Dur Afshar Agha.
Less attentive children and minimal hearing impairment.
Pak Paed J Jan ;30(1):10-5.

Objective: 1) To determine the relationship between less Attention and minimal hearing impairment in children who are developmentally normal. 2) To determine recommendations on hearing assessment in less attentive school children. Design: Comparative, Observational Study Setting: The study was conducted at eight primary schools of the Metropolitan city of Lahore. Patients and Method: The study population consisted of 225 children, 5 to 11 years of age, who were identified by their class teachers as being less attentive in the class. These children were matched with 225 attentive children of the same class, age and sex. Two questionnaires were designed; one to find out the medical record and socio-economic status of the child, while the other to assess his performance and behavior. General physical examination, otoscopy and audiometry was carried out on all the children. Results: The results of the study showed that 61% of the less attentive and 6% of the attentive children had minimal hearing impairment. It further revealed that 72% of the minimally hearing impaired inattentive children had been rated `poor` in class performance by their teachers. Conclusion: The study has revealed a highly significant risk of less attention in minimally hearing impaired school children. A regular hearing assessment is therefore recommended for children who are less attentive in the class.

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