Longitudinal Study of hearing loss in childhood. Relationship between hearing impairment, poor learning and family background.

Of the Dutch school population 0.1% suffer from a hearing loss which makes it necessary for them to attend a special school. This permanent, binaural hearing impairment is of a moderate to severe degree (degrees II and III) and adversely affects the child's linguistic skills and school performance. Of the pupils attending ordinary schools 4-5% suffer from a hearing loss which, according to the Dutch audiologist Huizing, lies on the borderline of a slight to moderate hearing impairment (degrees I and II). This loss is characterised by its temporary nature, the fact that it is monaural in 71% of the cases and that there is no evidence for its clearly affecting the learning process. The risk of hearing impairment is predominantly determined by the child's family background.