JEDDAH, 9 May 2004 — Saudi Arabia has one of the highest incidences of impaired hearing in the world, says Dr. Khairiya Al-Abdul Jawad, associate professor in audiology at King Saud University’s Faculty of Applied Sciences.
“Hearing impairments must be addressed fast to reduce its impact on society,” Al-Madinah quoted Dr. Khairiya as saying.
She attributed 37 percent of hearing impairments among boys and 42 percent of cases among girls to marriage between close relatives.
“The percentage of cases in the Kingdom is 13; in developed countries it is 10.4,” she said quoting a recent study.
Apart from hereditary factors, diseases suffered by the mother during pregnancy such as German measles and meningitis, her consumption of certain medicines and lack of oxygen during delivery may cause impaired hearing in the child, she said.
