Hearing impairment

Hearing impairment is a total or partial hearing loss and limited ability to hear. The major causes of hearing loss are genetical predispositions, age, infections, injuries and others.

Degree of hearing loss:

mild hearing loss 26 – 40 dB

moderate hearing loss 41 – 55 dB

moderately severe hearing loss 56 – 71 dB

severe hearing loss 71 – 91 dB

profound hearing loss, over 91 dB

total deafness

According to the World Health Organization, hearing impairment ranks the second in the leading causes of disabilities. The degree of hearing loss significantly affects a persons’s ability to master spoken language and to learn through verbal communication. A person with severe hearing loss has broken social relationships, a slight hearing loss does not ususally cause such a disturbance. In Slovakia there is 5 – 7 % of population registered as deaf or with hearing loss.