The central nervous system in deaf adolescents.

Studies were made on 100 pupils, recruited from occupational rehabilitation schools for the deaf in Kraków. They underwent general medical as well as specialist examinations. Deafness was found up to the age of 3 years in 75% of those examined. In 30% of the subjects, their vestibular system was paralysed, ophthalmological disorders were found in 95% of cases, neurological disturbances in 15% and pathological changes of the central nervous system in 65% of cases were recorded by EEG. We did not look for evidence that deafness causes anatomical changes in the central nervous system, but the disturbances observed nevertheless indicate a correlation with congenital or early acquired deafness.