Hearing is very important for our communication. Our sense of hearing and fully functional ears are crucial in our lives. As an audiologist and speech-language pathologist for 30 years, Devangi Dalal says, “In today’s difficult time, I feel that communicating is more important than merely listening through your ears. There is a disparity between the treatment of hearing-impaired people and others with perfect hearing. This needs to be barred and people should be empathetic towards them. Together, we can move forward and bring change and development to our country. Early rehabilitation, mass awareness, etc are just the initial stages of a larger plan which I intend to implement,

WHO celebrates World Hearing Day every year on 3rd March. This year’s theme is hearing care for all. They are also publishing the world report on hearing this year. This is concerned with people having hearing problems over the world and making people aware of hearing health.

Good hearing and communication are important at all stages of life. Hearing loss (and related ear diseases) can be avoided through preventative actions such as protection against loud sounds; good ear care practices and immunization. It can be addressed when it is identified in a timely manner and appropriate care sought. People at risk of hearing loss (or related ear diseases) should check their hearing regularly and seek care from a health care provider.

Hearing, listening and thinking are very important for language learning. Similarly, hearing with care for others also improves our listening and thinking about others. In this scientific revolution, we don’t have time to listen to the person sitting next to us. Compassion is what we lack even towards the so-called ‘normal’ people. This is the kind of change I plan to bring with the help of all my readers and friends.

Let’s, on this World Hearing Day, decide to listen to all the people with hearing difficulty, to learn, to hear through our perfect ears and also through our hearts so that we all can together make this world more beautiful.

Also read: Speech therapy: How parents can help children with learning difficulties