Comprehensive hearing screening for babies and children from the Ministry of Health
The Ministry of Health announced that millions of babies and school-aged children have undergone hearing screenings over the past two years.
Within the scope of programs carried out by the Ministry of Health, hearing screenings were performed on 1 million 756 thousand babies and 2 million 129 thousand school-starting children in the past two years.
Causes and Importance of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can be congenital, or it can occur due to various reasons such as infections, trauma, loud music, and prolonged exposure to noise.
The Role of Early Diagnosis in Child Development
While hearing loss can affect individuals' education, work, and social life, early detection of loss during infancy and childhood is of critical importance for supporting the developmental process.
Newborn Screening Period and Referrals
Within the scope of the Newborn Hearing Screening Program conducted in Turkey, a total of 1 million 756 thousand babies were screened over the past two years, and 24 thousand babies requiring advanced evaluation were referred to diagnosis centers.
Program Conducted for School-Aged Children
Within the framework of the School-Age Children Hearing Screening Program targeting primary school first-grade students, 2 million 129 thousand children were reached and hearing screenings were performed over the past two years.
Referrals to Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists
As a result of the screenings of school-aged children, 118 thousand children suspected of having hearing problems were referred to ear, nose, and throat physicians for necessary checks.
Barrier-Free Health Communication Center Services
To date, 118 thousand citizens have benefited from the Barrier-Free Health Communication Center application, which was established to facilitate access to healthcare services for hearing-impaired citizens.
Uninterrupted Sign Language and Emergency Support
Uninterrupted service is provided twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week through professional interpreters via the ESİM mobile application, which can be downloaded for free on smartphones.