The South African Association of Audiologists estimates that one in 1 000 children is born profoundly deaf, and that an additional two per 1 000 will become deaf during early childhood. Unlike in the past, when discrimination, misunderstanding and rejection were common, for deaf children today, there are more opportunities than ever before. With early intervention, language can often develop almost normally, and a rich and full life is a real possibility. It’s therefore important for any new parent to be alert to signs of hearing abnormalities, and to know of the help that’s available.
That’s not to say that overcoming a hearing problem doesn’t require extraordinary