By Michael Ter-Berg, Thomson Screening
Even mild to moderate visual and hearing impairments can significantly hinder a child’s educational progress, social development, and overall well-being. These silent struggles often go unnoticed, leading to long-term consequences that affect not only academic performance but also social and emotional growth.
Vision problems can hinder a child’s ability to read text on the board, in books, or on screens. This can lead to poor reading skills and a lack of interest in reading activities. Handwriting and the ability to copy text accurately can also be affected. And hearing problems can delay the development of language skills, with children struggling with vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, making it difficult to communicate effectively. Difficulty in hearing can also impede participation in classroom activities and conversations.
Children with undetected hearing or vision issues are often treated as ‘problem’ children as frustration may result in children becoming disruptive in class. Additionally, there may be longer-term consequences such as lower self-esteem. Early detection and intervention is vitally important.
Consequences of hearing and sight problems
A recent UK study of 2,909 children found that those with co-occurring hearing and visual impairments were less likely to achieve the national target at Key Stage 2 compared to children with normal hearing and vision. Importantly, this could not be explained by differences in IQ, behaviour, attention, or social cognition.
What’s more, poor performance at Key Stage 2 had a knock-on effect on GCSE results which, in turn, would affect their ability to access higher education.
Another study found that higher hearing thresholds were associated with higher behavioural problem scores and poorer school performance among school-aged children. These findings highlight the importance of identifying and addressing even mild to moderate hearing loss in children.
Recent studies suggest that a significant proportion of academic underperformance can be attributed to undetected vision and/or hearing impairments. The Cooper Institute reports that around 60% of students who struggle with learning may have underlying vision issues. Furthermore, several studies indicate that up to 40% of students diagnosed with a learning disability may, in fact, have an undiagnosed or untreated visual or hearing impairment.
The impacts of hearing and vision impairments can also extend beyond the classroom and into adulthood. For example, literacy problems in the prison population are often compounded by a range of emotional, learning, and attentional deficits, including uncorrected visual and hearing impairments in childhood.
A growing issue
Unfortunately, research suggests that the number of children with a vision or hearing impairment is likely to grow due to lifestyle changes. With more screen time, there is now a worldwide epidemic of myopia (shortsightedness). Additionally, the growing use of in-ear headphones is contributing to hearing impairments, particularly in children who are gaming and listening to loud music.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cases of myopia in young people are expected to grow to 3.36 billion by 2030 due to lifestyle-related risk factors. Following the pandemic, 68% of study participants decreased the time they spent outdoors (a substantial cause of the increase in myopia) while time spent using screens increased 2.8-fold.
This is backed up by research from Hong Kong, which found that 30% of the children tested after the COVID-19 pandemic suffered from myopia, compared to just 12% of the children tested before the pandemic ─ a staggering 2.5-fold increase in just a few short years.
Identifying impairments is crucial
One of the biggest challenges associated with undetected vision or hearing impairments is that teachers often do not know which children are affected. This means that they are effectively “flying blind” and may not be able to provide the necessary support or accommodations to help these children succeed.
To address this issue, many organisations have developed programs and initiatives aimed at screening children for hearing and vision problems. By detecting these issues early on, teachers and parents can work together to provide the necessary accommodations and support to help these children succeed.
Routine checking once a year can help quickly identify impairments before there is any severe impact on learning or behaviour. Where a possible impairment is detected, parents can then take their child for a more in-depth assessment by an audiologist or optician and, if required, a prescription for glasses or hearing aids.
One such initiative is the Fischer Family Trust’s Apex project, which is focused on improving literacy outcomes for children with vision impairments (hearing impairments are also being considered). So far, a total of 910 pupils from six schools have been screened, using the SchoolScreener for Schools software from Thomson Screening, for visual impairments and 165 (18%) were referred for further eye tests by an optician. Of those, 61% required glasses or a change in prescription.
Given the significant impact that hearing and vision impairments can have on children’s educational outcomes and behaviour, it is in the best interests of schools to prioritise screening for these issues. Not only does this help to meet school requirements around welfare, inclusion, and behaviour, but it can also save time and money in the long run including children that may otherwise be seen as requiring SEN support.
What’s more, most adjustments or solutions for hearing and vision impairments are easy and cheap to implement. Taking the child for a free full assessment at a high street optometrist and for hearing, to the GP. For some children simply sitting them towards the front of the class will help. When teachers know if a child has a colour vision impairment adjustments can be made.
Summary
Undetected hearing and vision issues can have profound and far-reaching effects on a child’s educational journey. By prioritising early detection and intervention, and by making necessary adjustments in the classroom, we can ensure that all children have the opportunity to succeed academically and develop socially and emotionally. Addressing these silent struggles is not just an educational imperative but a societal responsibility, ensuring that every child has the tools and support they need to thrive.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Ter-Berg is CEO of Thomson Screening. The company was founded in 2011 by City, University of London to further develop and implement the work of Professor David Thomson, for 25 years head of Department at the University’s Department of Optometry and Dr. Sebastian Hendricks, Consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital in Paediatric Audiovestibular Medicine.
Thomson Screening’s products address healthcare and education around the world with the software managing over 3 million screenings in schools to date. The software also provides automating data reporting and administration. Users include the NHS and schools in the UK, non-profit organisations in the USA and NGOs in developing countries. https://schoolscreener.com/
Web: https://schoolscreener.com/
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Sources:
https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/3/1/e000389
https://www.cooperinstitute.org/blog/vision-and-learning-are-linked
https://apex.fft.org.uk/project/
https://visiontolearn.org/impact/ucla-study-impact-analysis-of-vision-to-learn/
https://visiontolearn.org/wp-content/uploads/UCLA-Published-Vision-To-Learn-Study.pdf