HARIPUR, May 20: Cases of loss of hearing among the working class and children are increasing, a doctor said on Thursday. Industrial and vehicular noise and carelessness with regard to cleanliness of children , particularly those belonging to the low-income groups and overcrowded families in the cities, were considered to be the common reasons causing deafness, said ear, nose and throat specialist Dr Mohammad Yusuf.

He said 10 to 12 per cent of the patients brought to the hospital, mostly children from one to six years of age, had symptoms of partial deafness. He said soar throat, tonsils, adenoids and running and blocked nose affected the eardrums and subsequently caused deafness among children.

He said that low-income groups and overcrowded families in urban areas were the worst hit. He said parents of children with ear problems often complained of their intellectual incapability, poor performance at school and lack of interest in studies.

He held parents responsible for complicating disorders among children by consulting quacks and resorting to self-medication. He said vehicular exhaust was a major contributor in respiratory and ENT problems, particularly among children.

He said rickshaws with loud noise impaired the hearing system and caused perennial rhinitis, which could affect eardrums if not treated properly in time. He said respiratory disorders, ENT problems and hypertension were the most common diseases caused by pollution.

Replying to a question, Dr Yusuf said the permissible limit of vehicular noise was fixed at 85 decibels but in Haripur city it was over 95 decibels and in the Hattar industrial area, above 110 decibels.

He said that according to international standards85 decibels noise was permissible only five days a week, eight hours a day, but here people were exposed to vehicular noise of 18 hours daily, which was causing health problems.

He said incidents of hearing loss among workers at the Hattar industrial estate were on the rise because of lack of safety measures. He suggested that workers, particularly those directly exposed to the noise of machines, should be provided ear plugs.

He said any worker having an ear problem should immediately be referred to a specialist doctor so that a life-long complication could be avoided.