Hear Here LLC - Blog

Meet the Professional: Dr. Melanie Driscoll - Doctor of Audiology

2012-02-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

Meet the Professional: Dr. Melanie Driscoll - Doctor of Audiology

Dr. Melanie Driscoll received her Doctorate of Audiology from the University of Louisville's School of Medicine Audiology Program. Dr. Driscoll founded Hear Here in 2006, and since the company's inception, she has helped over 3,000 people from over a dozen different states hear their best.

Dr. Driscoll founded Hear Here on the principles of providing excellent patient care, educating the community on hearing loss, and giving the city of Louisville a new choice in hearing health care. Hear Here strives to create long-lasting relationships with each patient that walks through the doors, and we welcome patients to keep coming back, even if it's just to have some coffee and say hi.

Dr. Driscoll is from Mt. Washington, KY, and has deep roots in Kentucky. Dr. Driscoll also has six children to keep her busy when she is not seeing patients, and currently resides in Louisville, KY.

Since 2006 Hear Here has grown to three full time locations throughout the great state of Kentucky. There are two locations in Louisville, one in the East-end and one in the West-End, as well as one location in Bowling Green, KY.

Fun Fact Friday!

2012-02-24T16:33:00.000-08:00

Fun Fact Friday: Did you know that the hearing organs of a Cricket are in their knees?! Wow! Have a great weekend everyone ;)

Helping a loved one seek the help they need

2012-02-20T07:52:00.000-08:00

Helping a loved one seek the help they need

By: Julia Clore - Office Manager at Hear Here - Hearing Centers

Do you know someone that needs to have their hearing checked, but is too stubborn to take the next step? Here are a few tips to help encourage your loved one to do so:

“Honey, your hearing loss might just be ear wax.” Some people have an excessive amount of wax in their ear canals which can affect hearing. We clean ear canals and many of our patients leave with their hearing much improved.
“Mom, just like your annual eye exam, teeth cleaning and physical it is important to have a baseline of your current hearing so you can monitor your future needs.” You might not have hearing loss right now, but having a starting point to refer to in the future is a good way to stay on top of your hearing health needs.
Mental health; as this might not be a good idea to use this topic to get your loved one in the Audiologist’s door; this is a good point for you to think about. Hearing loss can lead to mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. Many people with hearing loss can develop social anxieties because they can not interact with their environment. The lack of brain stimulation that hearing provides has been shown to increase the risk of depression, Alzheimer’s and Dementia.*
If indeed your loved one needs hearing aids, we offer a 30 day full money back guarantee. We will talk about lifestyle, comfort and affordability. Your loved one will have in-office counseling to make sure they are getting what they need from their new devices or they can return them at no cost. Plus, that special stubborn person in your life might have insurance coverage that helps with the cost of hearing aids.
“Dad it’s free!” We do free screenings for new patients. (If hearing loss is found further testing will be required prior to obtaining hearing aids-but most insurance companies cover this test.)

Sources:

* http://www.asha.org/about/news/tipsheets/04DecTipSheet.htm

* http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/news/20110214/hearing-loss-may-be-linked-to-alzheimers

* http://www.healthyhearing.com/content/articles/Hearing-loss/Other/47642-hearing-loss-treatment-alzheimers

By: Julia Clore - Office Manager at Hear Here - Hearing Centers

Fun Fact Friday!

2012-02-17T07:29:00.001-08:00

Fun Fact Friday: The entire area of the middle ear is no larger than an M&M! Wow! Have a great weekend everyone ;)

Millions 50 and Older Suffering Hearing Loss but Not Using Aids

2012-02-15T06:15:00.000-08:00

Millions 50 and Older Suffering Hearing Loss but Not Using Aids

Source: ABC News - Enjoli Francis

Of the 4.5 million 50- to 59-year-olds in the United States experiencing hearing loss, only about 4.3 percent are using hearing aids.

“These people are still working and going to meetings,” said Dr. Frank Lin, assistant professor in the department of otolaryngology and epidemiology at John Hopkins University. “They are the people who need it the most.”

In “The Prevalence of Hearing Aid Use Among Older Adults in the US,” which was published today in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Lin and Dr. Wade Chien, also of Johns Hopkins, found that of the 26.7 million Americans age 50 and older suffering from “clinically significant, audiometrically defined,” or real, hearing loss, just one in seven used hearing aids.

For the publication, the two examined data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys, which has collected health information from thousands of Americans since 1971.
Lin said there were several reasons for the gap between those suffering hearing loss and those using hearing aids. He said that hearing aids were rarely covered by medical insurance in the U.S., but noted that even in parts of the world where aids were covered, the rate of people using them was not much higher than that of the U.S.

“The biggest thing is the overall perception that hearing loss is an inconsequential part of aging,” Lin said.

He said that because of the perception, people felt there was nothing they could do to treat hearing loss and little research was done on the condition.

Pam Mason, the director of audiology professional practices at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, said that many Americans 50 and older didn’t know the dangers of untreated hearing loss.

“Those that have mild or even moderate hearing loss may tell themselves: ‘I can get by,’” she said. “Somebody who has been a typical hearing person … if the hearing loss has been creeping on them … may not be aware that they are experience hearing loss. They don’t recognize they are having a problem.”

Both Lin and Mason said that ignoring hearing loss had broader, negative consequences. It’s been associated with poor thinking and memory ability and can lead to social isolation, depression and even dementia.

Lin said that most people 50 and older who did get hearing aids stopped using them because of improper counseling and training. As with prosthetic devices, he said, hearing aids required two or three months of auditory rehabilitation to use them properly.

“They’re complex devices,” he said. “It’s not like putting on eyeglasses.”
Mason said that treating hearing loss was a process.
“It may even include auditory training, retraining your brain. It may include lip-reading skill improvement, recognizing how sounds look on the face,” she said. “Everybody is unique. Hearing needs are unique.”

“The most important parts for this population of people [ages 50 and older] is to recognize the signs of hearing loss and understand the negative consequences of untreated hearing loss and where to go for help you may need,” Mason said.
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Original article can be found here: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/02/13/millions-50-and-older-suffering-hearing-loss-but-not-using-aids/
Source: ABC News - Enjoli Francis

Hearing ≠ Listening

2012-02-13T07:25:00.000-08:00

Hearing ≠ Listening

By: Katie Bluestein, BSCD

Student Extern at Hear Here - Hearing Centers

While it may seem easy to use the two as synonyms, hearing and listening are not the same. It is entirely possible to hear without listening. People without cognitive function can have completely normal hearing but do not possess the ability to listen. Hearing is one of our senses; it is our ability to detect sound. Listening can be thought of as a skill - the ability to make sense of and apply meaning to the sounds we hear. In short as Beck and Flexer have said "listening is where hearing meets the brain". To put this concept into perspective, "Dogs have extraordinary hearing...from about 50 Hertz to 40,000 Hertz [as compared to our 20 - 20,000 Hz]. However, despite their extraordinary hearing, dogs are not very good at listening" (Beck and Flexer).

As hearing care professionals, our fundamental concern is hearing. If an individual cannot hear the vast spectrum of sounds that are enveloped in human speech, he/she cannot listen. Thus through the utilization of hearing technology (i.e. hearing aids and assistive listening devices) we aim to help individuals with hearing loss listen successfully. However, as previously stated, the ability to listen is completely dependent on what is heard. While we can make sounds louder and more accessible for people with hearing loss, it is not possible for us to change someone's hearing ability. Individuals with hearing loss fit with hearing technology have access to more sounds, however when that access is taken away (i.e. when the hearing aids are removed) the hearing ability returns to "impaired" status as Beck and Flexer say.

In their recent article, Beck and Bhatra explore the superior listening skills of musicians due to maximized auditory skills. It is explained that musicians ""learn to listen" through motivation, practice and intention" causing neurologic changes to occur (12). It is likely that practice is the greatest contributor to these changes. Listening is an active process. Successful listening requires attention to signals of interest and dismissing those that are not. It is important for hearing aid wearers to remember these facts. Hearing technology will not change your hearing ability, it takes practice and you have to train yourself to “learn to listen” with the new input. It will take time; so it is important to be patient with your hearing technology and your hearing care professional on your journey to better hearing. Trust us, it’s worth the journey!

Reference sources: Beck, D., Bhatara, A. Musicians, Hearing Care Professionals and Neuroscientists. The Hearing Review. February 2012. p 10-16

Beck, D., Flexer, C. Listening is Where Hearing Meets Brain...in Children and Adults. The Hearing Review. February 2011

Article by: Katie Bluestein, BSCD - Student Extern at Hear Here - Hearing Centers

Hear Here Employees Help Improve City of Bowling Green, KY

2012-02-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

Hear Here Employees Help Improve City of Bowling Green, KY

Photo by: Joe Imel - Bowling Green Daily News

Since its inception, Hear Here has been dedicated to giving back to local communities throughout the state of Kentucky in just about any way possible. Hear Here employees have dedicated their time and money to causes such as Relay for Life, Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics Kentucky, Kosair Children's Hospital, and many others.

Recently, to help give back to the wonderful city of Bowling Green, KY, Hear Here employees Paul Ress and Adam Jones have created and become heavily involved with the Bowling Green Riverfront Foundation. The foundation's main goal is to revitalize the riverfront areas in Bowling Green, KY through several projects that would help turn a neglected piece of land into a haven for recreational sports enthusiasts.

The foundation was recently featured in the city's local newspaper, The Daily News, for their success in having phase I of their project passed by the city. The first phase consists of turning a bare area of land often thought of as unsafe into a bike track that will be aimed at people of all ages. The foundation has received grants from the Patagonia company to help with their efforts, and is hoping to secure further funding from private benefactors to help advance the project.

This is another wonderful example of how our employees at Hear Here are truly dedicated to their local communities, and we will continue to post updates as the project moves further along.

Fun Fact Friday!

2012-02-10T07:46:00.000-08:00

Fun Fact Friday: The male mosquito hears not with ears, but with thousands of tiny hairs that grow on their antennae! Wow!

Hear Here is a proud sponsor of Bowling Green Magazine!

2012-02-09T09:08:00.000-08:00

Hear Here is a proud sponsor of Bowling Green & South Central Kentucky Magazine. The 2012 edition was released today, and it is stunning! If you would like a copy please drop by our Bowling Green, KY location. Supplies are limited.

Diabetes takes toll on women's hearing

2012-02-07T07:29:00.000-08:00

Diabetes takes toll on women's hearing

Source: FloridaToday.com - Ellin Holohan

Diabetes is associated with hearing loss in women, especially if the blood sugar disease isn't well-controlled, new research indicates.

The study, done by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, examined the medical records of 990 men and women who had hearing tests between 2000 and 2008. Patients with diabetes were divided into two groups: well-controlled and poorly controlled.

Among women aged 60 to 75, hearing loss was 14 percent worse even in well-controlled diabetics compared with those without diabetes. That is not a clinically significant loss, noted study author Dr. Kathleen Yaremchuk, chairwoman of the department of otolaryngology at the Henry Ford Healthcare System in Detroit.

“An individual might not notice it,” Yaremchuk said.
On the other hand, poorly controlled diabetics’ hearing was 28 percent worse than the non-diabetic group’s hearing.

Younger women who had diabetes, well-managed or not, were more likely to have hearing loss than those unaffected by the illness, the study found.

Diabetes is known to affect the eyes, kidneys and other organs, Yaremchuk said.
“Our study shows it can affect hearing as well.”
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Original article can be found here: http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120206/HEALTH/120206007/Diabetes-takes-toll-women-s-hearing?odyssey=nav|head
Source: FloridaToday.com - Ellin Holohan

The Dangers of Purchasing Hearing Aids on the Internet

2012-02-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

The Dangers of Purchasing Hearing Aids on the Internet

By: Dr. Melanie Driscoll, Doctor of Audiology at Hear Here - Hearing Centers

Since the inception of the internet, the purchasing of most items has become relatively easy and safe, with the exception of hearing aids. Devices sold directly to the consumer are typically amplifiers, not hearing aids. Amplifiers increase all sound the same amount, whereas, hearing aids are programmed to amplify speech and decrease noise.

According to Eric Mann, M.D., Ph.D., deputy director of FDA's Division of Ophthalmic, Neurological, and Ear, Nose, and Throat Devices, "People who already use a hearing aid know that selecting the right one is not a simple process.” The FDA regulates hearing aids, and on their consumer website, they suggest you visit an audiologist.

Acccording to Sergei Kochkin, the Executive Director of the Better Hearing Institute, "Today’s state-of-the-art hearing aids should be programmed to the individual’s specific hearing loss requirements in order to provide good levels of benefit and customer satisfaction. The process requires a complete in-person hearing assessment in a sound booth; the training and skills of a credentialed hearing healthcare professional in order to prescriptively fit the hearing aids using sophisticated computer programs; and appropriate in-person follow-up and counseling. This is not possible when consumers purchase one-size-fits-all hearing aids over the Internet or elsewhere.”

Extensive research has proven that comprehensive hearing evaluation and hearing aid fitting specific to the needs of the hearing aid user provide optimal hearing and customer satisfaction. Inappropriate fitting of hearing aids can lead to more hearing loss, and are considered to be very dangerous by most professionals.

The best way to ensure that you are receiving a safe, quality hearing product is to see a hearing care professional in person. Even if you do not decide to purchase hearing aids from that professional, they can at least give you their opinion on what would truly work best for you.

At Hear Here, we recommend seeing a hearing care professional not only for the reasons above, but also for follow up purposes. No hearing aid (or medical device) is perfect, and by being able to physically follow up with a professional you can really fine tune your hearing aids to your personal hearing loss. Seeing a professional face to face also allows you to ask any questions you may have without the hassle of waiting on hold for a company's representative who may or may not know anything about your hearing aid.

When it comes to purchasing hearing aids, it's one purchase you will be happy you made in person. If you still have questions about hearing aids, the purchasing process, or anything in between please feel free to send us an e-mail at: info@hearhereinc.com - We truly care about our patients and are here to serve you!

Sources: Eric Mann, M.D., Ph.D., deputy director of FDA's Division of Ophthalmic, Neurological, and Ear, Nose, and Throat Devices

Sergei Kochkin, the Executive Director of the Better Hearing Institute

By: Dr. Melanie Driscoll, Doctor of Audiology at Hear Here - Hearing Centers

Fun Fact Friday!

2012-02-03T09:16:00.000-08:00

Fun Fact Friday: Sound travels at a speed of 1,130 feet per second, or 770 miles per hour! Wow! Have a great weekend everyone!

Music Training May Delay Hearing and Memory Loss

2012-02-02T07:43:00.000-08:00

Music Training May Delay Hearing and Memory Loss

Source: PyschCentral.com - Rick Nauert, Ph.D.

A new study suggests lifelong musical experiences can retard certain aspects of the aging process. Specifically, Northwestern University scientists discovered a lifetime of musical training slows some aspects of hearing and memory loss.

The experts believe the findings suggest age-related delays in neural timing (the ability of the brain to decode and then recode audio stimuli) are not inevitable and can be avoided or offset with musical training.

The study is the first to provide biological evidence that lifelong musical experience has an impact on the aging process.

In the study, researchers in the Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory discovered that older musicians had a distinct neural timing advantage. This was determined by measuring the automatic brain responses of younger and older musicians and non-musicians to speech sounds.

“The older musicians not only outperformed their older non-musician counterparts, they encoded the sound stimuli as quickly and accurately as the younger non-musicians,” said Northwestern neuroscientist and co-author Nina Kraus, Ph.D.

“This reinforces the idea that how we actively experience sound over the course of our lives has a profound effect on how our nervous system functions.”
The study is published online in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.
“These are very interesting and important findings,” said Don Caspary, Ph.D., a nationally known researcher on age-related hearing loss. “They support the idea that the brain can be trained to overcome, in part, some age-related hearing loss.”

“The new Northwestern data, along with additional with recent animal data from Michael Merzenich and his colleagues at University of California, San Francisco, strongly suggest that intensive training even late in life could improve speech processing in older adults and, as a result, improve their ability to communicate in complex, noisy acoustic environments,” Caspary added.

Previous studies suggest that musical training offsets losses in memory, and difficulties hearing speech in noise — two common complaints of older adults.

However, Kraus warns that the current study’s findings do not prove that musician’s have a neural timing advantage in every neural response to sound. “Instead, this study showed that musical experience selectively affected the timing of sound elements that are important in distinguishing one consonant from another.”
Source: Northwestern University
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Original article can be found here: http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/01/31/music-training-may-delay-hearing-and-memory-loss/34281.html
Source: PsychCentral.com - Rick Nauert, Ph.D.

The Hearing Loss Association of America's Walk4Hearing Surpasses $1.2M Goal

2012-02-01T21:56:00.000-08:00

The Hearing Loss Association of America's Walk4Hearing Surpasses $1.2M Goal

By: Hearing Loss Association of America - Source: Sacbee.com

The Hearing Loss Association of America® is pleased to announce its line-up of 2012 spring and fall Walks in 21 cities across the country. The Walk4Hearing experienced growth for the sixth straight year and surpassed its 2011 fundraising goal of $1.2 million.

