associated with hearing in the Saudis
Prof. Dr. Khaled Mohamed Taiba, consultant otolaryngologist, professor at Alfaisal University and head of the Otolaryngology Center in Riyadh, stated that through the existing research at the Research Center at King Faisal Specialist Hospital, more than 24 genetic defective genes have been discovered with hearing-related problems. Some members of the Saudi community through what the detection results showed.
Taiba said to Al-Riyadh: “The genetic genetic factor in the inherited genes would investigate the genes related to the sense of hearing and the degree of their problems in the Saudi individual, and that the discovery of these genes requires early examination before marriage, which reduces the rate of increase in the number of hearing-impaired persons,” indicating that there is hope And a future look through research for the gene therapy of the genetic inheritance of hearing that was defective by restoring it to its normal state.
He attributed the cause of deaf children born in the Kingdom to the genetic factor in the region and the factor of inbreeding in addition to other acquired factors that make up the high percentage remaining in the Kingdom, beneficial to the high incidence of hearing disability among male children than female children.
Taiba expressed his happiness at the issuance of the high approval of the early detection program for hearing impairment, which was approved by the Saudi Health Council by order of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, which stipulated the implementation of the early detection and intervention program for hearing impairment in health facilities, the establishment of a national registry for hearing impairment within the General Secretariat of the Council, and the study of health procedures. It is required to adhere to them for children in the first years of life, pointing out that this program will place the Kingdom in the ranks of developed countries.
Dr.. Taiba to Al-Riyadh: The early detection of hearing impairment program places the Kingdom in the ranks of developed countries
He praised the role of early medical examination for hearing impairment, which would lead to early rehabilitation and medical care, which would help rehabilitate the hearing impaired, to coexist in society in a better educational, linguistic, social and economic way, and that early detection is the right way to overcome the ordeal of these handicapped, stressing that the hearing impaired who do not benefit with rehabilitation After early detection and early rehabilitation using stethoscopes, they receive a cochlear implant with better results if it is performed early.
Taiba mentioned that basic early detection is not complicated and its medical devices are not expensive, as much as the need for a unit for early detection and examination by nurses according to a time that does not exceed five minutes for children when they are born and linking that examination later with the birth certificate, indicating that early detection For children from birth, it was applied individually according to the capabilities of the hospitals, and that the intensive care units for children in the advanced military hospitals and King Faisal Specialist Hospitals did not perform early detection of children born naturally except in cases of children who were in critical circumstances, and that is within the protocol that requires detection From early to know whether it was acquired in difficult birth conditions that may lead to hearing impairment.
He explained that in the future, there will be a procedure for detecting early hearing impairment for children with natural birth and others who have critical conditions that require them to remain in intensive care, calling for it to be mandatory for the benefit of children.
