Degree of loss

Level of difficulty

The expected effect on hearing sounds and understanding speech

10 - 15 dB

Normal

There are no signs of disability at this level of hearing loss

16 - 25 dB

Very simple

The individual does not find it difficult to perceive speech in quiet places, but in noisy speech, it is difficult to understand

26 - 40 dB

Simple

The individual has no difficulty communicating in conversations that take place in quiet places and vocabulary is limited, and it is difficult to hear faint or distant speech even if the environment in which the individual is located is quiet

41 - 55 dB

Medium

The individual can only hear speech up close, but in group activities, such as classroom discussions, they pose a challenge to individual communication

56 - 70 dB

Medium-severe

The individual can hear the speech that is made loud and clear, and has a lot of difficulty following and understanding the speech that takes place in group situations, and it is often noticed on the speech of the individual that it is weak although it is understood

71 - 90 dB

Acute

The individual cannot hear speech if it is not loud, and even then he cannot distinguish many words because he can hear the sounds in his environment, although they are not always understood, but in terms of speech he is not understood at all.

plus de 90 dB

Very acute

The individual can hear loud sounds, but cannot hear conversation at all, and sight is the best way to communicate and speech is difficult to understand