SCHS Hearing Centre Celebrates International Hearing, Speech and Language Month
The International Month of Hearing, Speech, and Language is observed annually in May by the Sharjah City Hearing Center, which is connected to the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS). In order to improve the quality of life, particularly for children, it seeks to increase community knowledge of hearing, language, and speech health, the significance of early diagnosis of hearing and speech issues, and the value of early intervention. The significance of language and speech impairments, hearing screening, and the provision of preventative and rehabilitative interventions are also emphasized.
Ms. Marwa Abdel Fattah Madi, head of Sharjah City Hearing Centre, spoke about the most important programs and activities organized by SCHS this month include: a free hearing screening campaign for school students, in addition to informative lectures to raise awareness about the importance of detecting hearing diseases among community members.
She said,” Sharjah City Hearing Center is one of the leading centers in the country and the region in the field of hearing health care, and provides integrated services to evaluate, diagnose and treat hearing and communication problems, with a focus on early intervention for children, and providing the latest technology and audio devices to all beneficiaries of different age groups”.
Regarding the most important services it provides, Ms. Marwa confirmed that a package of comprehensive services is provided by the center to all members of society, the most important of which are hearing screening for all age groups, including newborns, programming and maintenance of hearing aids and cochlear implants, family counseling service and training for families and teachers.
Madi explained that the center provides its services to a wide range of groups, including children with hearing disabilities, the elderly who have age-related hearing loss, people who have experienced sudden or gradual hearing loss, individuals who have speech or language disorders, and school and kindergarten students through early detection programs.
The official of the Sharjah City Hearing Center indicated that and only last year the number of services provided by the center exceeded (1000) that varied between audiological evaluation services and hearing aid services for more than 450 beneficiaries from various emirates of the country, This happened only last year. It also organized more than 13 events and activities for families and the local community.
Ms. Marwa concluded by saying: SCHS is proud that seven of its speech and audiologists have obtained professional licensing certificates from the Ministry of Health and Community Protection, which reflects the high professional level of the team and its compliance with national standards. These results also reflect the center’s commitment to providing services based on scientific evidence and international standards, and ensuring the provision of integrated and customized care for each individual.
According to Ms. Alaa Saif Al-Atr, an official with SCHS's Speech and Language Council, this month is a great chance to emphasize the value of early detection and intervention and to raise awareness of the contributions speech and language pathologists make to the betterment of people of all ages.
She said, “With an emphasis on the value of early intervention in enhancing language, speech, and communication skills, we hope to raise community awareness of the various forms of communication disorders and improve community comprehension of the role that speech-language pathologists play in diagnosis, evaluation, rehabilitation, and support”.
She confirmed that SCHS annually organizes a series of awareness-raising and training events in this month, such as workshops and specialized lectures presented to professionals and parents to enhance their knowledge of the latest practices in the fields of speech and language, in addition to organizing community and awareness-raising events held inside and outside SCHS to spread public awareness of communication disorders and methods of support, while implementing media and educational campaigns across social media platforms, covering simplified and important information about speech and language disorders.
She added, “We also highlight the latest global practices and trends in the field of hearing, speech and language by hosting professionals and researchers in the field, as the Council of Speech and Language Specialists is organizing this year a dialogue forum entitled “Bilingualism: Between Challenges and Opportunities” as part of SCHS's ongoing efforts to raise awareness of communication issues and enhance societal and scientific understanding of language disorders.
The forum includes a group of dialogue sessions, including a scientific research session on the latest studies and practices in the field of bilingualism, and an open discussion session in which a pivotal issue related to bilingualism and its educational and psychological effects is raised, in addition to presenting an inspiring real-life experience of a girl who succeeded in overcoming the challenges of bilingualism and successfully completing her academic career.
The forum aims to promote constructive dialogue between specialists, parents, researchers and academics to open new horizons and a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of bilingualism in our multicultural societies.
The Council, in cooperation with the Ajad Center for Training and Development, also organizes a series of training and awareness lectures during which specialists provide practical and educational training to specialists and workers in the field with the aim of enhancing their efficiency and empowering cadres with the latest therapeutic and rehabilitative methods and strategies.
Within the framework of digital community awareness, SCHS’s Council of Speech-Language Pathologists is working on preparing a set of visual media materials to be displayed on SCHS’s social media platforms, with the aim of highlighting the specialized services provided by the council, and its vital role in supporting individuals with communication disorders.
The digital campaign also includes educational and awareness-raising videos that address the most important language and communication disorders, and provides effective strategies for intervention and support, directed to parents and practitioners in the educational and therapeutic field.
As part of enhancing professional competence within the Council of Speech-Language Specialists, seven of the council’s specialists obtained a license to practice the profession from the Ministry of Health and Community Development, as we consider this a professional commitment to providing the highest standards of performance. It also reflects SCHS’s keenness to provide therapeutic and specialized services characterized by professionalism in accordance with the best international practices.