About deafness
Deafness – The Hidden Disability
Imagine a world without sound, without the ability to hear music, laughter and conversation. Hearing impairment and deafness are common but complex problems – affecting over 9 million people in the UK alone – and can have many causes.
Ear diseases which would receive routine treatment in the UK are major causes of disablement and even death in the developing world. Left untreated, a simple ear infection can destroy the eardrum and even lead to life-threatening brain abscesses or meningitis.
As deafness is a “hidden disability”, with no outwardly visible symptoms, it often goes undiagnosed. This is particularly the case in developing countries, where there are many other medical and disability issues with higher profiles pressing for attention and a share of the limited resources available.
Deaf and hard of hearing people are therefore an especially disadvantaged group in the developing world, where hearing loss is a highly neglected, and often taboo, topic.