9800 residents of the Arkhangelsk region are disabled by ear. On 1000-1500 births have 1 deaf child. Meanwhile, to help such children in the region is insufficient.
As reported BakuToday News Chairman of the Association of the Disabled of the Arkhangelsk region Nicholas Myakshin, in the Arkhangelsk region is no system of early intervention for children with hearing problems in period of 0 to 3 years. Newborn Screening allows for early detection of these children, but in most communities (except in Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk) is missing an opportunity surdologicheskogo surdopedogicheskogo and support families with children with hearing problems.
At a regional government roundtable on the problems of providing aid surdologicheskoy hearing, it was noted that the region needs to create resource centers that will be able to provide support for families with hearing problems. The possibilities for this already exists in Vychegda school for deaf children. The second center, as noted by participants in the discussion, it should open in Arkhangelsk, to reach more people with hearing impairments.
However, prior to the establishment of these centers will have more than one month – to get started, you need to gather accurate information on the amount of hearing in the region, which are not available. Thus, according to the chief of a visiting audiologist Eugene Pidlisne, since the beginning of the year were surveyed only 74% of newborns. “We should have a clear picture and is the next step is to establish resource centers, – said Minister of Health and Social Development of Larissa Menshikov, – In order to have the effect of the measures, we should raise the coverage of newborn screening. While the majority of deaf children identified in preschool and school age. “
It is worth adding that in building the help of hearing children to the authorities is likely to face even with the staffing issue – audiologist in the area is not highly enough. In 2011, Pomorski State University will release 10 audiologist, but the certainty that they will work in their specialty, no. In addition, working professionals need additional training on working with children with hearing implants.
Towards the creation of resource centers for the hearing of the government plan to return in the spring of 2011.
