Medical experts at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital have raised fresh concerns over the rising number of children with hearing problems, warning that late treatment is putting pupils at risk of permanent hearing loss and poor school performance.
The doctors said hearing difficulties are increasingly being reported in hospitals, and many affected children struggle to follow lessons, communicate properly with teachers, and participate fully in class activities.
They warned that without early detection and care, hearing loss can slow language development, reduce concentration in class and limit a child’s overall educational progress.
The Head of the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Department at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Dr Nafisatu Bello Muhammad, said many parents and caregivers bring children to the hospital only when the condition has already become serious.
According to her, some children have lived with hearing problems for months or even years before they are presented for medical care.
She explained that “children who cannot hear clearly often miss important classroom instructions, perform poorly in tests and may be wrongly labelled as slow learners, when the real challenge is a medical problem that could have been treated early.”
Dr Nafisatu spoke during a sensitisation outreach for pupils at Tsangayar Gizau Subiyan School in Sharada, organised to mark this year’s World Hearing Day.
She said the outreach was guided by the global theme, “From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children,” which highlights the need for parents, schools, and health workers to work together to protect children’s hearing.
She urged parents to pay attention to early warning signs such as poor response to sound, frequent ear infections, delayed speech, difficulty understanding conversations, and complaints of ear pain.
Dr Nafisatu added that “many hearing conditions seen in children are preventable and treatable when detected on time.”
She said simple medical checks, early treatment, and proper follow-up can help prevent long-term hearing damage and help children remain active and confident in school.
She also called on school authorities to support routine hearing screening and health education, noting that schools are important spaces for early identification of children who may be struggling silently with hearing problems.
Also speaking at the outreach, a Consultant Otologist and Neurotologist at the hospital, Dr Yasir Jibril Tofa, said, “Hearing-related cases are common among patients attending the hospital.”
He explained that a large number of children are born with advanced conditions that could have been managed easily if parents had acted earlier.
According to him, delays in treatment increase the risk of permanent hearing loss and long-term learning difficulties.
Dr Tofa said the hospital will examine children identified during the outreach and provide appropriate medical care to those diagnosed with hearing problems.
He noted that early treatment improves communication skills, boosts confidence, and allows children to participate more actively in classroom activities.
He called on parents, caregivers, and teachers to take children’s hearing seriously, stressing that protecting hearing health is not only a medical responsibility but also a critical step toward improving education outcomes and securing a better future for children in Kano.
On his part, the Director of Tsangayar Gizau Subiyan School, Aminu Ahmad Aliyu Modibo, applauded the initiative, saying the outreach would help reduce avoidable hearing loss among children by encouraging early detection and timely medical care.
