Certified audiologist and lecturer at the University of Education Winneba (UEW), Cyril Mawuli Honu has cautioned parents and guardians to exercise constraints in how they reprimand their wards
He warned that slapping a child or giving children knocks on their head can easily damage their brain and ears.
“When it comes to babies and children, beating and slapping is what we call trauma. Depending on the severity, trauma could destroy a particular part of the ear. For instance, a slap can get the ear drum perforated, or destroy the arrangements of the three bones in the ear, hence affect hearing” Mawuli Honu stated.
He added that such slaps can cause tinnitus and a disturbance of the vestibular system hence make the victim lose balance.
“There are other ways to punish and child such as; time out, naughty corner, and natural consequence. Beating and hitting do not always correct the child but could even toughing the child’ he admonished.
“I was not deaf at birth but as time went by, my father got into alcoholism and he became wicked. So if I acted wrongly, he would lock up the door, beat me up and slap me mercilessly. It continued for sometime till I woke up one morning with a problem in my ears. My parents took me to the hospital for a check up on my ears but I started having challenges with hearing and eventually I became deaf” Fred Atto recounted his sad experience via his sign language interpreter to Johnnie Hughes on 3FM Sunrise Morning Show.
He entreats parents, guardians, teachers and people to refrain from slapping children as a form of punishment.
“I don’t want any child to go through my experience. It is not good. I think slapping a child as my father did for me to become deaf is not good” he emphasized.
Fred Addo holds an HND in Civil Engineering but is currently working as a cleaner but faces communication challenges and discrimination.
