Min launches Mysuru project to screen children for speech and hearing impairments

Mysuru: District minister HC Mahadevappa launched a project undertaken by the district administration and All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) to identify children suffering from speech and hearing impairments in anganwadi and lower primary schools in Mysuru district.Experts from AIISH will screen children between 3 and 10 years old in all anganwadi centres, and lower primary schools to identify such children and provide necessary treatment.
Speaking after launching the project at zilla panchayat auditorium, the minister said that the project, under which the Union and state govts entered into a MoU, with WHO, will screen such children as part of World Hearing Day 2026.Training for anganwadi activists, assistants, and teachers was also provided to help identify such children in their schools, as well as to assist the experts during the screening.AIISH also trained the first batch of 518 anganwadi activists from Mysuru South, North, Urban, and rural areas, along with 512 govt lower primary school teachers, between Feb 17 and 23, in this regard. Anganwadi activists who underwent training in the first batch also screened 5,057 anganwadi children and submitted a report stating that 7.8% of the 5,057 anganwadi children suffered from hearing impairments. Primary school teachers screened 8,859 children and identified 6.23% of them as suffering from hearing impairments.DC G Lakshmikanth Reddy said that this project will help such students avail treatment as well as continue their studies. AIISH director Pushpavathi said that early screening of such children, helps provide necessary treatment and correct hearing impairment. MLA Tanveer Sait, ZP CEO S Ukeshkumar, MCC commissioner Sheikh Tanveer Asif, Karnataka police academy director Vishnuvardhan, and AIISH professors Sridevi and Devi were present.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !