抄録
Up to May 1972, classes for the hard of hearing in primary schools were housed in 67 schools in our country. The education for children with hearing impairment begins at the earliest practical age. In Japan, however, there are only a few auditory training institutions for pre-school children with hearing impairment.
In April 1969, we established a “the Hearing and Speech Clinic for Deaf Infants” at the “Omotoryo” or a domitory for deaf children in Okayama City, supported by the prefectural and national government.
In this publication, we report our experience and observations made during a three-year period, and emphasize next points:
1) Such a clinic plays very important part in establishing an early diagnosis and offering guidance to infants with speech returdation.
2) The auditory training of deaf infants is best managed under visiting clinic system. Such handicapped infants need social contacts and mingling with normal children for achieving essential education.
3) Such clinic should be financially unencumbered and probably should be under government support.
4) To attack talents as trainers for such handicapped infants there is a need for establishing the trainers in a more prestigious position.