Hearing loss is a leading public health concern with 36 million adults reporting some degree of hearing loss, yet most people go untreated. The Walk4Hearing increases awareness about hearing loss, minimizes the stigma associated with it, and raises funds to expand services and programs.

Mike Orscheln, president and CEO of Phonak, is the 2012 National Business Chair. Orscheln stated, "Two years as the Chicago Business Chair and last year taking on national responsibilities has given me an even stronger commitment to help this event become more successful. The dynamics that are occurring in our industry make the collaboration among industry, hearing health professionals and consumers more critical than ever. Let's make 2012 the biggest and best year ever for the Walk4Hearing!"

National sponsors of the 2012 Walk4Hearing include: AARP, CapTel Captioned Telephone, MED-EL, T-Mobile, Advanced Bionics, Cochlear Americas and Phonak.

Director of the Walk4Hearing, Ronnie Adler, commented that dedicated volunteers helped realize a 25% increase in the number of teams and walkers, making the Walk4Hearing the largest walk event for people with hearing loss. There was also an increase in the number of alliance groups which are participants from schools, hearing loss-related organizations, and others that share the proceeds.
Along with Ronnie Adler, Rebecca Lander serves as the National Walk4Hearing Coordinator. Suzanne D'Amico, a veteran of the New York City Walk, joins HLAA as the Northeast Region Coordinator, effective February 1, 2012.

About Hearing Loss Association of AmericaThe Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) opens the world of communication to people with hearing loss through information, education, advocacy and support. In addition to the Walk4Hearing, HLAA publishes Hearing Loss Magazine, holds annual conventions (Convention 2012 is in Providence, RI, June 21 - 24), and chapters and state organizations. The headquarters is located at 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 1200, Bethesda, MD 20814. Phone: 301.657.2248.

Learn more about the Walk4Hearing and meet Mike Orscheln by watching the video.

CONTACT: Nancy Macklin, Director of Events and Marketing, +1-301-657-2248, nmacklin@hearingloss.org
SOURCE: Hearing Loss Association of America
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Source: Sacbee.com
Original article can be found here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/01/4231225/the-hearing-loss-association-of.html
By: Hearing Loss Association of America

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/01/4231225/the-hearing-loss-association-of.html#storylink=cpy

New Hear Here Polo Shirts from Adidas - AWESOME!

2012-01-31T08:34:00.000-08:00

Our new shipment of Hear Here polo shirts from Adidas has arrived, and they look AWESOME! Look familiar? The University of Louisville's football coaching staff wears the same style.. in U of L colors of course ;) Have a great day everyone!

Kayaker's Ear

2012-01-30T07:22:00.000-08:00

Kayaker's Ear

By: Paul M. Ress - Director of Operations at Hear Here - Hearing Centers

Did you know that kayakers who paddle in cold water are at risk of developing painful, spiny bone growths in their ear canals? According to a Vanderbilt University Medical School study 79% of kayakers have kayaker’s ear.

What is kayaker’s Ear?

The medical term for kayaker’s ear is exostosis and it is commonly known as surfer’s ear along the coastline. Exostosis is a spiny bone growth located under the skin in the ear canal that is caused by repeated exposure to cold water and wind. The size of the growth depends on the number and severity of exposures. If exostosis is left untreated it may block the entire ear canal.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of exostosis include loss of hearing, increased rate of ear infections, trapped water in the ear and pain centered in the ear canal. A stressed immune system may cause a sore throat and act as a symptom of exostosis. When this occurs exostosis is typically discovered when a doctor uses an otoscope to check a patients ear. The slight touch of the otoscope to the growth causes a sharp pain due to its sensitivity.

Treatment

Unfortunately the only treatment of exostosis is surgery. There are two methods of surgery and both require the use of a surgical drill to remove the growth from the ear. Recovery time varies between two to six weeks depending on the surgical method used and the size of the growth.

Prevention

Exostosis can be prevented by simply not exposing yourself to cold, wet, and windy conditions. However for kayakers this is not an option. Custom earplugs are the only real solution to prevent exostosis. Standard earplugs will allow water into the ear canal and are susceptible to falling out of the canal. Custom earplugs are created from a mold of the patient’s ear to ensure perfect fit and superior comfort in comparison to traditional earplugs.

Conclusion

Prevention is key. Surgery is painful, dangerous, and most importantly keeps you off the rivers that you love. If you think that you may have exostosis consult an audiologist or your physician.

Information Source: Moore, R. D., Schuman, T. A., Scott, T. A., Mann, S. E., Davidson, M. A. and Labadie, R. F. (2010), Exostoses of the external auditory canal in white-water kayakers. The Laryngoscope, 120: 582–590. doi: 10.1002/lary.20781

Article By Paul M. Ress - Director of Operations at Hear Here - Hearing Centers

Fun Fact Friday!

2012-01-27T08:28:00.000-08:00

Fun Fact Friday: During World War I, parrots were put on the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France because of their amazing ability to hear enemy aircraft long before human ears could pick up the sounds. Wow!

Study links sleep apnea and sudden deafness

2012-01-24T07:43:00.000-08:00

Study links sleep apnea and sudden deafness

Source: Reuters.com - Genevra Pittman

Consulting a large health insurance database, researchers found that people who'd suffered sudden deafness were more likely to have a previous diagnosis of sleep apnea than a comparison group without hearing loss.

The absolute difference was small: 1.7 percent of those with hearing loss had sleep apnea, compared to 1.2 percent without hearing trouble.

"If there is sudden hearing loss, I would investigate the presence of apnea as well, given that it's easy to diagnose and it's easy to treat," said Dr. Seva Polotsky, a sleep apnea researcher from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore who wasn't involved in the new study.
"Obviously we don't know from this paper whether treating apnea will reduce hearing loss," or the chance of having hearing problems in the first place.

For now, he said, "There are more questions than answers."
Polotsky added, it's possible that sleep apnea, which is known to increase the buildup of plaque in blood vessels, could affect vessels in areas of the brain that control hearing, or vessels that feed the nerves responsible for hearing.

But he said more research will be needed to find out what could be behind this link -- or whether something besides the apnea, itself, might explain an increased risk of deafness.
There are about 4,000 new cases of sudden deafness each year in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health, and there are many possible causes, including infections and head injuries.

Typically the deafness only occurs in one ear, and most people regain their hearing over a period of weeks, sometimes aided by steroid treatment. But occasionally the hearing loss becomes more serious.
Looking at health records of one million Taiwanese, researchers led by Dr. Jau-Jiuan Sheu, of Taipei Medical University Hospital, found almost 3,200 had been diagnosed with sudden deafness between 2000 and 2008. For each of those people, they picked out another five of the same age and sex without hearing loss to serve as a comparison.
Out of those 19,000 people in total, 240 had been diagnosed with sleep apnea before the episode of sudden deafness occurred.

When researchers took into account health and lifestyle factors that may be related to both sleep problems and hearing loss -- such as obesity and heart disease -- they found that men with sudden deafness were 48 percent more likely to have a previous sleep apnea diagnosis than men without hearing loss.
The association for women was less clear, the researchers reported in the Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

Sleep apnea is characterized by closing off of the airways during sleep, leading to repeated drops in oxygen levels in the blood and frequent short wake-ups, along with snoring. It's often treated with a mask and breathing device, called continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, but one of the most effective treatments is weight loss.
The new study doesn't prove that sleep apnea causes sudden hearing loss. The researchers couldn't account for people's smoking and drinking, for example, which may affect the risk of both conditions.
Sheu and colleagues speculated, however, that inflammation and changes in blood vessels linked to sleep apnea could contribute to the risk of deafness.

Tinnitus, the sensation of ringing in the ears, has been linked to circulatory disorders, for example.
Polotsky added that most of the complications associated with sleep apnea, which include high blood pressure and diabetes, are thought to result from frequent oxygen fluctuations during the night.
And sudden hearing loss could fit into that category, he told Reuters Health.
But the current study, Polotsky said, "doesn't really establish that. It just shows us a new potential area to research."
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Sources: Reuters.com - Genevra Pittman
Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, January 2012.
Original article can be found here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/20/us-study-apnea-idUSTRE80J1U420120120

What is an Audiologist?

2012-01-23T07:30:00.000-08:00

What is an Audiologist?

By: Austin C. Black, Au.D. - Audiologist at Hear Here - Hearing Centers

What is an Audiologist?

At Hear Here, patients will often ask “Just what is an Audiologist?” or “What all does an Audiologist do?” In an effort to clarify our purpose, profession, and our practice, we would like to provide you with some specifics on just what an Audiologist is, what our training consists of, and how we can help you and your loved ones.

Definition of an Audiologist

An audiologist is a person that more commonly will have the Doctor of Audiology degree, but occasionally will have a Masters degree in Audiology. An audiologist has a state-regulated license to practice. An Audiologist is uniquely qualified to provide a comprehensive array of professional services related to the prevention of hearing loss and the audiologic identification, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of persons with impairment of auditory and vestibular function. Audiologists serve in a number of roles including clinician, therapist, teacher, consultant, researcher and administrator. Audiologists can also design, implement, analyze and interpret the results of research related to auditory and balance systems. Further, audiologists serve as expert witnesses within the boundaries of forensic audiology.
Assessment and Diagnosis
When assessing our patients, the Audiologic hearing assessment may involve the administration and interpretation of behavioral, physioacoustic, and electrophysiologic measures of the peripheral and central auditory systems. Assessment of the vestibular balance system may include administration and interpretation of behavioral and electrophysiologic tests of equilibrium. Assessment is accomplished using standardized testing procedures and appropriately calibrated instrumentation and leads to the diagnosis of hearing and/or vestibular abnormality.

Treatment

Our audiologists are professionals who provide a range of audiologic treatment services for persons with impairment of hearing and vestibular function. The audiologist is responsible for the evaluation, fitting, and verification of amplification devices, including assistive listening devices. The audiologist determines the appropriateness of amplification systems for persons with hearing impairment, evaluates benefit, and provides counseling and training regarding their use. We conduct otoscopic ear examinations, clean ear canals and remove cerumen/earwax, take ear canal impressions, select, fit, evaluate, and dispense hearing aids and other amplification systems. We also provide treatments for some vertigo vestibular conditions such as BPPV in the office. Audiologists assess and provide audiologic treatment for persons with tinnitus using techniques that include, but are not limited to, biofeedback, masking, hearing aids, education, and counseling.

Hopefully, this information has been beneficial and effective in describing our intentions and our proficiencies and how we can be the preferred provider for your hearing healthcare! If you have any questions regarding how we can help, please, feel free to ask any one of our Audiologists or other staff members. We want you to being your journey to a more satisfying life as you hear both here and wherever life takes you.

Sincerely,

The Hear Here Family
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Information source: Audiology.org
Article by Austin C. Black, Au.D. - Board Certified in Audiology - Audiologist at Hear Here - Hearing Centers. Mr. Black can be reached at: 502-447-2828.

Fun Fact Friday!

2012-01-20T08:03:00.000-08:00

Fun Fact Friday: Fish do not have ears, but can hear changes in pressure through ridges in their bodies! Wow!

Lifelines for People With Hearing Loss

2012-01-19T07:37:00.000-08:00

Lifelines for People With Hearing Loss

Source: NYTimes.com - Jane Brody

Hearing loss, a disability currently untreated in about 85 percent of those affected, may be the nation’s most damaging and costly sensory handicap. It is a hidden disability, often not obvious to others or even to those who have it.

Its onset is usually insidious, gradually worsening over years and thus easily ignored.
Most of those affected can still hear sounds and think the real problem is that people aren’t speaking clearly. They often ask others to speak up, repeat what was said or speak more slowly. Or they pretend they can hear, but their conversations may be filled with non sequiturs.

As hearing worsens, they are likely to become increasingly frustrated and socially isolated. Unable to hear well in social settings, they gradually stop going to the theater, movies, places of worship, senior centers or parties or out to restaurants with friends or family.

Social isolation, in turn, has been linked to depression and an increased risk of death from conditions like heart disease. And now there is another major risk associated with hearing problems: dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This finding alone should prompt more people to get their hearing tested and, if found impaired, get properly fitted with aids that can help to keep them cognitively engaged.
Perhaps it will also grab the attention of politicians who determine what is and what is not covered by Medicare and, in turn, by other health insurers. Currently, Medicare does not pay for hearing aids, and many older people cannot afford the many thousands of dollars that quality aids and auditory training can cost.

Furthermore, for the fewer than 15 percent of hearing-impaired people who have hearing aids, the devices themselves are not an adequate solution. Hearing aids work best when the distance between the sound and the listener is less than six feet and when background noise is minimal, which can preclude clear communication in theaters, airports, restaurants and many other social settings.

Hearing and the Brain

Although hearing impairment was first linked in major medical journals to dementia and cognitive dysfunction more than two decades ago, not until last year did researchers demonstrate an independent association with dementia over time.

By following 639 people ages 36 to 90 for nearly 12 years, Dr. Frank R. Lin, an otolaryngologist at Johns Hopkins Medicine, and his colleagues there and at the National Institute on Aging showed a direct relationship between the participants’ degree of hearing loss and their risk of later developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

For each 10-decibel loss in hearing, the risk of dementia rose about 20 percent among the participants. Compared with those who could hear normally when first examined, the risk of dementia doubled among those with mild hearing loss, tripled among those with moderate hearing loss and increased fivefold among those with severe hearing loss.

The relationship between hearing loss and dementia persisted even when other factors linked to cognitive disease, like hypertension, diabetes and smoking, were taken into account.
“People are most likely to notice communication problems when their hearing loss exceeds 25 decibels,” Dr. Lin said in an interview. “It’s not that they can’t hear, but they can’t understand. Hearing loss at this level affects the clarity of words.”

How, then, might this lead to cognitive deficits?

“The brain dedicates a lot of resources to hearing,” Dr. Lin said. “When the clarity of words is garbled, the brain gets a garbled message. It has to reallocate resources to hear at the expense of other brain functions.”

Thus, the overworked brain may lose “cognitive reserve,” the ability of healthy parts of the brain to take over functions lost by other parts.

Another mechanism may be the effects of social isolation. “A decline in social engagement and resulting loneliness is one of the most important determinants of health outcomes in older adults,” Dr. Lin said. Isolation has been linked to an increase in inflammation throughout the body, which in turn can result in age-related disorders like heart disease and dementia, Dr. Lin said.

How Proper Aids Help

Rose Marie Jewett, 83, of Janesville, Wis., who had experienced progressively worsening hearing loss for 40 years, had all but given up hope of hearing others speak or ever again enjoying music.
She said she could understand how hearing loss could lead to dementia, because she was “forgetful” when she did not hear what she should have heard.

It’s not that she forgot things; rather, she had never heard them to begin with, and the strain of constantly trying to piece things together was taking its toll.

“When you can’t hear anybody, you don’t pay attention,” Ms. Jewett said. “You shut yourself off from the world, you don’t think very well, your memory gets bad and you get kind of dull.”
But now it’s a whole new world for Ms. Jewett. Linda S. Remensnyder, an audiologist and founder of Hearing Associates in Illinois, taught her how to maximize her ability to hear clearly in social settings. She fitted Ms. Jewett with the right kind of hearing aids and with devices that allow her to hear clearly on the telephone, when watching television and in public settings that have been equipped with hearing loops.

A hearing loop, installed around the periphery of a room, is a thin copper wire that radiates electromagnetic signals. The signals can be picked up by a tiny receiver called a telecoil that is built into most hearing aids and cochlear implants. With the press of a tiny button on the aid, sound comes through to people with impaired hearing with even greater clarity than can be heard by someone with normal hearing.

Since 2009, Dr. Remensnyder said, hearing loops have been installed in about 1,000 public places, including museums, stores, banks, theaters, airports, sports arenas and other spaces that are challenging for the hearing-impaired.
“The public is misled into thinking that by getting two hearing aids, they’ll be able to hear everywhere,” she said. “Aids are just a small segment of the solution.”

Neither Dr. Lin nor Dr. Remensnyder can yet say whether improving auditory signals for the hearing-impaired will diminish or delay the development of dementia. That remains for a clinical trial to demonstrate. Meanwhile, Dr. Remensnyder said, it can “revolutionize” the lives of people with hearing difficulties, a virtue in itself.
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Original article can be found here: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/16/personal-health-lifelines-for-people-with-hearing-loss/
Source: NYTimes.com - Jane Brody

Adrian Peterson and Tani Austin Helping the World Hear!

2012-01-18T08:41:00.000-08:00

Adrian Peterson and Tani Austin Helping the World Hear!

"Adrian Peterson and Tani Austin take a second to take a picture with some happy kids who just received brand new hearing aids. We can't thank Adrian enough for taking time out of his life to be with us! So the World May Hear!"

Photo Credit: Starkey Hearing Foundation

Adrian Peterson Helps Deliver Gift of Hearing to Local Kids

2012-01-17T07:49:00.000-08:00

Adrian Peterson Helps Deliver Gift of Hearing to Local Kids

Source: KSTP.com - Michelle Knoll

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson helped give some local children.the gift of hearing Monday.

