ABSTRACT
Childhood hearing loss is common and may seriously hinder the normal development of speech and language. Even a mild hearing loss can produce measurable psychosocial problems for a child. Healthcare professionals can reduce the incidence and impact of handicapping deafness through prevention and early detection. This requires familiarity with the causes of hearing loss and astute attention to the signs of hearing disability. Children are susceptible to nearly all of the conditions discussed elsewhere in this book. This chapter is intended to emphasize some of the more common and important considerations in the pediatric population.
