Hellen Keller says “Blindness cuts you off from things. Deafness cuts you off from people”. This is very true as hearing affects the ability to communicate and learn. Thus hearing impairment affects every aspect of a child’s life – familial, social, psychological, emotional and above all educational. Hearing impairment may occur in the outer, middle, inner ear or in the auditory nerve. Hearing loss may range from the mildest to the most profound in either or both ears.

Hearing Loss is of Two types:

• Conductive: Resulting from malfunction in the outer or middle ear. This can often be corrected medically or surgically.
• Sensory–neural loss: This results due to malfunction in the inner ear or in the auditory nerve.

Causes of deafness
Before birth

• Hereditary causes.
• Con–sanguinous marriages.
• RH or blood group incompatibility.
• High intake of antibiotic or ototoxic drugs.
• Exposure to X–Rays.

During birth

• Instrumental delivery.
• Birth anoxia.
• Birth weight less than 1200 gms.

After birth

• Jaundice
• High fever
• Measles–mumps–rubella
• Convulsions
• Heavy intake of antibiotics
• Accidents
• Meningitis–otosclerosis

Age of onset could be

• Prelingual–prior to learning spoken language.
• Post lingual–after learning spoken language i.e. after 2 to 3 years.

A deaf child is not dumb
Hearing children learn to speak by imitating sounds that they hear and by enjoying the sounds that they make i.e. babbling, cooing etc. A deaf child has to be taught speech which is a very challenging task for the pupil and the teacher. Deaf children vary in intelligence like hearing children. The following points should be considered.

• A deaf child has to be helped to hear better by giving him amplification and conditioning his residual hearing.
• Visual supplement must be offered through lip–reading and manual signs.

To conclude, a deaf child is a personality striving to communicate his thoughts and feelings and trying to understand yours. By knowing and appreciating his problems you can help a deaf child by treating him more patiently and naturally.

Indian red cross society’s red cross school for the deaf
The Poona District Branch of the Indian Red Cross Society was established in the year 1921. Since then it has grown and multiplied its welfare activities over the years. It has undertaken a number of projects for the amelioration of suffering humanity and in order to achieve the objects effectively, the society has set up four units as follows:

• Urban and rural welfare.
• Blood bank.
• Junior red cross.
• Red cross school for the deaf.

Historical background for the school for the deaf
It was observed at our OPD clinic that children with gross malnutrition, physical and mental handicaps and hearing impairment was not an uncommon sight. The hearing impaired children lacked educational training as there were no special schools in the vicinity and they could afford to attend the distant special schools. The then Secretary and Vice Chairman Dr. P. S. Sanade and Dr. K. H. Barucha respectively, conceived the idea of starting a free school for the deaf on the red cross premises.

Thus, the school came into being in June 1976 with a class of eight students and one trained teacher. Subsequently, the strength of our students increased to 65 and we now have ten staff members. During our teething stages we were fortunate to have the invaluable guidance of the pioneer of education for the deaf in Poona Mrs. Malti Joshi who was the Principal of V. R. Rula Mook Badhir School, Pune. Our school was given recognition by the Social Welfare Department of Government of Maharashtra in 1978. Members Late Dr. P. S. Sanade and Dr. K. H. Bharucha from Left 3rd and 6th respectively.

Activities:
Academics and extra curricular activities

• Aims: Our aim is to educate the students within a well balanced educational program using the ‘Total Communications Method’ and rehabilitate them in society to become productive and independent citizens.
• Syllabus: We follow the normal school syllabus – the difference lies only in the teaching methods. We make maximum use of visual aids, go at a slow pace and make use of sound amplification systems.

Can you lip–read me?
Electronic aids
The school is equipped with group hearing aids, and audiometer for hearing assessment. Tape recorder, casio, organ and musical instruments are used for auditory training and cultural activities. An overhead projector, slide projector and a video cassette player make visual lessons more lively and interesting.

Speech training on the speech trainer
For the tiny tots, extensive use is made of clay crayons and paints to teach them through the play way method. The children are encouraged to participate in inter school competitions like drawing, dance, dramatics, handicrafts, general–knowledge and lip reading.

Trips
The children are frequently taken for educational trips and picnics to enrich their limited experience.

Enjoying clay work
Health and welfare services
The students are provided free supplementary diet every day. The O.P.D. clinic along with their visiting specialists give free medical treatment. Efforts are made to secure free uniforms, stationery, ear moulds and hearing aids through charitable organizations. Parents–teachers meetings are held regularly for which we invite eminent speakers for counseling in various subjects like health, nutrition, the importance of education and maintenance of hearing aids. Thus not only educational but all aspects of the all round development of a child are taken care of.

Rehabilitation
After a child passes out from our school, every effort is made to secure admission for him in a high school or send him for vocational training or get him a job, as the case may be.

Grants and donations
Social Welfare Department of Govt. of Maharashtra gives 100% salary grant and 50% for maintenance and day to day expenses. The remaining 50% is borne by Indian Red Cross Society and from donations.

Future program
To introduce vocational training.

How you can help us

• Permanent Transport - A minibus would be a boon to our children. At the moment many of them have to be brought to school by their parents. A minibus would also help us to take the children out on educational trips more often.
• Sponsoring our Children. You can sponsor any of our children. It costs INR 300 to INR 400 a month to educate a deaf child.
• Scholarships may be given to encourage our students to do better.
• Memorial Gifts - A donation to the Institute can be a lasting and satisfying tribute to departed relatives and friends.

You can help us by donating any of the following specialized equipment
Educational books, tapes and slides

1. Montessori equipment.
2. Play therapy and testing material.
3. Percussion instruments.
4. Indoor gymnasium equipment.