He met the kids at the Starkey Hearing Foundation in Eden Prairie as they were fitted with their new hearing aids.

The 15 kids are from the Waconia area. Peterson was supposed to meet the kids at a fundraiser on Lake Waconia, but bad ice conditions pushed that event back to next month.

Money raised will help the Starkey Foundation and Peterson's All Day Foundation.

Original article can be found here: http://kstp.com/article/stories/S2455241.shtml

Source: KSTP.com - Michelle Knoll

Experts at Las Vegas convention say technology improves hearing aids

2012-01-16T07:55:00.000-08:00

Experts at Las Vegas convention say technology improves hearing aids

Source: LVRJ.com - Sonya Padgett

There's an old joke in the auditory industry that illustrates the public relations problems -- and the functional issues -- related to hearing aids.

It starts with a man telling his friend, "I just got new hearing aids."
The friend says, "Oh? What kind are they?"

The man looks at his watch and answers: "It's 3 o'clock."

Funny if you have perfect hearing. Not so funny if you've been in that guy's shoes. And it's downright disappointing if you are Brent Edwards, vice president for research at Starkey Laboratories Inc.
Starkey, the largest maker of hearing devices in the United States, held its innovation expo at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas last week. More than 3,000 audiologists and other hearing experts from across the country gathered to talk about the latest in hearing aids and what's on the horizon.

There was a time when that joke wasn't far from the truth and you may have had better results using an ear trumpet than a hearing aid. But those days are gone, Edwards says. Still, that news hasn't filtered out into a public that could benefit from the latest hearing aid technology.

While hearing aids have grown more effective, Edwards says, the negative reputation lingers.
The good news is that hearing aids are smaller and better than ever. They're so small that they are almost undetectable when worn in the ear. They also can help people hear better, understand speech more clearly and mask sounds such as ringing or buzzing.

Wireless technology, the same that is used in Bluetooth devices, has enabled manufacturers to address two of the biggest problems people encounter when using hearing aids: talking on the phone and watching television, Edwards says. The wireless technology allows sound to be streamed right to the hearing aid.

"This has been an evolution," says Jerry Ruzicka , president of Starkey. "Hearing aids were always analog devices. About a decade ago we started introducing digital. After that, we were able to take the next step, which was introduce software that could (program) hearing aids. Now we've taken the next step, which is to put these radios in each hearing aid."

There also have been advances in directional microphones, which are inside hearing aids and amplify sound. One of the biggest obstacles for hearing-aid wearers is communicating in a noisy environment, Edwards says. "That's a huge challenge."

These new microphones add three decibels, which translates into almost a 45 percent improvement in a wearer's ability to understand words.

Despite these advances, the average age of a person who buys a hearing aid is 69, Edwards says.
One would think that age would decrease as baby boomers age. In fact, boomers have been a driving force behind some of the developments in high-tech hearing, experts say. But there's still a resistance to hearing aids that has been difficult to overcome.

Cost may be a problem. Most insurance companies don't cover the cost of the devices, which can range from $1,000 to $4,000 each.

Deeply ingrained stigmas may be at play, too, Edwards says. If people think they are perceived as weak for needing hearing aids, they may be less likely to wear them. Also, if they feel like the hearing aids don't help, they won't wear them.
"There's a fallacy that people expect hearing aids to give the same level of improvement that eyeglasses do to vision," Edwards says.

And that's not true. There are two kinds of hearing loss: conductive, which is the ossification of the inner ear anatomy, and sensory neural. Hearing aids and surgery can almost perfectly overcome conductive hearing loss.

Most hearing loss is sensory neural, caused by noise or aging. A hearing aid can help restore some hearing in those cases, Edwards says, but it won't be perfect.
Hearing loss can affect a person's life in more ways than one, says Loleata Wigall , audiologist who attended the expo last week. She owns a private practice in Massachusetts.
People who are losing their hearing start withdrawing from life, Wigall says.

"They sometimes think other people are talking about them. They misunderstand conversations, thinking they got it right and they didn't," Wigall says. "This can cause conflict. I think it can really affect family relationships. It can cause problems between child and parent and spouses. And it can come into play at work, too."

Even though more physicians are referring patients to get hearing tests, the majority of those who come to see Wigall did so at the insistence of their families.
Research has shown that hearing loss causes increased mental effort and distress because the brain has to work harder to understand sounds. In 2005, Brandeis University researchers found that people who suffer a hearing loss may also have poor memories. The belief is that, though they hear the information, the brain becomes taxed because it has to work harder to figure out what is speech and what is noise, Edwards says.

"You get really tired because you're straining to hear," Wigall says. "I tell people all the time, 'Don't be surprised if you have more energy after you get hearing aids.' "
People start losing their hearing at age 21, Wigall says. Baby boomers are losing their hearing faster than their parents did, mainly because we live in a noisy world, she adds. Music concerts, vacuum cleaners, anything that is so loud you have to raise your voice to be heard, can damage your hearing.
Also, diabetics are at a higher risk of hearing loss because of poor circulation. People who have had certain diseases or even taken certain medications, such as antibiotics, can be at a higher risk of losing their hearing. That includes people who received chemotherapy, Wigall notes.
Now, she counsels people to prevent hearing loss. Carry earplugs and use them. Turn the radio and television down.

Most importantly, she says, don't be afraid to get your hearing checked.
"We take hearing for granted," she says. "Often, it's so gradual, you don't even notice you're not hearing. But the rest of your family notices."
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Original article can be found here: http://www.lvrj.com/health/experts-at-las-vegas-convention-say-technology-improves-hearing-aids-137399258.html
Source: LVRJ.com - Sonya Padgett

Venue Installs Hearing Loop System

2012-01-13T09:54:00.000-08:00

Venue Installs Hearing Loop System

Source: TBNWeekly.com

The Venue Theatre and Actor’s Studio is the first theatre in Pinellas County to install the new Hearing Loop System for the benefit of those who have hearing loss, thanks to financial support from Hardeman Realtime Inc.

The induction loop system magnetically transmits amplified sound that can be received by hearing aids and cochlear implants fitted with telecoils (T-coils).

The hearing loop is the only system that transmits performers’ voices and/or music from the stage microphone or other source directly into a hearing aid or cochlear implant equipped with telecoils for the clearest sound, allowing wearers to use hearing aids as wireless loudspeakers, delivering customized sound from inside their ears, free of outside interference.

The copper wire of the Venue Theatre’s hearing loop is placed at floor height of the hall, and a loop driver drives the electromagnetic field, which allows a hearing aid or cochlear implant’s T-coil to function as an antenna, directly linking the listener to the Venue Theatre’s sound system.

HRI, which donated the funds for the loop, is a real-time court reporting and voice-to-text captioning and transcription company, specializing in communication access. The Hearing Loop Group Inc. donated installation of the system.

You can find original article here: http://www.tbnweekly.com/pubs/pinellas_park_beacon/content_articles/011212_par-03.txt

Source: TBNWeekly.com

Five Ways You Can Protect Your Hearing in 2012

2012-01-12T10:27:00.000-08:00

Five Ways You Can Protect Your Hearing in 2012

Source: SonicScoop.com - Janice Brown

House Research Institute (HRI) – a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with hearing loss and related disorders – has outlined five simple ways musicians and music fans can preserve their hearing during 2012 and beyond:

1) Know thyself: have your hearing tested
Often, hearing loss issues are initially detected by family and friends rather than the person experiencing it. “When a person frequently has trouble understanding conversations in places where there is significant background noise, such as at parties, crowded restaurants and clubs, it might be a good time for a hearing test and an ear examination,” observes John W. House, MD, president of House Research Institute and physician at the House Clinic.

Find out where you stand so you can understand and address the personal risks you may face — hearing exams take just minutes. Noise induced hearing loss begins in the higher frequencies and does not affect speech frequencies until it is advanced. Therefore, a screening audiogram is advised for those who are exposed to loud noise.

2) Know thy surroundings: avoid potentially dangerous environments
By ensuring you are in a safe listening environment, you mitigate the risk of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). “If you have to raise your voice to be heard, you are likely in an environment with sound levels exceeding 85 dBA,” says Marilee Potthoff, director of community outreach and education at House Research Institute.

If you’re in the sound industry, it’s important for your hearing health to carefully monitor your sound environments that reach above 85 dBA both on and off the job, and know how much to limit your exposure. When relaxing with your personal stereo or player, we recommend keeping the volume setting at no louder than 60 percent of max.

3) Use it or lose it: make the right choices in hearing protection
Educate yourself on what kind of hearing protection is truly effective.
“Select hearing protection devices that provide the appropriate amount of sound reduction. Hearing protection with an NRR (noise reduction rating) of around 25 to 35 dB offers better protection for loud music environments than devices with lower NRRs. Using devices with a much lower NRR may result in significant damage to the inner ear when exposed to high level [loud] sounds,” says Andrew Vermiglio, AuD, HRI research audiologist and California State University Northridge audiology professor.

Some custom ear-plugs — which are available through licensed audiology clinics, including the House Clinic — offer a flatter attenuation across the frequency range and may make listening to loud music more enjoyable than standard, over-the-counter earplugs, such as foam or pre-molded plugs. Standard earplugs tend to “colorize” what you hear by filtering the high frequencies more than the low frequencies.

4) Keep it clean: Ears need good hygiene, too
Earwax may not be the most popular discussion topic in the world, but it is certainly worth knowing about. Knowing how to safely remove wax and dirt build up will help you keep your hearing on the right track in 2012 and beyond.

“Never insert foreign objects into your ear canal, including cotton swabs — instead, use a warm washcloth to gently clean the outer area of your ears or an over the counter ear wax removal solution,” says Dr. House.

Please note: Other ear cleaning methods known as ear candling or coning are dangerous, not effective, and can easily damage your ear canal.

5) Make a date: Have your ears checked on a regular basis
Have your hearing checked annually. If you notice a change in the state of your hearing, seek immediate medical attention.

“Annual hearing exams may help to identify potential hearing loss issues while there is still time to rectify them,” says Dr. Vermiglio. Also, symptoms such as hearing loss, ringing in the ears, dizziness or loss of balance, may be related to a serious medical condition. Throughout Winter NAMM, which kicks off next week, House Ear Institute will be on hand providing hearing screenings, and offering advice on how to protect your hearing. Stop by and get screened if you’re out at the show!
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Original article can be found here: http://www.sonicscoop.com/2012/01/11/five-ways-you-can-protect-your-hearing-in-2012/
Source: SonicScoop.com - Janice Brown

Deaf education program wins $1.2 million grant

2012-01-11T08:58:00.000-08:00

Grant trains teachers who understand hearing loss

Source: CalLutheran.edu - Kevin Matthews

Jeff Westendorf has early memories of feeling "wiped out" by speech therapy. His 12-hour days as a preschooler who wore hearing aids started with flash cards before the morning bus arrived, and ended with him falling asleep in front of "The A-Team."

He was struggling to talk, and it paid off. By age 5 or 6 he was speaking, and today he sounds like the graduate student he is.

"A lot of people said there were things I couldn't do, and I did them. I played sports all through high school," said Westendorf, who is working toward a CLU teaching credential and master's degree in education for the deaf and hard of hearing.

With early screening and diagnosis, cochlear implants for profoundly deaf children, better hearing aids and more effective teaching methods, children with hearing loss are having unprecedented success in general education settings.

To meet the needs of its fast-growing deaf and hard-of-hearing populations, however, California needs more specialized teachers. And this school year, the CLU Graduate School of Education's efforts to remedy the shortage received a major boost year in the form of a $1.2 million Education Department grant.

Eighty percent of the federal money goes toward tuition and books in the two-year program, covering the better part of Westendorf's master's degree and those of 11 other currently enrolled teacher candidates. In all, the grant will allow CLU to prepare 48 specialists to teach students from birth to age 22 and to advise general classroom teachers. Based at CLU's Woodland Hills Center, the program is the only one in California that prepares educators to teach listening and spoken language to students older than age 6.

Going forward, the money will help with recruiting. But for those teacher candidates who started last summer, the tuition aid came as a late, very welcome surprise.

"It's a great relief," said Westendorf. "Now I can just focus on my program and class and homework."

Teacher candidates arrive at CLU with varied experiences and strengths, notably skills in sign language and Spanish. More than half of Californians diagnosed with hearing loss live in homes where Spanish is spoken.

"I really feel like I've found a good niche to use my Spanish-speaking abilities for something good," said Jessica Lopez, who had her eyes opened to new possibilities when she taught English to children with hearing loss on her year abroad in Madrid.

Although the teacher candidates must learn to sign, CLU's program relies on young students' listening abilities for making progress in acquiring language.

"Hearing, but also listening. They really have to attend to sound," explained program director Maura Martindale, who has more than 30 years of teaching experience and is the chair of CLU's Special Education Department. "Spoken language is learned through audition, and that's the best, fastest way to do it. We've tried for centuries to do it all kinds of other ways."

Cynthia Hernandez, M.S. '11, first learned about the field through L.A.'s John Tracy Clinic, where she now works.

"I was fascinated to think that children with hearing loss could actually learn to listen and to speak," she said. "Whenever you think children with hearing loss, it's everyone's assumption that you think sign language."

Hernandez remains involved with the CLU program as a field supervisor at No Limits for Deaf Children, a Culver City-based nonprofit. CLU teacher candidates get teaching experience at the school, designing and executing lessons for students in grades K-6.

One Saturday last semester, teacher candidates Jeannine Blankenship and Jane Hankins were leading three boys and their families in games under Hernandez's supervision. Josue Alva's eyes brightened as he tried to guess what was inside of the gift boxes that he and his mother were shaking.

The lessons are for parents as much as anyone; 92 percent of deaf and hard-of-hearing kids are born to two hearing parents.

"Sometimes parents just don't know what to do. They've never seen anybody who's deaf," Martindale said.

"You have to up the stimulation," she added. "You can't just talk the way you ordinarily would have talked to your kid. You have to crank it up, so you're really pouring in language and expecting the children to use language and so that their speech sounds as intelligible as possible."

When Westendorf had his first teaching experience last semester, at a West Hollywood elementary school, parents peppered him with questions about hearing loss and how far their kids could progress.

"Do you drive?" asked one Spanish-speaking parent through a translator. The question surprised Westendorf, who went away to Denver for college to learn independence.

"I said, 'Of course. I drive.' And they asked how I could hear the ambulances and the fire trucks. I said, 'I don't. I have the music blaring.' They got a good laugh out of that."

After class at No Limits, Lizeth Pacheco said that free instruction for her two sons with cochlear implants has shown her how to be a teacher for them.

"It helps me to help," she explained in Spanish.

Original article can be found here: http://www.callutheran.edu/news/news_detail.php?story_id=8247

Source: CalLutheran.com - Kevin Matthews

Drummer, Mike Miller, Overcomes Challenges of Hearing Loss and Tourette Syndrome with Music

2012-01-09T07:33:00.000-08:00

Drummer, Mike Miller, Overcomes Challenges of Hearing Loss and Tourette Syndrome with Music

Source: PRWeb.com

Mike Miller started out in life with some personal challenges that might have held the average kid back from his dreams. In his case, the desire to be a professional musician was much stronger than the obstacle of a 40% hearing loss discovered at birth, after he was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at just 5 years of age. Miller persevered and emerged from his treatments with what some may feel is an unfair advantage with his near superhuman hearing. His story and talents gained recognition from the team at Los Cabos Drumsticks in New Brunswick, Canada who signed Miller as an endorsing artist. It was this month that he was selected to appear on the cover of the their magazine, Backbeat.

Mike “The Moment” Miller was hooked on performing live from just 10 years of age, but he attended shows consistently with his family and friends while growing up in The San Francisco Bay Area. Although it was never easy, and after more than a half-dozen surgeries, Miller’s natural drive, abilities, religious faith, and his family’s encouragement put him on the road to success that evolved into his attending the prestigious Berklee College of Music.

“I never wanted to give up so I went to where the music was happening. I lived everywhere from L.A. to New York and back to San Francisco to do it. I was lucky enough to pick up tours with some great bands, too.” Touring with Interference, Everything Taken, Pammie Lowe, Take Down Tomorrow, Overturn, and as a session drummer, Miller’s work ethic keeps him busy.

“It’s my focus and my passion to perform,” reports Miller, now 29 and with endorsement deals from Los Cabos Drumsticks, Soultone Cymbals, and Future Sonics Ear Monitors. "I really appreciate this opportunity to do something bigger with the team at Los Cabos." Sound quality is actually more important to him than most people as a musician who regained his lost hearing. His choices for gear are mainly specific to their audio signature and his Rocket Shells Carbon Fiber drum kit with specially chosen Evans Drumheads help him deliver his own sound.

