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Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss is one of the most common health conditions affecting individuals of all
ages. There are several causes for hearing loss such as heredity. illness, aging, injury/accident, toxic drugs,
excessive exposure to loud noise or infections. The degree of hearing loss may range from mild to profound. Warning Signs of Hearing Loss: Difficulty hearing conversations in a noisy environment. Frequently asking people to repeat what they say. Straining to hear what people are saying in conversations. Needing more volume on the TV or radio than before. Difficulty hearing on the telephone. Levels of hearing loss: Mild - People with a mild loss are often accused of not paying attention. Background noise interferes with conversations. Moderate - You may have difficulty understanding speech in group settings, even in a quiet place. Severe - Conversations with this type of loss are almost impossible. Profound - You may rely on vision rather than hearing as a mode of communication. Types of Hearing Loss: Conductive Hearing Loss occurs in the middle ear. Earwax, infection, a tumor or foreign objects may be the cause of this type of loss. Sensorineural Hearing Loss occurs in the inner ear. Also known as "Nerve Deafness", this loss may be caused by diseases, infection, loud noises, aging, toxic drugs or inherited conditions. Mixed Hearing Loss is a combination of both Conductive Hearing Loss and Sensorineural Hearing Loss.
In communicating with a deaf/hard of hearing person, it is a good idea to remember that personality. age of onset of hearing loss, intelligence, language background, listening skills, lip-reading, and speech abilities vary from person to person. Here are a few tips:
DO look directly at the deaf/hard of hearing person while you are speaking, and make sure they have a clear view of your face. A slight turn of the head, a mustache obscuring the lips, smoking, pencil chewing, and putting hands in front of the face can interfere with communication. DO speak slowly and clearly. It is not a good idea to over exaggerate or over emphasize words. This will distort lip movements and make speech reading more difficult. DO use facial expression and body language to help convey the tone of your language. DO rephrase a thought instead of repeating the same words. Some lip movements are difficult to speech read. Restate the sentence when the person doesn't understand you. DO use any method to communicate your message: paper and pencil, pantomime or gestures. DO be patient.
What is a cochlear implant? Cochlear implants are considered the onl A cochlear implant is an electronic device that provides electrical stimulation to the auditory nerve. A cochlear implant is a safe, reliable and effective treatment for severe to profound hearing loss. How does the cochlear implant work? Sound is picked up by a microphone and sent through a speech processor which changes the sound into coded signals. A transmitter worn on the head, attached by a magnet, sends the signal through the skin to the electrode array in the cochlea and stimulates the auditory nerve.
In today's world, hearing loss is one of the most common health conditions affecting individuals of all ages. Often times, hearing aids do not help in noisy areas because all sounds are amplified equally. To accommodate those situations, many individuals benefit from the use of amplification instruments called Assistive Listening Devices or ALDs. ALDs are amplification systems made to help a person hear better in situations where hearing can be difficult. ALDs can be used alone or with a person's hearing aids. ALDs are designed to amplify desired sounds and minimize undesired sounds like background noise. ALDs are used in a variety of situations. For example and event in an auditorium, group meetings , to enhance one-to-one conversations, or to enjoy a favorite TV program. Types of Assistive Listening Devices:
Hearing aids are electronic devices that amplify, focus and screen sounds which can help many people
identify sound happening around them. Hearing aids may: Help you hear and understand speech better. Assist in identifying environmental sounds. Hearing aids cannot: Make your hearing normal. Help distorted sounds become clear and definite. Cure your hearing loss. Four common types of hearing aids are named for how each is worn: BTE is placed Behind The Ear ITE is fitted In The outer Ear ITC is inserted In The ear Canal CIC is fitted Completely In the ear Canal When choosing a hearing aid, you and your audiologist should consider: Your lifestyle and activity level Your type of hearing loss Your dexterity Your budget Special features - A Telephone Switch also known as a "T-switch" or "T-Coil" is a special feature that can be built into hearing aids. This feature enables the hearing aids to interface with other assistive devices, such as an amplified telephone or sound systems in public buildings.
Communication Access Realtime Translation There are different possibilities to providing communication access. Communication Access Realtime Translation, also known as CART is a form of equal access. With CART, everything that is said can be "captioned" live for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Never miss an important meeting again!!
Board meetings Educational seminars Conferences Presentations Special dictation services (Dictation books) Or anytime the need to view spoken words for better communication How does CART work? A CART provider types what is being said on a special typewriter. The typewriter then transfers the data to a projector and then the projector will display the information to a large screen for a large audience or an overhead for a small group
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Are you, or someone you know, having trouble hearing or communicating on the telephone? Are you a New Mexico resident? Do you currently have telephone service in you home? Can you provide verification of hearing loss, combined loss of hearing and sight, or a speech impairment? Is your household taxible income less than $50,000 per year? If you answered "yes" to all of the above, contact Southwest Services for the Deaf for more information. |
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DO make sure you have the deaf/hard of hearing person's attention before
you start to speak. 
y medical treatment for persons with severe to profound
hearing loss. 
CART can be used for: