language.