One thing beyond his abilities as a drummer, but that contributes to it, may surprise people in that, today, his hearing is actually better than most drummers in that his range is broader following his medical treatments. His hearing also benefits from his dedication to hearing protection and proper monitoring methods. For Miller, his extended hearing allows him to be very particular in choosing the tonal properties of all of his products for the stage and recording studio. With all that said, his skills as a drummer are remarkable – obstacles or not – and his signature sound makes him a great representative of any brand or band he chooses.
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Original article can be found here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/ecigroup2012/mikemillerdrummer/prweb9085520.htm
Source: PRWeb.com

Study of the Day: 9 Out of 10 City Dwellers At Risk of Hearing Loss

2012-01-06T07:57:00.000-08:00

Study of the Day: 9 Out of 10 City Dwellers At Risk of Hearing Loss

Source: TheAtlantic.com - Hans Villarica

PROBLEM: Though loud workplaces have historically been most blamed for causing hearing loss, a string of recent studies have suggested that MP3 players may pose a bigger threat. A recent report in the International Journal of Audiology, for instance, estimated that one in four teens is in danger of early hearing loss because they play MP3s at much too high volumes. Has the iPod upended work equipment or that office busybody as the most harmful source of urban noise?

METHODOLOGY: Researchers led by University of Michigan's Rick Neitzel looked for the major causes of potentially hazardous noise exposures in 4,500 New York City residents who used public transportation. They examined the contribution of common noise sources to total annual exposures when these urbanites commuted, engaged in occupational and non-occupational activities, listened to the MP3 player or stereo, and spent time at home doing other miscellaneous activities.

RESULTS: One in 10 commuters were exposed to noise that exceeded the recommended limits from transit use alone. But when the authors estimated the total annual exposure from all sources, 90 percent of transit users and 87 percent of non-users exceeded the recommended limits. MP3 player and stereo usage was the leading culprit, even when these constituted just a small fraction of annual noise exposure.

CONCLUSION: Nine out of 10 city dwellers may be exposed to enough harmful noise to risk hearing loss, and most of that exposure comes from seemingly innocuous leisure activities like listening to music.

IMPLICATION: "Just focusing our efforts on the workplace isn't enough, since there's lots of noise exposure happening elsewhere," Neitzel says in a statement. "This begs for a public health education program."

SOURCE: The full study, "Exposures to Transit and Other Sources of Noise among New York City Residents," is published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
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Original article can be found here: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/01/study-of-the-day-9-out-of-10-city-dwellers-at-risk-of-hearing-loss/250803/
Source: TheAtlantic.com - Hans Villarica

Hearing Loss: an Unknown Diabetes Complication Affecting Millions

2012-01-05T08:20:00.000-08:00

Hearing Loss: an Unknown Diabetes Complication Affecting Millions

Source: Salem-News.com

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 36 million Americans have a hearing loss; but not all of them are aware or may be too embarrassed to accept it and get tested. Bob Tysoe, Physician Marketing Manager from Sonus, who educates doctors all over Oregon about hearing loss, has seen firsthand how neglected the connection between diabetes and hearing loss is. In fact, “only 15% of physicians test for hearing loss,” says Tysoe. Tysoe stresses the importance in treating and testing for hearing loss in diabetics and even regular patients.

“There is more to gain socially, financially, and professionally by having a hearing loss treated than not treated,” says Tysoe. Nearly 26 million Americans are living with diabetes, and approximately 313,703 of them are Oregonians. But did you also know that they’re two times more likely to have a hearing loss than someone without diabetes? There is also an estimated 592,000 people with prediabetes, those being people on the border of diabetes, who are 30% at higher risk for a hearing loss than someone without it. The statistics are alarming, and the link apparent. Now join us in making this connection even clearer and come to EXPO.

On Feb. 11, 2012 the American Diabetes Association EXPO (Portland) will take place at the Oregon Convention Center from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., providing free hearing test screenings to bring awareness of the recent connection between diabetes and hearing loss that is affecting millions without them even knowing it. Through our partnership with Sonus hearing professionals, we want to inform all Oregonians about this link that according to the American Diabetes Association has become two of the most widespread health concerns in the United States.

More than 65 exhibitors are participating in this year’s EXPO Portland, which will be held on Feb. 11, 2012 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., at the Oregon Convention Center. Stop by the American Diabetes Association EXPO to get free hearing screenings and learn more about this connection between diabetes and hearing loss. Also, come learn about other local programs and events, advocacy activities and research being conducted in your community.

The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to stop diabetes and its deadly consequences, and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure, and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.
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Original article can be found here: http://www.salem-news.com/articles/january042012/diabetes-hearing.php
Source: Salem-News.com

Marlee Matlin on Why 'Switched at Birth' Is Breakthrough TV

2012-01-03T07:03:00.000-08:00

Marlee Matlin on Why 'Switched at Birth' Is Breakthrough TV

Source: The Wall Street Journal - Mariam Brillantes

Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin is back in the spotlight on ABC Family’s “Switched at Birth,” which will have its winter premiere on Tuesday.

The hour-long drama, about two teenage girls who discover they were accidentally switched at birth, finds Matlin, who is deaf, in good company with a new crop of young and talented deaf actors. Katie Leclerc plays Daphne, one of the teens, who is deaf. Leclerc, who is hard of hearing, can speak and is fluent in American Sign Language. Sean Berdy, a deaf actor, plays Emmett, Daphne’s best friend. Matlin, in a recurring role, plays Emmett’s mom. The show’s other major characters learned sign language, which figures prominently in the story lines.

The show made ABC Family’s No. 1 series debut of all time in June 2011 with over three million in total viewers, according to the network. Matlin, who at age 21 became the youngest actress to win an Oscar for Best Actress when she made her film debut “In “Children of a Lesser God,” isn’t surprised by the show’s popularity. “It adds a great deal of dimension to the public’s perception of what deaf people are like,” says the 46-year-old Matlin. “Because you really understand that there’s more than just a deaf person who happens to move their hands…. there’s a language, there’s a culture, there’s relationships between deaf people, deaf people and hearing people, there are obstacles, there is happiness and joy, and people are watching this all flow into their living rooms.”

How did you get involved in “Switched at Birth”?

My agents had told me that the producers wanted me to see the pilot. They were very thorough. They wanted to see if they got it “right” with the pilot and seeing as I was experienced in playing deaf characters and with story lines involving deaf characters, I, along with my producing partner, Jack Jason, went to see it. I was very impressed with how they wove the elements of the deaf community into the pilot so well, how they were able to subtitle scenes that had sign language. I had tried many times in the past to get deaf characters on screen without having translated/spoken dialogue with no luck, so I was very impressed they were able to do it. By the end of that first meeting, I told them “If you’ll have me, I’d love to be part of the show!”

“Switched” is one of the first TV shows to have deaf and hard-of-hearing actors in lead roles. Why do you think it has taken this long for a show like this to happen?

It’s not exactly true that “Switched at Birth” is the first to have deaf and hard of hearing actors in the lead. I did my first series lead back in 1991 on a show called “Reasonable Doubts” and have done many shows with other actors who are deaf. But “Switched at Birth” is the first TV show where there is more than one actor who is deaf or hard of hearing and who are series regulars. And the show is the first I can recall that allows them to communicate in their language–American Sign Language– much as it’s been done on other shows like “Lost” or “Heroes” where actors who speak in a foreign language are subtitled. I think those shows and the large number of reality shows with subtitling [when it's difficult to hear people on screen] have made the landscape more welcoming to subtitles. I think it’s way overdue and very welcome. It allows deaf actors to stand on equal footing with their hearing peers.

Why do you think studio executives green-lighted the show? Is it a question of them finally being comfortable with it — or thinking viewers would be comfortable with it?

I think it’s just a matter of expanding notions of diversity. There have been so many shows done so many different ways but were basically reinventions of the same wheel. I have tried for a number of years to encourage expanding ideas of what a show could benefit from by having a deaf character, simply because it’s just different and interesting. The producers clearly had the clout to suggest the idea, they made it happen and they did it well. I’ve always said, you can write for any character, any type of character in a teleplay as long as it’s written well, people will watch. That’s what the producers of “Switched at Birth” did; they wrote it well and they did it seamlessly. It’s a simple formula–a teen drama–just done from an entirely new and fresh perspective! And look, people don’t have to always hear characters talk. Look at the new feature film “The Artist” –it’s done entirely without dialogue and is a hit; it might even win the Academy Award for Best Picture. At the end of the day it’s about stories—good stories. Written well and you can show anything!

In one scene, your character questions the wisdom of your TV deaf son, Emmett, becoming involved with a non-deaf girl. Your husband and your four children are all hearing. Would you have similar reservations for your own children?

No, as we all know it’s a TV drama and an exaggerated version of what goes on in real life. In my case, I wouldn’t mind whom my children married as long as they were happy. But the statistics my character quoted are true; the divorce rate between deaf and hearing couples is high. And there are many deaf people who couldn’t imagine living in a marriage without someone who doesn’t speak their language. For me, I believe that hearing or deaf is fine as long as both parties are willing to communicate in each other’s language. But if there’s no communication, then the marriage, I believe, will be difficult if not doomed.

Despite all the technological advances that now make it much easier for deaf people to communicate–via email and text and Twitter and Facebook and video–is there still a feeling of isolation among the deaf?

Oh absolutely. I’m the only one in my family who is deaf and there are still conversations that go around me that I miss out on. And I ask what’s going on and I have to ask to be included. But I’m not going to be sad about it. I don’t live in sad isolation. It’s just a situation I’m used to. I don’t like to be left out in conversations. And yet, the truth is, if I’m with a bunch of deaf friends who are signing I feel 100% at home because everybody’s speaking the same language.

What other projects do you have, on top of your recurring role in “Switched”?

I am currently producing an app for Apple platforms called “Marlee Signs” that teaches sign language. Since “Switched at Birth,” so many young people and adults have asked me to teach them a few signs so I thought, why not do an app? I’m also producing a number of projects, some already in script stage some in development. And my plate is full with motivational appearances, speaking on topics such as diversity in the work place, importance of philanthropy, advocating for children with disabilities as well as working on behalf of my charities. I’m particularly proud of my work with the Starkey Hearing Foundation for whom I raised a million dollars in one day on “Celebrity Apprentice.” They do great work around the world helping deaf children in developing countries get proper attention and free hearing aids. And I’m still working on making sure broadband and Internet content is closed captioned [just as she did with broadcast TV] as well as work on behalf of advocating for expanded Text to 911 capabilities for millions of people who are unable to call into 911.
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Original article can be found here: http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/01/02/marlee-matlin-on-why-switched-at-birth-is-breakthrough-tv/?mod=google_news_blog
Source: The Wall Street Journal - Mariam Brillantes

Apps warn about hearing loss

2012-01-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

Apps warn about hearing loss

Source: DNJ.com - Tom Wilemon

Kids are already tuned into their Christmas iPods, but it's not too late to download an app that could save their hearing.

The free Auto-Old My Music is designed to scare teens into turning down the volume. It lets them hear Lady Gaga or Kanye West the way their hearing-impaired parents would — muffled and muddy, just like it sounds to someone who can't hear the high pitches any more.

An estimated 6.5 million youths between the ages of 12 and 19 already have some hearing loss, according to a study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Responding to that study, Baptist Memorial Health Care in Memphis developed the Auto-Old app as part of a campaign to prevent further hearing loss.

It's only compatible with Apple products and free at playitdown.org. There's also The Ear Knob, which allows listeners to see who can detect the highest frequencies, and The Volume Zone, a noise gauge.

Megan Morris, a marketing specialist for the Memphis hospital, said she knew apps would work better for teens than quoting facts from a medical journal.

"Our audience responds to humor, short messages, and they like to be entertained," Morris said. "They have a very short attention span, and they are very tech savvy."

Parents of younger children can simply adjust and lock volume controls. Teenagers, however, can out-master most any parent on a music gadget, so the apps are intended to get them thinking about hearing loss.

They already may be having trouble in classrooms because of hearing loss and not know it. Teens usually aren't screened for the problem like pre-schoolers and elementary-age children are, said Dr. Ericca Hardee, a Memphis audiologist. Hearing loss is not a direct result of listening to iPods as much as it is from using earbuds, which can be plugged into any smartphone that has an MP3 player.

Often teenagers have their music turned loud to tune out surrounding sounds. The purchase of a cheap accessory gift, noise-canceling headphones that can be worn over earbuds, will rectify that issue.

An iPod played at a 60 percent decibel level can sound better than one played full blast when outside noises are cut out, Morris said.

Hearing loss is permanent once the damage is done. The 2010 study showed that the prevalence of hearing loss among teenagers increased 31 percent from the period of 1988-1994 to the 2005-2006 time frame.

A more recent study published by Johns Hopkins researchers in the Nov. 14 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine revealed that nearly one-fifth of all Americans 12 or older have hearing loss so severe that it may make communication difficult.

"You have tiny hair cells in your inner ear that, with loud noises, actually get cut off," Hardee said. "So if that happens repeatedly, those hair cells can get cut off or damaged to the point where they go away. It first happens with sounds becoming distorted. Then after that, you lose hearing at certain frequencies."

The apps have been downloaded at playitdown.org more than 10,000 times. The team that put together the project hopes to expand the app's availability to non-Apple devices.

Original article can be found here: http://www.dnj.com/article/20120101/BUSINESS/201010307

Source: DNJ.com - Tom Wilemon

High lead exposure linked to hearing loss in youth

2011-12-26T07:27:00.000-08:00

High lead exposure linked to hearing loss in youth

Source: Reuters.com - Genevra Pittman

Teens exposed to higher-than-normal levels of lead are more likely to have trouble hearing, suggests a new study that links the hearing problems to lead levels well below those considered "safe" by current standards.

But other heavy metals weren't clearly tied to hearing problems, researchers said. And with lead, the report found only a small proportion of adolescents had blood concentrations that might be linked to hearing loss.

"It looks like the levels in the blood of most kids are very low and people are avoiding (heavy metals)," said study author Dr. Josef Shargorodsky, from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

He said studies in animals had suggested that exposure to heavy metals, which also include arsenic, cadmium and mercury, could cause hearing loss.
So his team consulted a nationally representative survey of adolescents who underwent hearing assessments and blood and urine tests for those metals.

Hearing loss was defined as not being able to hear sounds 15 decibels or softer, about the level of a whisper.
The current report comes from data on more than 2,500 participants ages 12 to 19. About one in five of them showed evidence of hearing loss.
Youth with the most lead in their blood -- at least two micrograms per deciliter -- were also the most likely to have hearing loss. Thirty-one percent of them didn't pass the hearing exams, compared to 17 percent of those with less than one microgram of lead per deciliter.

About one in 20 of the teens tested had the highest amount of lead in their blood.
Study participants with the most cadmium in their urine also appeared to have an increased risk of hearing loss compared to those with the lowest amount. But Shargorodsky said there wasn't a clear pattern and that "it's hard to say if that's real or not."

Mercury in the blood and arsenic in the urine weren't linked to teens' risk of hearing problems.
But, Shargorodsky emphasized, "Just because we don't see an association with hearing loss, doesn't mean that they're safe."
The study doesn't prove that higher lead exposure caused hearing loss in the youths, in part because it was impossible for the researchers to tell whether the lead exposure or hearing problems came first.
But an epidemiology and environmental health researcher not involved in the new study said that lead in particular has also been linked to hearing problems in older adults, and that it may cross into the brain and interfere with the transmission and processing of sound.

Sung Kyun Park, from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in Ann Arbor, said that although the amount of lead in the environment has dropped over the past few decades, the metal still shows up in the paint on some old houses, in soil and occasionally in tap water.

He and Shargorodsky agreed that at blood levels considered acceptable in U.S. kids -- under 10 micrograms per deciliter, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- they may still be at risk.

"The current standard level is too high to protect these children...and protect (them from) hearing loss," Park told Reuters Health.
The researchers wrote in Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery this week that two micrograms per deciliter of blood has been proposed as a new acceptable limit for lead in kids.
"This definitely lends credence to lowering (the current) level," said Dr. Frank Lin, who studies hearing at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore but wasn't involved in the new study. "The results are quite striking."

Researchers said that while hearing loss is common in older adults, it can be especially hard on kids and teens because it's likely to interfere with their development and relationships with peers.
Shargorodsky concluded that parents should keep in mind that even at levels of lead and other heavy metals that are considered safe, those substances should be avoided whenever possible.
But, based on the findings in this study, he noted, that's already happening.
Overall, he said, "The lead levels in kids are very low, and that's a very good thing."
SOURCE: bit.ly/vi7CJA Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, online December 19, 2011.
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Original article can be found here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/22/us-high-lead-hearing-loss-idUSTRE7BL1T720111222
Source: Reuters.com - Genevra Pittman

Signing Santa visits with children with hearing loss in Elgin

2011-12-22T09:18:00.000-08:00

Signing Santa visits with children with hearing loss in Elgin

Source: SunTimes.com - Denise Moran

Deaf children and those with hearing loss gathered with their families recently at Country Trails School in Elgin for a holiday party.

“We hold this event for families because it’s a great time for them to get together and socialize,” said Karen Bogdan, supervisor of the Northwestern Illinois Association hearing impaired program. “The kids and their parents look forward to it. The staff donated the door prizes and worked very hard to put it together.”

Burlington Village President Kathy Loos came to the party to watch her daughter Joy, 5, perform the song “Mambo Santa Mambo” with other preschool through fifth grade students.

“I think this is so special that they do this for the kids at Christmas,” Loos said. “The kids work very hard. You can see the outcome of such fabulous teachers.”

Speech pathologist Kristen Nawracaj of Plainfield said the children learned the song in two weeks. All of the NIA program instructors, including auditory skills teacher Amy Timonen, helped the children with the song.

The NIA holiday party has become an annual tradition for many families.

“We come every year,” said Gloria Gonzalez of Sleepy Hollow. “This is one of the few times we can meet with other parents of hearing impaired children.”

Igor and Stacy Zapadinsky of Cortland came to the party with their children Caleb, 7; Kaela, 4; and Hanna, 3. The parents and their three children are all hearing-impaired. After Igor told the crowd that it was Stacy’s birthday, everyone sang and/or signed “Happy Birthday” to her.

Clown John McDonough of Streamwood came to the party for the first time to hand out trinkets and entertain the crowd. A signing Santa visited with the children to learn what they wanted for Christmas.

“The children know that this is Santa because the real Santa would know how to sign,” Bogdan said.

Representatives from Sorenson Communications, Purple Communications, and The Z offered information about their videophone systems. The systems make it easier for deaf and hearing impaired people who use sign language to communicate with hearing people.

The NIA rents space in Community Unit District 301 schools for instruction level classes for the deaf and hard of hearing. Bogdan said there are currently 65 students from Kane and DeKalb counties in the program. They range in age from preschool to high school.

Original article can be found here: http://couriernews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/9537480-423/signing-santa-visits-with-children-with-hearing-loss-in-elgin.html

Source: SunTimes.com - Denise Moran

Did Beethoven's Hearing Loss Shape His Compositions?

2011-12-21T09:29:00.000-08:00

Did Beethoven's Hearing Loss Shape His Compositions?

Source: USNews.com - Denise Mann

Ludwig van Beethoven was arguably one of the most influential classical music composers of all time, yet he was deaf by the end of his career.

Now, new research in the Dec. 20 issue of BMJ suggests that the progression of his deafness may have shaped his musical style.

Researchers from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands analyzed three styles of Beethoven's compositions. In a letter to his doctor in 1801, Beethoven first mentioned his hearing loss. He began to communicate through writing in notebooks in 1818, and researchers believe he was deaf by 1825.

As Beethoven developed high-frequency hearing loss, the famed composer began to favor middle- and low-frequency notes that he could hear better during performances. This taps into the "auditory feedback loop," the ability to hear your own words or, in this case, music, the researchers explained.

After a time, Beethoven no longer composed music that he could hear. Instead, the researchers speculated, he returned to his inner musical world and composed music that was more reflective of his earlier compositions.

"What we did was to chart the use of high notes in small subsets of his compositions [excerpts of string quartets], speculating that if one is unable to use high notes it may be more prone not to use them if relying on auditory feedback," explained study author Edoardo Saccenti, a postdoctoral research fellow with the Biosystems Data Analysis Group at the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences at the University of Amsterdam.

While interesting, the article is highly speculative, noted Dr. Thomas Balkany, director of the University of Miami Ear Institute. "There is no formal hearing testing presented to determine the degree or frequencies of hearing loss," he said. What's more, the autopsy findings do not shed light on the issue.

That said, "the most interesting issue is the composition of some of our most wonderful music in the absence of hearing," Balkany said.

Dr. Guy Petruzzelli, vice chair of otolaryngology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said that Beethoven likely had a form of progressive congenital hearing loss. "This is a really fascinating article," he said. "Originally, Beethoven's hearing was OK and then he began to experience high-frequency hearing loss so he began to use lower tones more and more often that he could hear."

The message is clear, Petruzzelli noted. "We shouldn't be limited in terms of what we aspire to be or do based on our physical limitations," he said.

Original article can be found here: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/articles/2011/12/21/did-beethovens-hearing-loss-shape-his-compositions

Source: USNews.com - Denise Mann

Testing Guam Infants for Hearing Loss Remotely

2011-12-20T08:16:00.000-08:00

Testing Guam Infants for Hearing Loss Remotely

Source: ScienceDaily.com - University of Guam

Venerannda Leon Guerrero cradled her slumbering infant in her arms in a CEDDERS testing center at the University of Guam as she watched an audiologist in Colorado conduct a diagnostic test to determine whether or not her baby has a hearing loss. The remote test was held on October 19 and marked the first technology-enabled distance diagnostic testing for hearing loss on very young infants on the island.

This event was made possible through the Teleaudiology Project, a collaboration between Dr. Debra Hayes and Dr. Susan Dreith of the Bill Daniels Center for Children's Hearing, Children's Hospital-Colorado, and the University of Guam CEDDERS Guam Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) project, with support from the Guam Department of Education, Division of Special Education -- Early Intervention Program. Dr. Dreith and Dr. Ericka Schicke have obtained their licenses to practice as audiologists on Guam.

Drs. Dreith and Schicke at Children's Hospital-Colorado operate the diagnostic audiological equipment remotely from Colorado, after audiometrists on Guam prepare the parent and infant for testing. The Diagnostic Audiological Evaluation (DAE) may take 2 hours to complete, which requires the infant to be asleep during the evaluation. Parents know at the end of the test whether or not their infant has a hearing loss.

The urgent need for diagnosis of very young infants for hearing loss prompted this much-needed collaboration to bring this service to families on Guam. Infants on Guam that do not pass their newborn hearing screening can now be evaluated for any hearing loss before 3 months of age, thereby allowing early intervention services to be initiated, if needed, by the time the infant reaches 6 months of age. This timely early intervention service provides the infant and family the greatest opportunity for the child to develop speech and language in a timely manner for life-long success. Families no longer have to travel off-island to obtain diagnostic audiological evaluations for their infants.

"I think this accomplishment under UOG/Guam CEDDERS is a major step forward in the use of technology to support our community. Thanks to this partnership, babies on this island will get the needed pediatric audiological services from certified professionals, an area lacking on Guam," said Velma Sablan, professor at the University of Guam and experienced professional in the field of early hearing detection and intervention.
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Original article can be found here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111027132506.htm
Source: ScienceDaily.com - University of Guam

How the iPod and Other Audio Devices are Destroying Your Ears

2011-12-16T11:20:00.000-08:00

How the iPod and Other Audio Devices are Destroying Your Ears

Source: TheAtlantic.com - Sara Martinez

Portable music players may be contributing to permanent hearing loss among many casual listeners, gradually leading to the inability to discern speech. An iPod's maximum volume is more than 10 times as loud as the recommended listening setting, audiologists say, and the sensory damage caused by prolonged listening is irreversible.

Since the iPod was introduced in 2001, hearing loss has been an obvious problem among young patients of Brian Fligor, an audiologist at the Boston Children's Hospital.

"It depends on what you call major hearing loss, but there are a couple of cases (among children and teenagers) where using headphones contributed to a person's hearing loss that was enough that they needed to use hearing aids," Fligor said. These cases generally involved other factors contributing to the problem but were mainly music-related.

Hearing damage from loud music is not always permanent, but prolonged exposure to loud noise can lead to health problems such as hypertension and tinnitus, or ringing in the ears.

MUSIC-INDUCED HEARING LOSS

Noise-induced hearing loss occurs, simply, when sensitive cells in the inner ear are exposed to loud noises. These "hair cells," which convert sound energy into electrical impulses that are sent to the brain, can't grow back once they are damaged.

According to the National Institutes of Health, "long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss" -- noise louder than city traffic but not as loud as a lawnmower. The louder the sound, the shorter the time it takes to damage hair cells.

At maximum volume, an iPod reaches about 103 decibels, which can cause permanent hearing loss in a matter of minutes while listening through ear buds. In-ear headphones, like the earbuds that come with an iPod, send loud music straight into your ear and directly toward sensitive cells.
Noise-amplifying headphones, such as the kind DJs might use in clubs to hear over background club music, can produce louder sounds and take less time to cause irreversible damage. Just 15 minutes of listening at 100 dB can be harmful, according to the NIH.

Hearing loss among musicians can affect their abilities to discern pitch, perceive loudness, and recognize where sounds are coming from, according to Kathy Peck, executive director of Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers. Peck said she has noticed a trend among DJs and hip-hop artists losing their ability to hear bass frequencies.

"If you lose your low end, that's like hearing a train go by, so that's very dangerous," Peck said, as opposed to losing the ability to detect high frequencies like birds chirping.
After years of performing, David Beltran has started to notice that he has trouble recognizing lower frequencies through his left ear, and deep voices sound muffled when he talks on the phone on his left side.

The 27-year-old Chicago DJ said that people in his industry often have no choice but to have their headphones at maximum volume for hours at a time -- and they often must stand near monitor speakers, adding to the problem.

"I know a lot of musicians who have experience with some form of hearing damage," said Beltran, who has tried to better monitor his own volume limit since noticing the problem. "When I'm working with other DJs, they'll have it as loud as possible. That to me is a sign that these older guys are going deaf."

PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYERS

For regular iPod users, the negative effects of loud listening might not be immediately noticeable.
"Noise-induced hearing loss or music-induced hearing loss happens very slowly over time," said audiologist Cory Portnuff. "I think in a few years we'll be able to see some effects of music players on hearing, but we're still easily five to 10 years away from seeing larger scale effects."

Portnuff has been studying the effect of portable music players on hearing loss as part of his doctoral dissertation at the University of Colorado. Studies on the hearing effects of portable music players have been around for decades, first looking at cassette and CD players. Portnuff's research is the first to use a monitoring device attached to participants' iPods to take away the unpredictability of self-reporting.

Consistent with previous research, his study found that people will increase their listening levels in proportion to background noise. But he said the most interesting or, rather, concerning result of the study was finding that 17 percent of the people monitored were putting themselves at risk for music-induced hearing loss from daily activities, exceeding the maximum allowable dosage for the day.
"It's a small but substantial group, about one in six people that are putting themselves at risk for hearing loss," Portnuff said. "That on its own is not a huge number, but when you think about the number of iPods in the world, we start to get a little concerned."

The biggest concern is that as hearing worsens over time, people may lose some ability to distinguish consonants and understand speech.

Most people are exposed to the problem throughout their lives, though the change is gradual. Some jobs require prolonged exposure to loud noises, such as those in factories or on construction sites. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recognizes the risk, limiting workers to 40 hours per week while exposed to noise at 85 to 90 dBA. Even then, it's acknowledged that this doesn't necessarily protect against hearing damage.

As Beltran recognized a little too late, it's an occupational hazard for musicians. But going home and listening too loudly to a portable music player increases the risk.

"The best cure is prevention," Peck said. "We only have one set of ears -- there are no spare parts."
Portnuff recommended casual music listeners follow the "80-90 rule": listen at 80 percent volume (about 90 dBA) for 90 minutes, then let your ears rest. Sensitive cells are like batteries that need to recharge after a while.

"My car is capable of driving 120 miles an hour down the streets, but as a society we set speed limits because those are safer," he said. "We need to set some sort of speed limit for music listening."
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Original article can be found here: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/12/how-the-ipod-and-other-audio-devices-are-destroying-your-ears/249521/
Source: TheAtlantic.com - Sara Martinez

Noisy toys dangerous to little ears

2011-12-15T07:45:00.000-08:00

Noisy toys dangerous to little ears

Source: KMTR.com

During this holiday shopping season, a warning is being sounded by a doctor in Coos Bay about some popular—but loud—toys on sale.

The Sight and Hearing Association tested 24 noisy toys and found most were louder than 100 decibels. That is as loud as a chainsaw.

Doctor Todd Landsberg, an audiologist with South Coast ESD, says over time that level of noise could lead to permanent damage to the ear.

“Hearing loss is one of those things that, once you develop it, there's no turning back,” says Dr. Landsberg. “We don't have the ability right now to regenerate those areas that have been damaged.”

A lot of the toys the association tested are very popular, with brand-names like Disney, Hot Wheels and Sesame Street.

Dr. Landsberg says parents don't need to panic or boycott the toys. He says hearing loss happens gradually over time and kids can still play with the loud toys they love, without damaging their hearing if its done with some common sense.

“Like a lot of risk, we just have to be informed that there is a potential for hearing loss,” he says.

The Sight and Hearing Association has a few tips for protecting a child's hearing:

Listen a toy before you buy it. If it sounds loud to you, it may be too loud for your child.
Put masking tape over the speakers to reduce the volume.
While shopping, look for toys with volume controls built in.

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Original article can be found here: http://www.kmtr.com/news/local/story/Noisy-toys-dangerous-to-little-ears/6ZPyEJyZJUG8VU6sH8gKsQ.cspx
Source: KMTR.com

Top 20 Hearing Loss Causing Toys This Christmas

2011-12-13T07:27:00.000-08:00

Top 20 Hearing Loss Causing Toys This Christmas

Source: Emaxhealth.com - Timothy Boyer

Will your child or infant have a “Silent Night” this Christmas all because his Christmas toys contributed to his hearing loss? Well, that’s the concern of the Sight and Hearing Association as they bring you this year’s Noisy Toys List of 2011 in time for the holiday season. Hearing loss caused by noisy toys this Christmas ranks equally among other toy hazards including choking, lead paint and harmful plastic chemicals.

Facts about hearing loss

One of the more surprising facts of hearing loss is that the rate of hearing loss is higher with the young than it is with the elderly. Research shows that roughly over 5 million children from 6 to 19 years of age have permanent hearing damage resulting from two primary sources: loud music and toys.
Noisy toys are an especially serious problem involving hearing loss because children ages 0-2 tend to hold the sound-making toy up against their tiny sensitive ears. Furthermore, the effects of noisy toys on hearing loss are not immediate; but rather, are cumulative and thereby go unnoticed by parents until it is too late.

Government recommendations are that toys should not exceed decibel levels (dB) above 85 at specified distances away from the ears. However, many toys produce much higher levels of noise above 85 decibels and there are no safeguards aside from constant monitoring to ensure that your young child is using the toy appropriately.

To protect your child from hearing loss due to noisy toys this Christmas, the Sight & Hearing Association offers the following tips:

• Listen to a toy before you buy it. If it sounds loud to you, it's too loud for your child.
• Put masking or packing tape over the speaker on the toy. This will help reduce the volume.
• Report a loud toy. Call the Consumer Product Safety Commission or the Sight & Hearing Association.

The following is a list of the top 20 hearing loss toys this Christmas. Note that 19 of the 20 have decibel levels of 100 or greater when held near the head. In comparison, a chainsaw held just three feet away has a decibel level of 110.

1. Disney Cars 2 Shake ‘N Go! Finn McMissile, Fisher-Price, Inc. (124 dB)
2. Disney Princess Play-a-Sound Follow Your Dreams, Publications Intl, Ltd. (118 dB)
3. Hot Wheels Super Stunt Rat Bomb, Toy Quest (116 dB)
4. Disney Cars 2 Shake ‘N Go! Professor Z, Fisher-Price, Inc. (114.1 dB)
5. Toys Story 3 Matchbox Garbage Truck, Mattel, Inc. (113.2 dB)
6. Combat Rangers MP5 Tactical Force Rifle, Kidz Toyz, Inc. (112 dB)
7. Sesame Street Play-a-Song Move to the Music, Publications Intl, Ltd. (111.8 dB)
8. Sesame Street Bert and Ernie’s Great Adventures Treasure Hunt, Publications Intl (110.8 dB)
9. Sid the Science Kid Gotta Know Microphone, Hasbro (110 dB)
10. Sesame Street Let’s Rock Elmo Guitar, Hasbro (109.5 dB)
11. The Home Depot Deluxe Power Chainsaw, Geoffrey, Inc. (109.2 dB)
12. Disney Pixar Toy Story 3 Big Roarin’ Rex, Fisher-Price, Inc. (108.5 dB)
13. CAT Honk & Rumble Wheel, Publications Intl, Ltd. (107.7 dB)
14. Disney Pixar Cars Play-a-Song Radiator Springs Sings, Publications Intl, Ltd. (106.4 dB)
15. Tonka Toughest Minis (fire/police), Funrise Toy Corp. (106.1 dB)
16. CAT Press & Roll Machines, Toy State Industrial Ltd. (105.2 dB)
17. Black & Decker Junior Chainsaw, Creative Designs Intl, Ltd. (103.6 dB)
18. Road Rippers Rush & Rescue Helicopter, Toy State Industrial Ltd. (103.2 dB)
19. Star Wars Talking Plush clip-on Darth Vader, Underground Toys (100.1 dB)
20. Dora Tunes Microphone, Fisher-Price, Inc. ( 99.5 dB)

Reference: Sight and Hearing Association
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Original article can be found here: http://www.emaxhealth.com/8782/top-20-hearing-loss-causing-toys-christmas
Source: Emaxhealth.com - Timothy Boyer

Silent Risk: Most Parents and Teens Not Talking About Noise Induced Hearing Loss

2011-12-12T07:31:00.000-08:00

Silent Risk: Most Parents and Teens Not Talking About Noise Induced Hearing Loss

Source: PRNewswire.com

Although teen hearing loss is common, a new poll shows that most parents haven't discussed it with their teens.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National data demonstrate that 1 in 6 U.S. adolescents has high-frequency hearing loss. A new report from the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health shows that many parents don't think their teens are at risk.

