Organization: Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital
Title: Hearing care for every child: School based activities for promoting ear and hearing care.
Al title (for format and translation – not permanent:
Hearing care for every child: School based activities for promoting ear and hearing care.
Description:
Hearing screening and awareness of ear and hearing care program for schools will be conducted from 2nd to 7th March 2026 by Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, South India. This program is an initiative by department of ENT and faculty of audiology and speech language pathology, SBMCH, Chennai. The program aims to promote early identification, prevention, and awareness of childhood hearing loss as a part of school health packages through the following activities. i) Hearing screening programs for children up to primary school age in public sector primary schools ii) Awareness programs for school teachers, parents, and caregivers of children in public sector primary schools, iii) Interactive awareness session on ear and hearing care with school going children, iv) Distribution of education materials in Tamil (local language) and English for general public, teachers, parents and caregivers regarding childhood hearing loss and importance of early identification and intervention.
School based hearing screening for children will be conducted by audiologists using age appropriate hearing screening tests and video otoscopy. Awareness program in Tamil and English will be conducted by audiologists and ENT professionals for school teachers, parents, and caregivers will focus on early signs of hearing loss, classroom listening challenges, the importance of early hearing evaluation and routine hearing evaluation, timely intervention, and preventive hearing care practices. These sessions aim to empower key stakeholders involved in a child’s learning and development to support early identification and inclusive educational environments. To foster positive hearing health behaviors from an early age, interactive, child-friendly activities related to ear and hearing care will be conducted.. In addition, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials developed by WHO will be translated in Tamil and distributed to parents, teachers, and caregivers, and WHO posters on ear and hearing care will be translated in Tamil and displayed across schools, hospital areas, and public spaces to reinforce evidence-based hearing health messages.
The outcomes of the program will be measured in terms of number of children screened through school camps and number of children referred for detailed evaluation, number of teachers, parents and caregivers attended the awareness program. Through these integrated activities, the program seeks to improve early identification of childhood hearing loss, enhance awareness among teachers and parents, and increase community engagement in hearing health promotion. The initiative also aims to strengthen the community school linkage, contributing to sustainable and inclusive hearing care services and supporting WHO’s vision of ensuring hearing care for every child.
Primary site: SEAR- India
Region: SEAR
Secondary sites:Tamil Nadu, South India
General Photos
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