Sir, a referral letter from a general dental practitioner to a hospital consultant was recently viewed, describing a patient as 'deaf and dumb.' What is worse, the reply contained the same expression. Terms such as 'deaf and dumb' or 'deaf-mute' should certainly be avoided. The term 'dumb' in modern language tends to denote 'stupidity' or 'idiocy.' The term 'mute' refers to an individual who cannot produce speech and 'mutism' is a medical or psychological condition, ie the inability or refusal to produce sounds, respectively. The majority of deaf individuals have normal vocal chords but prefer to communicate via sign language, as it is difficult to modulate the voice without hearing. Derogatory terminology such as 'deaf and dumb' has been found to be uncommon in the international English language press.1 Such terms should, hopefully, fade from acceptable usage and medical practitioners may help lead the way.

On 25 November 1845, the novelist, playwright and human rights activist Victor Hugo (1802-1885) wrote to Ferdinand Berthier, a prominent deaf man in Paris: 'What matters deafness of the ear, when the mind hears. The one true deafness, the incurable deafness, is that of the mind.'2

The term 'deaf' refers to a physical condition characterised by a severe or total lack of auditory sensitivity to sound. Deafness may be categorised by the degree of hearing loss, which may include:

  • slight hearing loss (16-25 dB)

  • mild hearing loss (26-40 dB)

  • moderate hearing loss (41-55 dB),

  • moderately severe hearing loss (56-70 dB)

  • severe hearing loss (71-90 dB),

  • profound hearing loss (91-120 dB)

  • or total deafness (120 dB or more of hearing loss).

It is incumbent upon all medical practitioners to use language that is not derogratory, negative or offensive to anyone, particularly patients.