Risk Factors Involved With Deafness in Children and How to Avoid Them

Risk Factors: Some children are born with hearing loss; others develop hearing loss as they age. Hearing loss may make it hard for a child to formulate speech. They may develop language impairments over time and may have issues developing social skills as well.

Moreover, hearing loss may involve any part of the ear that is malfunctioning and not just the inner ear. Some of the risk factors for hearing loss in infants include low birth weight, being born premature, head trauma, an infection, being exposed to loud noises and genetics.

For example, a child is more likely to be born with a hearing impairment if one or both of their parents suffer from some form of hearing loss.

What are the childhood risk factors for hearing loss?

Exposure to loud noises may increase the risk of hearing loss in children. Particular medical conditions have also been linked to hearing loss, including stroke, certain bacterial infections, tumours, high blood pressure, some viruses, diabetes, and brain injuries.

Injuries to the mother or baby while pregnant, or injuries to the baby while it is born, may also cause hearing loss. For instance, the baby may receive blunt force trauma to its ear, thus causing the eardrum to rupture.

Ear infections that are not treated by antibiotics or other forms of medical intervention may also cause temporary or permanent hearing loss. The mumps and meningitis have also been linked to hearing loss in both children and adults.

Importance of Hearing Tests in Children

In order to properly diagnose hearing loss, and the extent of the child’s hearing loss, the proper hearing tests need to be administered. Hearing tests in children may be even more important than hearing tests in adults, as children may have trouble expressing how they feel.

The earlier the child is diagnosed, the better their long-term outcomes will be in terms of their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. A regular hearing test may not suffice.

While your baby is sleeping, an audiologist will test their hearing. The baby will sleep in a room that is very quiet. Electrodes will be placed on your infant as they sleep. The audiologist will then place 2 soft tips in your baby’s ears.

Next, the specialist will send sounds at differing loudness levels to your baby’s ears. Your child’s hearing nerve response will be carefully measured by a very advanced computer system.

The data that is relayed to the specialist will be interpreted in order to ascertain whether or not your infant is hearing impaired.

The extent of the hearing loss, if applicable, will also be assessed by the audiologist. The test is completely painless and safe for infants.

Treatment for Hearing Problems in Children

Speech therapy has been shown to help children who are hearing impaired communicate with their peers, parents, and teachers. Your child may also be provided with hearing aids that have been custom-tailored to treat their unique hearing condition.

Many hearing aids that are manufactured today are very discrete, and will automatically make adjustments depending on the environment that the child is in. They are very user-friendly, and your child can quickly make any changes to the settings of their hearing aids with an easy-to-use application on their phone or tablet.

Bone-anchored hearing aids are state-of-the-art devices that utilize bone conduction of sound to provide children with optimal hearing. If your child suffers from single-sided deafness or conductive hearing loss, then they may benefit from bone-anchored hearing aids.

Children who cannot wear normal hearing aids due to deformed ear canals, absent ears, or chronic infection, may also greatly benefit from bone-anchored hearing aids.

Vibrotactile aids may also be provided. They are designed to translate sounds into vibrations. Your child will actually be able to feel the vibrations through their skin.

Protect Your Children’s Hearing

If you want to protect your children from developing hearing loss problems in the future, then you need to pay attention to their behaviours and their environment. Ensure that they are not exposed to loud noises.

Reduce how long they listen to music with their headphones, and set a decibel limit on the devices that they use. Make an appointment with your doctor as soon as your child develops ear infection symptoms.

Check the medications that they take as well, as certain drugs can cause temporary hearing loss or damage their ears.

As for symptoms of hearing loss in children, they include distraction-prone behaviour that may resemble attention deficit disorder, and augmented lethargy in noisy settings or during lively school days.

Additionally, your child may report a ringing noise in their ears or muffled hearing. They may also report pain in their head or ears as well.

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World

Russian Arms Dealer Viktor Bout Back in Business After Biden Prisoner Exchange

Viktor Bout, a notorious Russian arms dealer, arriving at court in Bangkok in 2010 - CTN Image

Viktor Bout, the infamous Russian arms dealer who was exchanged two years ago for Brittney Griner by President Biden, has reportedly returned to arms trading, as detailed in a report by the Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal has revealed that Vikto Bout, infamously dubbed the “merchant of death,” is seeking to facilitate the sale of small arms to the Houthis. A report indicates that Houthi representatives met with Bout in Moscow in August to discuss the acquisition of $10 million in automatic weapons.

Nonetheless, the anticipated arms deal remains unfulfilled, as indicated by the report.

Reports indicate that the weapons being discussed do not encompass larger systems such as anti-ship or anti-air missiles, which could represent a considerable risk to U.S. military operations in the area.

Requests for comment from the WSJ regarding Bout’s alleged involvement in the arms trade went unanswered by the Kremlin and Russia’s Ministry of Defense. Steve Zissou, an attorney who provided legal representation for Bout during his time in U.S. custody, refrained from commenting on the possibility of Bout’s meetings with the Houthis.

Viktor Bout, the notorious Russian arms dealer was exchanged for Brittney Griner – CNN Image

Viktor Bout released in 2022

Bout, who became affiliated with Russia’s Kremlin-loyal Liberal Democratic Party following his release in a prisoner swap in December 2022, has kept a low profile since his return.

Bout was taken into custody in Thailand in 2008 and subsequently extradited to the United States, where he faced conviction in 2012 on charges associated with arms trafficking, resulting in a 25-year prison sentence.

For almost twenty years, Bout stood out as one of the globe’s most notorious arms dealers, providing weaponry to unrecognized governments and insurgent factions throughout Africa, Asia, and South America. The activities he conducted served as the basis for the 2005 film Lord of War.

Even after his conviction and imprisonment, reports indicate that Bout’s network persisted in its operations, contributing to conflicts in some of the globe’s most perilous areas.

Former US Marine Paul Whelan Released From Russian Prison

Former US Marine Paul Whelan Released From Russian Prison

Business

PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

Business

Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL