AUDIOMETRISCHE, SPRACHLICHE, ENTWICKLUNGSPSYCHOLOGISCHE UND SOZIODEMOGRAHISCHE BEFUNDE BEI 1300 SPRACHAUFFALLIGEN KINDERN UND DEREN BEDEUTUNG FUR EIN INDIVIDUELLES REHABILITATIONSKONZEPT

In 48% of 1305 children with delayed speech development we found hearing losses, most frequently in the age up to four years. In 95% hearing losses were fluctuating about 20 decibels, caused by malfunction of the tube or by adenoids, not even in autumn and winter, but also all the year. In this case, the total hearing input of those children is reduced. In hearing impaired children the speech development was significantly more depressed in all dimensions in comparison to normal hearing children. This does impressive demonstrate the nessesarity of follow-up microscopy of the tympanic membrane, audiometry and consequente operative therapy including adenoidectomy and insertion of ventilation tubes. In only 5% we found cochlear hearing loss. 19% of the children were generally delayed in development and required adaequate therapy. Hearing impairment, speech disorders and generally delayed development was most frequent in areas with low social class score in the city of Bochum/Germany. It seems to be reasonable to improve public health care in areas with low social score in the future. With this concept, only 37% of the children required speech therapy.