PRELIMINARY-REPORT - SUSPICION OF HEARING-LOSS AT AGE O-1 YEARS BY TVVIEWING ATTITUDE

To determine any difference of TV viewing attitude between normal and hearing-loss children, 14 normal and 8 sensory impaired infants/toddle rs were observed separately in a playroom with a TV set showing a 12-m in videotape. All children enjoyed TV and showed clear differences in TV viewing behavior between hearing-loss and auditory normal children. At the beginning of their favorite programs or changes in programs, n ormal infants/toddlers were quickly aware of the TV sound and turned t oward the TV set, where as hearing-loss children remained unaware. Our observation proved the intact hearing of two clients who had not resp onded to regular infant auditory tests. Moreover, we surveyed 65 heari ng-loss children. Only 21% of them began to watch TV at 0 year of age, 50% at 1 year. They did it apparently later than normal infants who b egan to watch TV mostly before 1 year of age in the Japanese general p opulation. From fitting with a hearing aid, however, most of them bega n to enjoy TV, watch it longer, have their favorite programs (music, s ongs, etc.) and turn to face the TV whenever a favorite program began. This suggests hearing acuity is important to enjoy TV, Since TV is al ready familiar and attractive to most any children, it is a useful and sensitive tool for early detection of hearing-loss children at 6-18 m onths of age.