Deafness in children.

Early detection of deafness is important for rehabilitation and diagnosis. In spite of prompt treatment the effects of deafness on language and learning can be devastating. The scope of hearing aids is advancing all the time, but the severely deaf child will never be able to obtain anything but rudimentary auditory input. As deaf children and their parents become more aware of the risks of genetic deafness, an aetiology should be established wherever possible.