The provincial Department of Health observed International World Hearing Day, marked on Sunday March 3, with an exhibition at Vangate Mall.
Department representatives addressed the community on Wednesday March 6 around the theme “Check your hearing”.
Residents were urged to check their hearing regularly and told that if they experienced any problems they should go to their nearest day hospital and ask to be referred for a hearing test.
They were also warned to not insert anything into their ears, including cotton buds as it can push the wax further into the ear canal and cause it to become blocked. Pushing the cotton bud in too deep can perforate the eardrum.
Parents were also told to check for early detection signs in children when it comes to their hearing, including painful or leaking ears, asking for repetition, turning the TV up loudly, missing what is being said, struggling in school and getting the wrong message or misunderstanding a lot of the time. For babies, parents must check whether or not the child responds to loud sounds and if they start forming age appropriate words.
People who work in noisy environments were told that they need to monitor their hearing and always wear ear protection.