National Poll on Children's Health asked parents of teens ages 13-17 about noise-induced hearing loss in September 2011. Despite an apparent recent increase in hearing loss in teenagers, two-thirds of parents report that they have not talked to their teen about hearing loss. Among these parents, more than three-quarters believe their teens are not at risk.

"Teenagers are unaware of noise-induced hearing damage until it progresses to the point where it affects speech and communication," says Sarah Clark, M.P.H., Associate Director of the Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) Unit at the University of Michigan and Associate Director of the National Poll on Children's Health. "At this point, they may have difficulties and frustration at school and in social situations."

Deepa L. Sekhar, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Penn State College of Medicine worked with the National Poll on Children's Health on this study.

"Noise-induced hearing loss is not reversible, but it is preventable," Sekhar says. "There are simple steps that parents and teenagers can take toward hearing conservation."

One of these simple steps is encouraging the use of volume-limiting headphones or earbuds – devices that look like regular headphones or earbuds but constrain sound to 85 decibels or less, a reduction of up to 40% in maximum volume output.

Only 32% of parents know about volume-limiting devices. When informed, over half of parents of teens report they'd be willing to purchase volume-limiting headphones or earbuds, but only about a third think their teen would be likely to use them.

"These findings suggest that we have work to do in educating teens and parents about hearing conservation," Sekhar says. "We encourage more parents to talk to their teens about hearing loss. In addition, doctors and other health professionals can play a role by introducing this topic routinely to parents and teens during preventive care visits."
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Original article can be found here: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/silent-risk-most-parents-and-teens-not-talking-about-noise-induced-hearing-loss-135436913.html
Source: PRNewswire.com

Higher Quality of Life and Better Relationships - International Study Proves Positive Influence of Hearing Aids

2011-12-08T08:21:00.000-08:00

Higher Quality of Life and Better Relationships - International Study Proves Positive Influence of Hearing Aids

Source: DigitalJournal.com

New international study, “Hearing is Living” by Hear the World, debunks common myth around hearing loss and hearing aids. The initial study results show a significant advantage as eight in 10 (82.8 percent) people surveyed from the United States who wear a hearing aid reported an increase in quality of life and two-thirds (67.5 percent) noted a better relationship with their partners.
The study results also show there may be less of a vanity issue with hearing aids as 86.7 percent said they wear their hearing aid openly and confidently, and experience positive reactions from the people around them (77.3 percent).

An estimated 36 million adults in the United States have some degree of hearing loss. However, far more important than the statistics are the effects of hearing loss for each person affected. Sometimes people with unaided hearing loss struggle with social isolation, relationship problems, disadvantages in everyday life and even depression. Modern hearing aids improve the quality of life of the people affected and help them to be able to participate fully in life once more.

“Over the last five years, Hear the World has been raising awareness about the importance of hearing and working to dispel many myths associated with hearing loss and hearing aids. Although hearing is of central importance for almost all spheres of life, there are still too many people who are freely denying themselves a substantial degree of quality of life without realizing it,” explains Susan Whichard, Executive Director of Industry Relations, Phonak, LCC. "With our study "Hearing is Living", we want to make people more conscious that it is worth valuing and protecting their own hearing and encourage them to do something about their hearing loss."

To find out more about the significance of hearing for quality of life, Hear the World, the worldwide initiative of the leading manufacturer of hearing aids, Phonak, initiated the study "Hearing is Living". To this end, more than 4,300 people in the United States, Germany, France, Switzerland, and the UK were interviewed by the Swiss market research and strategy consultancy, zehnvier. These included people with a hearing aid, people with unaided hearing loss, relatives of people with hearing loss and a neutral control group. Here is an overview of the initial results for those surveyed in the United States:

86.7 percent of those interviewed wear their hearing aid openly and confidently.
Over three-fourths (77.3 percent) of those interviewed report that other people react positively to their hearing aid.
For 60.1 percent of those interviewed, their hearing aid is so natural that they even forget that they are wearing it.
62.7 percent of those interviewed can no longer imagine life without a hearing aid and almost half (47.7 percent) said they should have started using a hearing aid much earlier.
82.8 percent of the hearing aid users interviewed have been enjoying a higher quality of life since they have been wearing a hearing aid.*
67.5 percent of those interviewed claim that their relationship with their partner has improved since they have been wearing a hearing aid.*
Data in percentages of top 3 boxes (a little / significantly / very much so)

About Hear the World

Hear the World is a global initiative, launched in 2006, by leading hearing instrument manufacturer Phonak created to raise awareness about the importance of hearing. The initiative calls attention to the social and emotional impact of hearing loss and addresses prevention of and solutions to a problem that affects more than 16% of the world’s population. Bryan Adams, Annie Lennox, Lenny Kravitz, Plácido Domingo and other renowned personalities support the Hear the World initiative as ambassadors. In the context of the Hear the World initiative, Phonak has established the non-profit Hear the World Foundation to improve the quality of life of people with hearing loss through financial and technical assistance. The foundation is committed to the prevention of hearing loss as well as the support of people with hearing loss and their families.

Original article can be found here: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/516071

Source: DigitalJournal.com

AARP: Many Seniors Suffer Hearing Loss in Silence

2011-12-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

AARP: Many Seniors Suffer Hearing Loss in Silence

Source: ConsumerAffairs.com

You may not always like what you hear but being able to hear is an important part of part of leading an active life. Yet, a new survey of AARP members finds nearly half say their hearing is getting worse.
The survey, conducted by AARP and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) released today, focuses on the state of hearing among Americans 50-plus. It examines attitudes toward hearing, the needs and unmet needs that the 50-plus population has for treating hearing issues and knowledge of where to go for help.

“Maintaining hearing health as one ages is a very important concern among our members,” said AARP Vice President Nicole Duritz. “While the survey results indicate that older Americans recognize the impact hearing difficulties can have on relationships with family and friends, people are also going without treatment, which can negatively impact quality of life and lead to safety issues.”

Key findings

Key findings from the survey include:

85 percent of members surveyed said that maintaining hearing health is of great importance to them personally. And 70 percent of respondents who said their hearing is excellent also said that they feel younger than their actual age.
Over a five-year period, nearly half (46 percent) of members surveyed say their hearing is getting worse. And the same percentage (47 percent) reported having untreated hearing health issues.
During that same period in time, the vast majority of members surveyed reported either having a vision test or blood pressure monitoring (88 and 85 percent, respectively). In comparison, 43 percent of respondents reported having had a hearing test conducted.
More than half (61 percent) of member respondents indicate that hearing difficulties make it hard to follow conversations in noisy situations. And members point to the impact hearing difficulties can have on relationships with friends and family (44 percent) or during family gatherings (43 percent).
A majority (57 percent) of member respondents with untreated hearing difficulties don’t believe their problems warrant treatment.
Nearly two-thirds of poll respondents (63 percent) cite health insurance coverage limitations, concerns about cost, and lack of health insurance as reasons for not getting treatment for hearing difficulties.

Taken lightly

"Untreated hearing loss is not a condition to be taken lightly or ignored," according to Paul R. Rao, PhD, President of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. "It can lead to social isolation and even depression. And it works against the desire of more and more Americans to stay in the work force. We sincerely hope that one result of our polling with AARP will be that people seek treatment."

The survey also found that more people will seek help for hearing issues if their issue is linked to their relationships. Nearly 70 percent would seek treatment if they felt their hearing issues were affecting their relationships with family and friends. Nearly as many would do so if someone they cared about asked them to seek treatment.
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Original article can be found here: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2011/12/aarp-many-seniors-suffer-hearing-loss-in-silence.html
Source: ConsumerAffairs.com

Publish Post

Campaign teaches healthy hearing habits

2011-12-06T07:18:00.000-08:00

Campaign teaches healthy hearing habits

Source: AgriNews.com - Heather Thorstensen

While a farm can be a great place to raise children, it can also expose them to potentially hazardous situations their urban friends may not have to face.

That's why farm families are a key target audience of a national campaign called "It's a Noisy Planet. Protect Their Hearing." The national public education effort is for parents of children ages 8 to 12 so they can teach their tweens to avoid noise-induced hearing loss.The campaign is sponsored by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Noise-induced hearing loss occurs when noises that are too loud and last for too long damage small, sensory hair cells in the inner ear. It can include temporary hearing loss, a drop in hearing or total hearing loss.

The damage can accumulate over time so it's important to start good habits early to protect hearing. Noise damage is preventable but once it occurs, it's permanent.

"Noise is far more common on farms than it is at other routine experiences," said Gordon Hughes, program director of clinical trials in the division of scientific programs at NIDCD. "Almost all machinery related to farm work is noisy, you don't have a choice. So if you're going to be exposed to noise on the farm, the question is what you can do to prevent the damage."

On the campaign's farm-specific webpage, parents can learn how to identify dangerous sounds that are common on farms, how to reduce noise from machinery and how to protect hearing. A bookmark may be downloaded that explains the decibel level of different noises.

A general rule is that if one has to shout to be heard, then the noise is too loud and people should be wearing ear protection such as well-fitted earmuffs rated to give enough protection for the noise.

Earmuffs should be comfortable, well-fitted and easily available for people to wear them.A cab on moving machinery can also help muffle sound. Earplugs generally aren't going to provide enough protection on a farm, said Hughes.

Prolonged exposure to any noise at or above 85 decibels can cause gradual hearing loss. This can sound like a tractor with a closed cab or a crowded school cafeteria. A tractor without a cab or pig squeals can reach 100 decibels. It's recommended that people should be around 100 decibels no more than 15 minutes without hearing protection. A grain dryer or chain saw can make noises as loud as 110 decibels, and people should have no more than one minute of regular exposure to this level without hearing protection.

Noise-induced hearing loss is a potential problem for all tweens, but those who live on farms are exposed to loud noise that often occur for a significant amount of time.

"The general point to understand is the potential for noise damage to hearing is a combination of the intensity of the noise and the duration of the exposure," said Hughes. "The louder the noise, the more brief exposure must be to avoid damage."

It's not too late for parents to start protecting their own hearing as they teach their children good habits.

According to the campaign's website, 30 million Americans are exposed to dangerous levels of noise on a regular basis. More than 26 million American adults between the ages of 20 and 69 have high-frequency hearing loss stemming from work or leisure activities.

"Every inch of progress is an inch well-worth fighting for," Hughes said. "So every bit of education and other activities we do to minimize the risk of noise damage is worth it —all ages, all occupations, all recreations."

Original article can be found here: http://www.agrinews.com/campaign/teaches/healthy/hearing/habits/story-4129.html

Source: AgriNews.com - Heather Thorstensen

Mall hosts a "signing" Santa for children with hearing loss

2011-12-05T07:19:00.000-08:00

Moorestown Mall hosts a "signing" Santa

Source: PhillyBurbs.com - Jeannie O' Sullivan

Members of the deaf community on Sunday night learned one of the lesser-known facts about Santa Claus: he knows American Sign Language.

More importantly, they also let him know what’s on their holiday wish lists. For the second year, the Moorestown Mall hosted a “signing” Santa, Mrs. Claus and their elves — all proficient in the language used by those with hearing impairments.

Santa signed with his visitors and posed for photographs while Mrs. Claus and the elves worked the crowd. One elf teetered around on stilts while another drew laughs with a polar bear puppet.
Santa’s helper, certified sign language interpreter Daniel Swartz, initiated signing St. Nick visits at malls in the 1990s.

“Overall, it’s extremely moving. It blows me away — their expressions, their excitement. I don’t get through a session without crying,” said Swartz, owner of 360 Translations, an interpreting referral service in Cherry Hill. He said that occasionally deaf adults will even sit on Santa’s lap and share wish lists.

Cale Owens of Pitman, Gloucester County, didn’t go that far, but his daughter, Delia, embraced the tradition and then giggled at the elves’ antics. The 4-year-old already knows sign language and can communicate with her deaf father.

“It’s cool. It’s good exposure for my daughter,” Owens said in sign language interpreted by his wife, Rachel Owens.

The first signing Santa event drew about 45 people last year, said Lisa Wolstromer, the mall’s marketing director. She said Swartz had approached mall officials with the plan.
“It’s a wonderful idea,” said Wolstromer, adding that it likely will be an annual tradition.
A sign language interpreter for 27 years and the father of a deaf son, Swartz said he’d lived a sheltered life in his youth and didn’t encounter hearing-impaired people until he was in his 20s. Learning sign language is an extremely difficult task that can take five to 10 years to master, he said.

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders describes signing as a system that employs hand movements, facial expressions and body language with all the fundamental features of a language, including rules for pronunciation, word order and complex grammar. Just as English has distinct regional dialects, ASL has regional variations in the rhythm of signing, form, and pronunciation; ethnicity and age also contribute to its variety, the NIDCD website states.

Hearing impairments affect 17 percent of American adults, about 36 million, and about two to three out of every 1,000 children in the nation are born deaf or hard-of-hearing, according to NIDCD statistics.

Before signing Santa started making the rounds, the cherished holiday tradition was just another missed opportunity for the hearing-impaired community, Swartz said.
“It’s kind of been off limits to deaf kids for a long time. It’s really important to them to know that Santa understands them,” he said.

You can find the original article here: http://www.phillyburbs.com/my_town/moorestown/moorestown-mall-hosts-a-signing-santa/article_465a8489-bc77-5dd5-8593-c4ffe621554a.html

Source: PhillyBurbs.com - Jeannie O' Sullivan

Hearing Aids Help Quiet Chronic "Ringing in the Ears" (Tinnitus), New Study Finds

2011-11-30T06:50:00.001-08:00

Hearing Aids Help Quiet Chronic "Ringing in the Ears" (Tinnitus), New Study Finds

Source: PRWeb.com

Nearly thirty million Americans—almost twice as many as previously believed—suffer from persistent, chronic tinnitus, according to a new study by the Better Hearing Institute (BHI). That’s about ten percent of the U.S. population. And for people ages 65 to 84, that number jumps to almost 27 percent. Notably, the study also found that many tinnitus sufferers reported that their hearing aids significantly helped them with their tinnitus.

For many who suffer from it, tinnitus can be a source of endless torment and a continual drain on quality-of-life. Often referred to as “ringing in the ears,” tinnitus is the perception of a sound that has no external source. Tinnitus sufferers commonly describe the noise as a ringing, humming, buzzing, and/or cricket-like. Tinnitus can be constant or intermittent. And it can be heard in one ear, both ears, or in the head.

According to the BHI study, four in ten people experience their tinnitus more than 80 percent of the time; slightly more than one in four describe their tinnitus as loud; and about one in five describe their tinnitus as disabling or nearly disabling. Tinnitus is now the number one service-connected disability of returning military personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan. There currently is no known cure for tinnitus.

“The good news is there are effective therapies available to help people cope,” said Sergei Kochkin, PhD, BHI’s Executive Director and co-author of the study. “In particular, we found that a variety of sound therapies and/or hearing aids in conjunction with counseling can help. In fact, 43.5 percent of survey respondents with tinnitus were helped at least mildly with hearing aids. And 3 out of 10 were helped moderately-to-substantially. For those whose audiologists used best practices in fitting hearing aids, that figure jumped to 50 percent.”

According to the study, people with tinnitus report that it most often affects their ability to hear (39%), concentrate (26%), and sleep (20%). Yet for many, tinnitus is even more pervasive. Twelve percent of respondents—or 3.6 million people when extrapolated to the general population—say their tinnitus affects leisure activities, social life, personal relationships, and emotional or mental health. Seven percent of respondents—or an estimated 2.1 million people nationwide—indicate that tinnitus affects their ability to work.

“Persistent, chronic tinnitus is a highly intrusive, increasingly common condition that can interfere with a person’s cognition, ability to interact with family and friends, and basic life functions,” said Jennifer Born, study co-author and Director of Public Affairs at the American Tinnitus Association (ATA). “Much progress is still needed in understanding tinnitus and finding a cure. But the results of this study are highly encouraging and prove that many tinnitus sufferers can experience relief and improved quality of life by using hearing aids in conjunction with counseling.”

Exposure to extreme noise is the leading cause of tinnitus, and people with tinnitus almost always have accompanying hearing loss, according to the study authors. In fact, the study found that respondents with more severe hearing loss were more likely to have tinnitus. Yet, more than a third (39%) of people with hearing loss do not seek help specifically because they have tinnitus.

“What surprised us was the large number of people—13 million—who reported tinnitus but no hearing loss,” said Kochkin. “It’s very likely that these individuals were aware of their tinnitus but not their hearing loss—which would indicate that the population with hearing loss is much larger than previously believed.”

