Hearing is one of the five human senses.
Ekurhuleni health practitioners have observed that hearing, besides being one of the essential senses, is mostly neglected.
“We often find patients coming in to get their eyes tested, visiting a dentist and exercising but seldom get their ears checked,” said Sister Motshidisi Moleleki, manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation and Outbreak Response.
World Hearing Day falls on March 3 and the metro is stressing the importance of consulting a hearing care provider on a regular basis to identify problems before it is too late.
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“Hearing loss can be overcome by means of either a cochlear implant or a hearing device once it is detected.
“The earlier the problem is identified and treated, the least effect it will have on one’s life,” added Moleleki.
Ekurhuleni residents are encouraged to ask about the audio and speech therapy services offered when visiting the metro’s healthcare facilities.
Below are some tips for communicating with a hearing-impaired person:
- Get the person’s attention before speaking to them.
- Limit background noise as much as possible.
- Speak slowly, but not too slowly as this interrupts the flow of conversation.
- Don’t exaggerate your lip movements.
- Do not chew or smoke while talking as it changes the normal movement of the lips.
- If the person asks you to repeat yourself, do so using exactly the same words you used before as the person may have only missed one or two words.
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