Q: What is the role of an ENT doctor and a speech/hearing specialist in the rehabilitation of a 2 year old, hearing impaired child?

A:An ENT surgeon and audiologist must make the diagnosis of the hearing loss and its level and also if the hearing loss is conductive and can, therefore, be treated. If the hearing loss is due to inner ear disease then all the help which is locally available must be given to this child in the form of hearing therapy and hearing aids and if the loss is total cochlea implantation must be considered. With severe inner ear hearing loss the quality of this child's life will depend on the provision of as much help as possible from surgeon, speech therapist and hearing therapist plus all psychological and educational support.