As baby boomers age, people listen to portable music players at high volumes, and more soldiers return from combat, the incidence of both hearing loss and tinnitus is expected to grow.
“Unfortunately, relatively few people seek help for their tinnitus,” said Richard Tyler, PhD, study co-author, professor in both the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery and the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, and editor of three books on tinnitus, including The Consumer Handbook on Tinnitus. “We need to raise awareness that effective therapies to help tinnitus sufferers are available. Many audiologists have attended a ‘tinnitus management’ seminar I organize each September, and I know there are many experienced tinnitus health professionals ready to help and offer a full evaluation. They can help identify treatment strategies most likely to offer relief. In particular, they will be able to determine if hearing aids can help.”

The study findings were published in the November issue of Hearing Review. The findings were derived from a nationwide survey of 46,000 households. It is the largest study of its kind.

How Hearing Aids Help
In addition to improving hearing and communication, hearing aids amplify background sound, so the loudness or prominence of the tinnitus is reduced. Simply taking the focus off the tinnitus means relief for many people. Hearing aids also reduce the stress associated with intensive listening by improving communication, which in turn help relieve tinnitus symptoms.

About BHI
Founded in 1973, BHI conducts research and engages in hearing health education with the goal of helping people with hearing loss benefit from proper treatment. For more information on hearing loss, visit http://www.betterhearing.org. To take the BHI Quick Hearing Check, visit http://www.hearingcheck.org. To participate in the discussion forum, visit http://www.betterhearing.org, click on “Discussion Forum,” and go to “Welcome!” to register.
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You can find the original article here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/BHI/Tinnitus/prweb8999062.htm
Source: PRWeb.com

Mission to hear: Couple seeks hearing aids for children in Mexico

2011-11-29T07:58:00.000-08:00

Mission to hear: Couple seeks hearing aids for children in Mexico

Source: JournalStandard.com - Jane Lethlean

When Sherry Gaddis Weldele of Freeport is on one of her mission trips to fit children with hearing aids, it is the smiles on the faces of these children that puts a smile on her face. Many of these children are hearing for the first time. While the children smile big, it is often their parents who shed tears.

Sherry knows these mission trips are worthwhile. She sees the results firsthand. She holds back her own tears.

These smiles are what motivates Sherry and her husband Frank to keep going back to help more children.

Each year, these two licensed doctors of audiology take mission trips to South America and Mexico to help people hear. They see mostly children with hearing problems. These are children who live a life with little or no sound. These children have no other means to obtain hearing aids.

Many of these children have hearing problems, because of the lack of health care. This is something this couple has been doing for the past 10 years. Their reward is bringing hearing to children living in a silent world.

The couple, who own Advanced Hearing Healthcare in Freeport, have taken mission trips to Guatemala, Peru and Mexico. Much of this is sponsored with the help of Rotary International, and locally by Noon Rotary. The overwhelming response this couple gets from these trips makes them go back each year.

“The amazing part is to see the joy of these children often hearing their own voices for the first time,” Sherry said. “Their parents often cry, because these are people who would never get help for their children any other way.”

Sherry said the average income for many people in impoverished areas they visit is about $500 per year. In this country, hearing aids can cost more than $700. If these children cannot hear, they cannot go to school.”

Helping Others

Frank and Sherry are planning another mission trip for February.

They are putting out a call for people to donate hearing aids. These old and often non-working hearing aids can be used for parts or even refurbished to help these children hear. They sell the parts to get money to buy new hearing aids to take with them on these trips.

“Charity begins at home,” Frank said.

Frank and Sherry work closely with the Angel Network, who helps set things up for them in Mexico. The people living there often know the couple is coming to help them. They line up to be able to hear.

“We are going to an area in Mexico that are mostly Mayan. Many of the people living there have no clue to their heritage. They are very poor,” Sherry said.

This past year, Frank and Sherry fitted 20 children and adults with hearing aids. While their mission is for the children, they do help some adults, many of whom cannot hold a job, because they cannot hear.

They take portable testing equipment with them and have a 95 percent accuracy rate to detect hearing loss. The couple want people to know any donation, whether it is money or used hearing aids will be put to good use.

“By donating something that does not work anymore, people can drastically change the life of a child,” Sherry said.

The deadline to donate is the end of January 2012.
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Original article can be found here: http://www.journalstandard.com/features/x1904671753/Mission-to-hear-Couple-seeks-hearing-aids-for-children-in-Mexico
Source: JournalStandard.com - Jane Lethlean

Silencing the Ringing in Your Ears

2011-11-23T08:24:00.000-08:00

Silencing the Ringing in Your Ears

Source: Patch.com - Rachael Grant Dixon

According to the Mayo Clinic, 1 in 5 people will experience tinnitus, or ringing in the ear. For most people the ringing passes quickly, but for some it can be a constant and relentless sound that no one else can hear but you. There are many reasons a person may develop this condition, age being the biggest factor. After the age of 60, it’s common to start slowly losing your hearing. However, men tend to experience more hearing loss than women.

Tinnitus also is caused by exposure to loud noises, inner ear cell damage and earwax build-up. In addition, tinnitus is also linked to temperomandibular problems (TMJ), blunt trauma to the head, malnutrition, certain medications, and excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption. Unfortunately, the causes don’t stop there; Depression, high blood pressure, head and neck tumors, and a condition called atherosclerosis all have connections to tinnitus, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The good news is that most people experience sporadic or situational ringing in the ear. However, when the condition becomes chronic, then doctors have to look at treatment options. One of the simplest solutions is ear wax removal. If your medication is causing the problem, then you may be switched to a different type of medicine. Unfortunately, the more medication you are taking the harder this option becomes.

If the tinnitus becomes untreatable for various medical reasons, you may try and use white noise machines to drown out the internal sound. Hearing aids and masking devices may help you to stop focusing on the sounds caused by tinnitus.

There are ways you can protect your hearing so that this does not become a problem as you age:
First, monitor your noise environment. Be sure to take “quiet” breaks to give your ears a rest if you are in a loud environment. This includes listening to loud music with or without headphones.
Use ear plugs if you are in an environment with constant loud noises like a construction site or yard work equipment.

Also, use common sense by wearing a helmet and seat belt, get vaccinated (diseases like measles, mumps, and rubella are known to cause hearing loss), and avoid unnecessary falls by using equipment properly.
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You can find the original article here: http://ranchobernardo.patch.com/articles/facts-on-tinnitus-ringing-in-the-ears
Source: Patch.com - Rachael Grant Dixon

Hearing Loss Association Receives Selby Foundation Grant

2011-11-22T07:31:00.000-08:00

Hearing Loss Association Receives Selby Foundation Grant

Source: BroadwayWorld.com

Hearing Loss Association receives Selby Foundation grant to “Loop” 10 theaters, the expected “tipping point” to make Sarasota, Venice and Bradenton, America’s First Hearing-Friendly Cities.
The William G. & Marie Selby Foundation has approved a $72,457 grant proposal submitted by the Hearing Loss Association of Sarasota to provide hearing loop systems for 10 performing arts halls in the two counties. The hearing loop is the only system that sends clear, clean and interference-free sound from the stage’s microphone directly into the hearing aids or cochlear implants of the hearing impaired in the audience.

The 10 theaters includes 13 stages, which will receive the grant: Asolo Theater, Florida Studio Theatre (Keating), Florida Studio Theatre (Gompretz), Manatee Player’s Theater, Neel Performing Arts Center (Main), Neel Performing Arts Center (Pinkerton), Sarasota Opera, Sarasota Orchestra, The Player’s Theater, Venice Community Center, Venice Theater (Main), Venice Theater (Pinkerton) and the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.

Each stage will receive a hearing loop system that transmits the sounds of the performance through an amplifier and induction loop to any hearing aid or cochlear with a T-coil, which is a tiny wireless receiver. Virtually all new hearing aids, and some 75% in use today, are equipped with a T-coil. Each theater will also receive a box office loop system and 5 loop receivers that hearing loss individuals without T-coils or hearing aids can use to access the loop system.
Dr. Sarah H. Pappas, President of the Selby Foundation, said “we were extremely pleased to fund this endeavor as it empowers people with hearing disabilities to enjoy theater again, while helping to sustain our healthy, vibrant arts community”.

The hearing loop was pioneered in Europe, where it is now prevalent in many cities. Edward F. Ogiba, President of the Hearing Loss Association of Sarasota, which has been advocating the system through its “Let’s Loop SRQ!” campaign pointed out “it was the European theaters that first generated awareness for the loop opportunity by attracting those with hearing loss back to performances again. Churches soon followed, prompting many businesses and organizations to follow. No city had all its’ major local theaters looped so quickly and we are confident that this generous gift by the Selby Foundation will provide the same tipping point to make Sarasota, Venice and Bradenton each become one of the first hearing-friendly cities in America”.

You can find the original article here: http://florida.broadwayworld.com/article/Hearing-Loss-Association-Receives-Selby-Foundation-Grant-20111121#

Source: BroadwayWorld.com

Study Suggests Hearing Loss Is More Common Among People With Diabetes

2011-11-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

Study Suggests Hearing Loss Is More Common Among People With Diabetes

Source: DiabetesHealth.com - Mari Gold

People with diabetes may want to have their hearing checked, based on a study that found hearing problems twice as common among them as among people without diabetes.

Half of the 11,405 study participants were randomly assigned a hearing test, and nearly 90 percent of them completed the hearing exam and diabetes questionnaire. The test measured participants' ability to hear low, middle, and high frequency sounds in both ears. Participants were asked if they had a little trouble hearing, a lot of trouble hearing, or were deaf without a hearing aid. In addition, 2,259 of the participants who received the hearing tests were randomly assigned to have their blood glucose tested after an overnight fast.

"Using the data from the hearing tests, we measured hearing impairment in eight different ways," said Catherine Cowie, PhD, of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The study, the first nationally representative investigation of adults aged 20 to 69, found an association between diabetes and hearing impairment in people as young as 30 years. A link between diabetes and hearing loss was seen across all frequencies, with more people reporting hearing difficulty in the high frequency range. Even adults with prediabetes had a 30 percent higher rate of hearing loss compared to those with normal blood sugar after an overnight fast.

Although earlier studies have found a less meaningful association between diabetes and hearing problems, they were based on smaller samples of older adults and were not nationally representative.
It is thought that diabetes leads to hearing loss by damaging the nerves and blood vessels of the inner ear. Autopsy studies of diabetes patients have shown evidence of such damage. "As diabetes becomes more common, the disease may make a more significant contribution to hearing loss," said Cowie.
The study, published online June 17, 2008, in the Annals of Internal Medicine, was conducted by researchers from NIDDK, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), both part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., an organization that provides support on public health topics to NIH and other government agencies.
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You can find the original article here: http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2011/11/19/7354/study-suggests-hearing-loss-is-more-common-among-people-with-diabetes/
Source: DiabetesHealth.com - Mari Gold

Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Link Between Hearing Loss and Dementia

2011-11-17T11:27:00.000-08:00

Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Link Between Hearing Loss and Dementia

Source: TheHealthierLife.co.uk

US researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital gave hearing tests to nearly 640 dementia-free subjects, aged 36 to 90, between 1990 and 1994. They then followed the development of dementia in the same subjects until 2008. The results showed a clear link between hearing loss and the risk of developing dementia, as well as Alzheimer's disease. In subjects with severe hearing loss, the risk of age- related cognitive decline was even bigger.

It's probably not something many of us will notice when we're young. In fact, those living in densely populated areas and noisy cities might even think that it's normal to sometimes experience a bit of hearing difficulty...

However, when hearing problems start occurring at an early age and not just after a long night out at a noisy concert, they could indicate a serious health threat.

Pardon me, say that again?

US researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital gave hearing tests to nearly 640 dementia-free subjects, aged 36 to 90, between 1990 and 1994. They then followed the development of dementia in the same subjects until 2008.

The results showed a clear link between hearing loss and the risk of developing dementia, as well as Alzheimer's disease. In subjects with severe hearing loss, the risk of age- related cognitive decline was even bigger.

The researchers didn't go so far as to say that hearing loss contributes to dementia, but they did suggest this might be the case when hearing difficulty caused social isolation or mental exhaustion — both of which contribute to dementia, especially when they're combined.

Neurologist, Dr Richard B. Lipton, offers further clues as to why hearing loss might indicate the onset of dementia later in life. He says that nerve cell damage inside the ear indicates that some of the inner ear structure is restricted. This disrupts the vibration patterns the inner mechanisms of the ear require to produce sound. This is why Dr Lipton thinks that when there's damage to the neurons that mediate hearing, there may also be similar damage to the nerve cells involved in forming memories and brain function.

Risky business

Apart from listening to music at full-blast for long periods of time over a number of years, there are a few other things that may aggravate hearing loss. Some cases have been linked to zinc, folate and vitamin B-12 deficiencies. Extended use of powerful drugs such as chemotherapy, antibiotics and intravenous diuretics can also contribute to hearing loss.

If you're concerned about developing Alzheimer's or dementia, there's a few things you can do to address the looming risk before it's too late.

Studies have shown that patients were at higher risk of cognitive impairment, if they were deficient in the following nutrients: Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B complex, niacin (vitamin B3), vitamins C & E and beta-carotene.

A US study from Columbia University showed that a strict Mediterranean diet helps prevent dementia as well as silent strokes that damage the brain without causing symptoms. And of course, all the nutrients listed above are delivered in abundance in the Mediterranean diet.

Finally, US researchers at the University of Kansas used MRI brain scans and treadmill tests to illustrate a significant link between poor fitness levels and the rapid deterioration of the hippocampus, in participants over the age of 60 with Alzheimer's disease. The hippocampus is the area of your brain that stores memories, and it deteriorates with the onset of Alzheimer's.

Original article can be found here: http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-health-articles/alzheimers/hearing-loss-dementia-alzheimers-disease-cure-88663.html

Source: TheHealthierLife.co.uk

Locals help Raise $166,000 for Hearing Loss

2011-11-16T08:37:00.000-08:00

Locals help Raise $166,000 for Hearing Loss

Source: TribLocal.com - Elizabeth Hupp

The 5th annual Chicago Walk4Hearing on October 15, 2011 was a resounding success! Chicago's goal this year was $129,000 and they far exceeded this goal with a current count of $166,000. The Walk4Hearing, sponsored by the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), is the largest of its kind in the country, with 23 Walks held in the spring and fall. The national goal is $1.2 million, which has also already been surpassed, with a current total of $1.25 million.

Pictured: Katherine Fernholz and Katelyn Draths of Chicago, Sally O'Neil of Northbrook, Vera Stromberg and Harold Ansell of Niles, Jean Draths of Glenview, and Liz Hupp of Northfield. They are the "Sound Off for Hearing" team from the Chicago North Shore Chapter of HLAA, which meets in Northfield and draws people from the northern suburbs of Chicago. This group represented their chapter by walking, volunteering in the registration booth or serving in the role of 'roving' photographer.

Liz Hupp, president of the chapter, was also one of the early arrivals at Lincoln Park area that morning, serving as the head of the registration team.

Over 1,000 walkers and supporters turned out on this beautiful October day. With blue skies, lots of sunshine and brisk weather, they gathered under the colorful large arch of purple and green balloons at the starting line, ready for the Chicago Walk4Hearing 5K walk around beautiful Diversey Harbor.
Before the walk, there was face painting and a balloon artist for the children in the crowd, many with hearing aids and cochlear implants. After the walk everyone was served complimentary pizza and ice cream provided by local donors.

Over three million children and adults in the USA live with hearing loss. Unfortunately, it is an 'unseen loss' and many do not have access to proper testing, counseling and help because they cannot afford it.

This disability has been invisible far too long but is finally being acknowledged, and more help is becoming available. Hearing loss is being addressed by local, state and nationwide groups. HLAA strives to make the public more aware about hearing loss, helping to eradicate the stigma associated with it and raising funds for programs, advocacy, and support for people with hearing loss. Visit the national HLAA website at www.hearingloss.org for more information and to find a chapter near you.
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Original article can be found here: http://triblocal.com/northbrook/community/stories/2011/11/local-participation-in-chicago-walk4hearing/
Source: TribLocal.com - Elizabeth Hupp

One in Five Americans Age 12 and Older Experiences Hearing Loss...

2011-11-15T07:42:00.000-08:00

One in Five Americans Age 12 and Older Experiences Hearing Loss Severe Enough to Hinder Communication

Source: ABC News - Mikaela Conley

Nearly one in five Americans age 12 and older experience hearing loss severe enough to interfere with day-to-day communication.

The new research, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, examined data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys, or NHNES, which has collected health information from thousands of Americans since 1971. The researchers looked specifically at people age 12 and older -- men and women of all races -- whose hearing had been tested during NHANES exams.

"Hearing loss is inevitable in many ways, and a lot of people view it as inconsequential, which is where there is a big mistake," said Dr. Frank Lin, assistant professor in the department of otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and lead author of the study. "Hearing loss has a great impact on cognitive abilities and can progressively lead to social isolation and loneliness," he told ABCNews.com.

