From communities to classrooms: Hearing care for all children
Act now so no child is left behind due to ear or hearing problems
World Hearing Day is observed annually on 3 March to raise global awareness about the prevention of deafness and hearing loss while promoting ear and hearing care worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) established this observance in 2007 and has since coordinated international activities each year under a designated theme.
For 2026, the WHO highlights the World Hearing day’s theme as ‘From communities to classroom: Hearing care for all children’. This initiative emphasizes integrating hearing care services into school health programs and local community initiatives. Communities and classrooms are naturally entry points to reach children, parents, and educators. By embedding hearing care within existing child and school health frameworks, we can support children's ability to hear effectively, learn optimally, and thrive.
The campaign prioritizes two core objectives:
Ø Preventing avoidable childhood hearing loss.
Ø Ensuring early identification and intervention for children with ear or hearing conditions.
According to WHO data, more than 60% of childhood hearing loss can be prevented through cost-effective public health measures. Key prevention strategies include:
- Promoting safe listening practices, such as educating children on safe volume limits for personal audio devices and providing hearing protection (e.g., earplugs or earmuffs) in noisy environments like concerts or sporting events.
- Encouraging proper ear hygiene, including avoiding the insertion of objects such as cotton buds into the ear canal to prevent injury and infection.
- Enhancing maternal and neonatal care to reduce risks associated with complications like low birth weight, prematurity, and neonatal jaundice, which are linked to hearing impairment.
For early identification, WHO advocates for a systematic timeline in paediatric hearing care: newborn screening within the first month of life, diagnostic evaluation by the third month for those who do not pass initial screening, and intervention services commencing by the sixth month once hearing loss is confirmed.
The World Report on Hearing (2021) indicates that school-age children with hearing loss frequently remain undiagnosed and without access to essential services, particularly in low-resource settings. Globally, approximately 90 million children and adolescents aged 5–19 years live with hearing loss. However, it commonly remains undetected, especially in low-resource settings. It is also stated that over 60% of childhood hearing loss is preventable through simple, cost-effective public health measures. Among those living with ear diseases or hearing loss, early identification and care are crucial to prevent long-term impacts on development, education, and future opportunities. Integrating systematic screening and early intervention programmes into school health and child health plans can ensure improved outcomes for children living with ear or hearing problems. Hearing loss that left unaddressed, not only affects a child’s ability to hear but significantly impacts speech, language, cognitive and social development, reduced employment prospects and long-term economic disadvantages.
The same report highlights the rising global burden of hearing loss. In 2018, an estimated 466 million people (about 6.1% of the world's population) lived with hearing loss, with 93% being adults and 7% children; one-third of cases involved individuals over 65 years of age. Without effective prevention and protection measures, WHO projects that the number will exceed 630 million by 2030 and surpass 900 million by 2050 (with more recent estimates indicating nearly 2.5 billion people may experience some degree of hearing loss by 2050, and over 700 million requiring rehabilitation).
Unaddressed hearing loss must not be overlooked. We urge individuals to seek hearing assessments when difficulties arise and to encourage others to do the same. By acting promptly—through prevention, early detection, and intervention—we can ensure that no child, or person of any age, is left behind due to preventable or treatable ear and hearing challenges.
