The article "The Approach to the Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Pediatric Patient" by Anika S. Smeijers, Martina H. Ens-Dokkum, Beppie van den Bogaerde, and Anne Marie Oudesluys-Murphy discusses the unique challenges and considerations in providing medical care to deaf or hard-of-hearing children and adolescents. The prevalence of hearing impairment is approximately 1 in 1,000 at birth and increases to about 1.6 in 1,000 in adolescents. Healthcare professionals must be aware of the linguistic and cultural backgrounds of these patients to ensure successful and satisfactory medical consultations. Key issues include the higher incidence of comorbidities, sexual abuse, and (psycho)social problems, as well as the potential pitfalls in obtaining informed consent and the higher frequency of medical mistakes. The article highlights the importance of understanding the deaf community's social and linguistic minority status, which can lead to communication barriers with the majority hearing population. It also addresses developmental issues, such as language development and sign language use, and the lack of general knowledge about health and medical issues among deaf children and adolescents. Psychological aspects, including higher rates of medical and psychological problems, are also discussed. The article provides practical recommendations for outpatient services and communication strategies, emphasizing the need for clear documentation, quiet consultation rooms, and the use of interpreters to ensure effective communication and informed consent. Overall, the article underscores the importance of healthcare professionals being aware of the specific needs and challenges faced by deaf or hard-of-hearing pediatric patients to provide the best possible care.The article "The Approach to the Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Pediatric Patient" by Anika S. Smeijers, Martina H. Ens-Dokkum, Beppie van den Bogaerde, and Anne Marie Oudesluys-Murphy discusses the unique challenges and considerations in providing medical care to deaf or hard-of-hearing children and adolescents. The prevalence of hearing impairment is approximately 1 in 1,000 at birth and increases to about 1.6 in 1,000 in adolescents. Healthcare professionals must be aware of the linguistic and cultural backgrounds of these patients to ensure successful and satisfactory medical consultations. Key issues include the higher incidence of comorbidities, sexual abuse, and (psycho)social problems, as well as the potential pitfalls in obtaining informed consent and the higher frequency of medical mistakes. The article highlights the importance of understanding the deaf community's social and linguistic minority status, which can lead to communication barriers with the majority hearing population. It also addresses developmental issues, such as language development and sign language use, and the lack of general knowledge about health and medical issues among deaf children and adolescents. Psychological aspects, including higher rates of medical and psychological problems, are also discussed. The article provides practical recommendations for outpatient services and communication strategies, emphasizing the need for clear documentation, quiet consultation rooms, and the use of interpreters to ensure effective communication and informed consent. Overall, the article underscores the importance of healthcare professionals being aware of the specific needs and challenges faced by deaf or hard-of-hearing pediatric patients to provide the best possible care.