DEAFNESS

The pathology of hearing loss is a very difficult problem. The serious approach to the treatment of deafness was applied throughout centuries, especially from the fifteenth century onwards, while in Croatia from not earlier than the nineteenth century.
There are a lot of causes of deafness. In about 25-45%, the cause of deafness is unknown but connected to the hereditary hearing loss. The combination of verbal and nonverbal forms of communication is the most accepted method of communication between deaf persons. The consequence of delayed detection of hearing loss is associated with the lack of essential skills in speech, language and social interaction in later life. The universal newborn hearing screening has widely been accepted as a prerequisite of an early diagnostics of congenital hearing loss. Early detection and intervention are best done with a multidisciplinary team approach.