‘Prayaas’: Children are screened for speech and hearing problems in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar Dist.

The district administration of Chamarajanagar, in collaboration with the departments of women and children and children, and health and family welfare, and the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), MySuru, launches ‘Prayaas’ program for assessing young children for auditory and speech-language skills.

The inauguration includes the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOU) between the district administration and Aiish, as well as the release of a public awareness -looking poster about speech, language and hearing health.

Research indicates that about 14% of children run the risk of having speech, language or hearing problems that, if not addressed, can hinder their overall development; Prayaas wants to identify all such children from 6 months to 6 years in the Chamarajanagar district and, according to Aiish, offer timely interventions.

Thanks to this ambitious initiative, more than 40,000 children from around 1,400 Anganwadis will be screened. Screening will be carried out by experienced speech language pathists and audiologists from Aiish and Ent Surgeons from the district hospital. Conditions such as speech delays, wrong pronunciation, stammering, speech disorders, lack of social interaction, hearing loss and ear infections will be assessed, according to a press release.

The initiative, planned for running until March 31, 2026, will be implemented in five phases – campaigns for public consciousness on speech and hearing disorders; Training by Anganwadi employees, helpers, supervisors and ‘Poshan Abhiyaan’ staff for provisional screening; Specialist screening in primary health centers (PHCs) in all Taluks of Chamarajanagar; Detailed diagnostic assessments for risky children identified during screening and follow-up interventions, including therapy and the provision of hearing aids to children in need.

By building the capacity of local Anganwadi and medical staff, Prayaas will ensure sustainable early detection and intervention practices in the district, while parents and carers will also be encouraged to actively participate by bringing their children to the nearest PHC for screening, according to the press release.

Speaking of the initiative, M. Pushpavathi, director, Aiish, MySuru, said that Prayaas reflects a shared dedication to ensure that every child in Chamarajanagar has the opportunity to achieve their complete development potential through early detection, timely treatment and community consciousness.