"When people can't communicate effectively, the brain actually has to reallocate resources to help with hearing, and that may affect dementia and other cognitive impairment," said Lin.
And with an older population that's living longer, hearing loss could become a serious impediment to social intercourse.

"Helen Keller once said, 'Blindness separates us from things, but deafness separates us from people,'" said Dr. Rob Jackler, chairman of the American Academy Otolaryngology Hearing committee and a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. "It is central to what a human being is, and as you become older, hearing clarity diminishes, and it is a reason older people withdraw from life and become depressed."

While hearing loss nearly doubles with every age decade, women and blacks were significantly less likely to suffer from substantial hearing loss at any age than were men, whites and Hispanics.
Experts said estrogen and melanin in darker skin could both have protective effects on the ear, which may explain the lower rates of hearing loss in such populations.

"This certainly suggests that there can be some genetic-based hearing loss along with environmentally based loss," said Jackler.

But hearing loss has a large environmental component too.
"Seeds of older-age hearing loss may be planted by excessive noises in the younger years, so we really need to pay attention to amplified music through ear phones, because it will move the life curve of hearing loss along quicker," said Jackler.

That ringing or hollow sound in one's ear after listening to a steady stream of loud noise is known as a temporary threshold shift. That shift is a "red flag" for causing potential permanent damage, said Jackler, especially if the ringing lasts more than a few hours. Impulse noise is even worse than the temporary threshold, though.

"Shooting guns or having a firework go off near your ear is even more dangerous," said Jackler. "The ear has a defense mechanism that mitigates slightly continuous sounds. There are little muscles that tighten to resist sound, which allows for a minor degree of protection, but impulse noises get in before the ear has time to defend itself."

As in-ear headphones become a staple of the American wardrobe, experts worry that the constant blaring of music directly into the ears could do long-term damage.

"You don't see the effects of true hearing loss for several years," said Lin. "It's hard to say how much the ears will be affected from iPods and such. It's certainly not going to help your hearing, but we just don't know how much it's going to hurt it."
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You can find the original article here: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/americans-hearing-loss/story?id=14949805#.TsKGHPLszAw
Source: ABC News - Mikaela Conley

Kevin Frost warms up in Cancun for a good cause

2011-11-10T08:12:00.000-08:00

Kevin Frost warms up in Cancun for a good cause

Source: EMCOrleans.Ca - Tony Muma

EMC News - People like deaf and blind speed skating champ Kevin Frost are always on their toes and always on the go.

Frost recently warmed up Cancun, Mexico for eight days, sharing his story and lending a hand to hearing and vision-impaired villagers in the areas surrounding the tourist city.

"We bought food for all the kitchens in the villages which had anywhere from 80 to 100 to 2,000 people," he said. "We brought them pans, oil and stuff they needed. We did a presentation there for our Mission to Cancun." Frost arrived in Cancun armed with hearing aids for the hearing impaired and canes for the vision impaired.

"An 80-year-old woman who'd been blind all her life came by and I had brought some canes for the vision-impaired," Frost said. "When I gave her a cane, she burst in to tears of happiness, it was so touching." From there, Frost went to a town called Hobox, which he jokingly renamed "hard-butt" because of bumpy ride to get there. Still, the bumpy ride was nothing compared to the weather.

"We stayed overnight there before we were forced to evacuate when Hurricane Rina arrived," he said.

Frost then went to the mainland before we went to a town called Nova Durango.

"We filled the kitchens there with food," he added. "They wanted to protect themselves from the hurricane so we made sure they had plenty of food to eat. We had lunch there - it was the best meal we had all week. Everything was natural cooking and done from scratch." Frost's next destination was a village called KM 80.

"I thought the lady who was taking us there was mistaking its distance and its name," he laughed.

While at KM 80, Frost met the mayor and two young girls - one with Down syndrome and another who was hearing impaired.

"I gave one girl a hearing-aid," Frost said. "In that part of the world, hearing aids are a rarity. When she tried the hearing aid, her eyes started moving around She was like 'whoa,' it was pretty touching. I gave her batteries for two years." Frost said Davidson Hearing Center back in Ottawa really stepped up and helped him with his fundraising endeavors.

"I didn't have to do as much fundraising for the humanitarian mission," he said. "I can't thank them enough." The next day, Frost bumped in to Hurricane Rina again but everyone came out of the encounter unscathed. Reflecting on his eight amazing days down south, Frost said being deaf-blind in Mexico is "interesting." "Canada's on par but different countries are in different places in terms of accessibility," he stated. "Sweden is the country to beat. Mexico is a bit behind in terms of accessibility. I got to help 11 people in Mexico- it was a fascinating experience. It's hard for me to have a hard day thinking of these people." Immediately after he finished that thought, Frost took two minutes to speak to a sponsor.

"I'm always on the go, so I'm always fundraising," he explained after a quick chat with a sponsor. "You have to capitalize on every opportunity to create awareness - that's how I got to Mexico." It comes with the package of training for speed skating, track, rowing and kayaking - as well as the 40 presentations he does each year to create awareness for disabled athletes - Frost is always on the go and always on his toes.

"Some athletes just train and it's hard to get funding for only that reason," he said.

Frost on the other hand recently won an award from the United Way and a community builder award.

Frost was gone as quickly as he arrived, heading back to the gym for another hour or so. He's training for three world cup skating events in the new year, including the annual Paralympics Open Blind Championships in Russia.

"It was interesting to learn about that but I'm learning on the go."

You can find the original article here: http://www.emcorleans.ca/20111110/news/Kevin+Frost+warms+up+in+Cancun+for+a+good+cause

Source: EMCOrleans.Ca - Tony Muma

Local Team Raises over $12,000 in 2011 Chicago Walk4Hearing

2011-11-08T08:07:00.000-08:00

Local Team Raises over $12,000 in 2011 Chicago Walk4Hearing

Source: TribLocal.com - Irene Sewell

On Saturday, October 15, 2011, over 1,000 people gathered in Lincoln Park to participate in the sixth annual 5k Chicago Walk4Hearing raising over $166,000 to benefit people with hearing loss.

Irene Sewell, of Glenview organized team "SSS….Sounds So Sweet" comprised of family and friends. The team raised more than $12,000 to benefit the Hearing Loss Association of America and Child's Voice School, an oral school for children who are deaf or hard of hearing in Wood Dale, Illinois.

Pictured is team "SSS….Sounds So Sweet" – Top Row: Sara Kelly of Elmhurst, Cynthia Nadig of Northbrook, Tyler Nadig of Northbrook, Irene Sewell of Glenview, Margaret Sletten of Elmhurst, Tom Sletten of Elmhurst, and John Casey of Elmhurst. Bottom Row: Amy Sletten of Elmhurst, Jame Sewell of Glenview, Cynthia Sewell of Glenview, Grace Sletten of Elmhurst, and Alex Casey of Elmhurst.
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Original article can be found here: http://triblocal.com/glenview/community/stories/2011/11/local-team-raises-over-12000-in-2011-chicago-walk4hearing/
Source: TribLocal.com - Irene Sewell

Hearing loss rises 70% in 15 years among adolescents

2011-11-07T09:03:00.000-08:00

Hearing loss rises 70% in 15 years among adolescents

Source: El Paso Times - Enrique Mata

Listening to music reminds me of some of the most relaxing and inspiring times in my life.
When I was younger, I remember going to concerts where the music was so loud all I could hear was ringing in my ears for hours after. Some might remember the days when your options were a radio or tape player the size of a large handbag with a single earphone to listen to music. Today, there is a wide range of options. New technologies allow portable, almost unlimited music storage and battery life. It is concerning that today's children and youth are listening more than twice as long as previous generations and using new ear buds that can deliver deafening sound to both ears.

Findings from a study published in the Aug. 18, 2010, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that one in five adolescents has some evidence of hearing loss, while one in 20 has at least mild hearing loss. Dr. Josef Shargorodsky and a team of researchers looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys of adolescents from across the U.S., ages 12-19. Compared with data from the survey from 1988-1994, there has been a marked 30 percent increase in prevalence of any hearing loss, and a 70 percent increase in mild or worse hearing loss in the past 15 years.

Hearing loss from loud noise exposure is usually preventable. One way to safeguard your hearing is by making a few simple changes to the volume of your music player. To help preserve hearing, adults and youths alike should aim at between one-half and two-thirds of the maximum volume on the music player. Many music players come with a volume limiter that lets you lower the maximum volume level of your player so you can't accidentally boost it too high. This can also be a great help for parents to ensure that their children listen at safe levels.

Sound intensity is measured in units called decibels (dB), according to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders. Sounds that reach between 105 db (the maximum volume on a personal stereo device) and 110 db (the sound intensity coming from concert speakers) can damage hearing permanently. Noise above 75 db (noise from city traffic, a power mover, or a power drill) for long periods can have a lasting negative effect on hearing. Sounds of less than 75 dB, even after long exposure, are unlikely to cause hearing loss.

Taking steps to prevent hearing loss can save children and youths from future difficulties: inability to hear teachers, instructions on the job, and friends and family. A simple solution is to bring the volume down.

I still listen to music even though I am no longer able to hear many of the sweet sounds. My father always told me to protect my hearing. Coming from a gentleman who lost hearing in one ear when he was young, I should have listened more. Enjoy the gift of hearing. It is possible to keep the volume at a manageable level without sacrificing the enjoyment and impact of your music. This simple message can be a challenge for parents to get across to youth, but it is a reminder I hope many will hear.

Original article can be found here: http://www.elpasotimes.com/health/ci_19277911

Source: El Paso Times - Enrique Mata

Deaf illusionist to perform magic show

2011-11-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

Deaf illusionist to perform magic show at PSD on Friday

Source: NewsWorks.org - Yasmein James

Sam Sandler isn't your ordinary illusionist. Then again, the students he is performing for Friday night aren't your ordinary students. At 7 p.m., the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (PSD) will host The Hilarious Magic of Sam Sandler show as it did last year.

This year's show is a fundraiser for Partnership Action Team for Community, Home and School, or PATCHS, the school's alumni association. Proceeds will help send families to the biannual conference for families of deaf children to Arizona next year and fund other social and educational activities throughout the academic year.

Sandler, a world-renowned illusionist who has performed more than 6,000 live shows, lost his hearing to a genetic disease called Progressive Hearing Loss in 2009. He is believed to be the only full-time deaf illusionist in the United States.

Ruth Cella, director of development and public relations for PSD, said Sandler is dedicated to promoting deafness and the deaf culture through his performances. This is evident in Sandler's feature show, Silent Magic, a 50-minute educational show filled with magic, comedy, illusions and audience participation.

"The show is accessible to hearing people," Cella said. "There is not a great deal of sign language since it's a magic show."

During his performances, he informs his audiences about his life and how he became deaf. Because he was not born deaf, his speech is as perfect as that of a hearing person.

"He is going to have more illusion than he did last year," said Tina Pakis, PSD's family involvement coordinator. "It was a good show last year, but it's going to be even bigger this year."

PSD is a specialized educational service for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. It serves a wide spectrum of hearing loss to students with cochlear implants, hearing aids, hearing loss and profound deafness.

Tickets for the show are $5 for students and$7 for adults. For more information, visit psd.org or samsandler.com.

Four-legged friend to help children

2011-11-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

Four-legged friend to help children

Source: MarketRasenMail.co.uk

CHILDREN with hearing loss could benefit from a four-legged friend.
There is currently an opportunity for children from this area and across the whole of Lincolnshire to apply for a place on the Hearing Dogs for Deaf Children Project.

The are only five places available for suitable candidates, so applications need to be made as soon as possible.

The project is being run by the charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and is being promoted by Market Rasen Lions.

The child must be between seven and 12 years of age, with moderate, severe or profound hearing loss.
The family must have no pet dogs.

The hearing dog would not go to school with the child, so it would stay at the family home during the day, but must not be left alone on a regular basis for more than three hours, although provision for part-time workers can be discussed.

Further information and applications can be made to the team leader Julie Shoebridge.
Contact her on 01844 348100, email info@hearingdogs.org.uk or write to The Grange, Wycome Road, Saunderton, Princes Risborough, HP27 9NS.
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Original article can be found here: http://www.marketrasenmail.co.uk/community/people/four_legged_friend_to_help_children_1_3208855
Source: MarketRasenMail.co.uk

Health department stresses importance of seeing a hearing health practitioner

2011-10-31T07:57:00.000-07:00

Health department stresses importance of seeing a hearing health practitioner

Source: HutchinsonLeader.com

Officials from the Minnesota Department of Health are stressing the importance of seeing a hearing health practitioner if consumers have concerns about hearing loss.

A hearing health practitioner will take a case history, visually inspect the ear, conduct hearing tests, recommend a hearing aid, or determine if the consumer should be seen by a medical specialist.

MDH has noted the increasing availability of options for purchasing hearing aids. These include using online hearing tests and purchasing hearing aids online. While consumers may be tempted to buy a hearing aid using the internet, it is not in their best health interest, and in Minnesota, only a hearing health practitioner can test hearing and recommend and fit a hearing instrument.

Hearing aids are medical devices regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and must be recommended, sold and fit by qualified health professionals. This is because not all persons are assumed to be good candidates for a hearing aid. Before hearing aids can be sold to consumers, MDH and FDA laws require health practitioners to:

* Complete a case history of the consumer's hearing.

* Conduct specific hearing tests with specialized equipment.

* Visually inspect the consumer's ears and ear canal.

* Document if the consumer has recent hearing problems such as dizziness, sudden hearing loss in one or both ears and pain or drainage from the ear, and then refer to a physician when the consumer reports these conditions.

These hearing tests and evaluations are used by hearing health professionals to determine if the consumer needs to be referred to a medical doctor specializing in ear diseases.

The health professionals authorized to test human hearing and recommend and fit hearing aids in Minnesota are regulated by MDH and include:

* Licensed audiologists who have completed at least a master's degree and a supervised professional internship experience in audiology. They provide diagnostic hearing evaluations; specialize in the evaluation and rehabilitation of individuals with hearing loss; and recommend, fit and/or dispense hearing instruments.

* Certified hearing instrument dispensers who have passed a written and practical examination. They provide hearing testing and evaluations for the purpose of hearing aid recommendation, selection and fitting; and recommend, select and fit hearing instruments.

Minnesota laws also provide consumers of hearing instruments other protections, including:

* An MDH brochure describing the consumer's legal rights.

* A written purchase agreement specifying services, warranties and repair plans.

* A 45-calendar-day trial period.

* A cancellation fee of no more than $250.

* The right to take the hearing aid recommendation to an audiologist or hearing instrument dispenser of choice.

* A copy of the audiogram.

* Information from the FDA about a medical evaluation.

You can find the original article here: http://www.hutchinsonleader.com/view/full_story/16200392/article-Health-department-stresses-importance-of-seeing-a-hearing-health-practitioner

Source: HutchinsonLeader.com

Patient Testimonial - Nick Kelly - Louisville, KY

2011-10-24T08:06:00.000-07:00

Patient Testimonial - Nick Kelly - Louisville, KY

Click photo above or this link for video: http://youtu.be/0r1jEyAizXM

At Hear Here we strive to provide the best patient experience possible for each person who walks through our doors. Nick Kelly began coming to us several years ago, and we enjoy seeing him each time he visits our office. Nick is from Louisville, KY and is a patient at our Louisville East location. Nick wears Starkey RIC hearing aids, and raves about their sound quality as well as their comfortable and natural fit.

Patients like Nick Kelly make our job a joy each day, and we are so glad we could help him hear his very best. We would like to thank Nick for his kind words about our company, and for being such a great patient and person. Thanks Nick!!

CHC 'Feast' to Support New Yorkers with Hearing Loss

2011-10-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

For CHC's 2011 "Feast," NYC's Top Chefs Join Forces with Television Personalities and Broadway Performers to Support Underserved New Yorkers with Hearing Loss

Source: PRWeb.com - Laura Grasso

At 101 years of continuous service, the Center for Hearing and Communication (CHC) has helped thousands upon thousands of New Yorkers with hearing loss to communicate and cope in a hearing world. This month, the agency will once again give gala guests face time to chat with with the city’s top chefs and local news anchors for its annual “Feast.” Uniquely tapping into NYC’s talent pools for support, last year CHC’s centennial gala raised over $1,000,000. Donations allow the historic nonprofit to serve the community’s intense need for affordable, compassionate, and state-of-the-art hearing healthcare.

The festivities are slated for October 24, 2011 at Pier Sixty, part of Chelsea Piers. Bill Ritter, anchor of “Eyewitness News,” will host the sumptuous and heartwarming event. As is Feast tradition, guests will enjoy a walk-around tasting as 28 of NYC’s top chefs offer up their specialties. This year’s culinary artists include “Iron Chef America” competitor and executive chef at Butter, Alexandra Guarnaschelli; the Beacon Restaurant & Bar’s Waldy Malouf; and Ed Brown of his namesake Ed’s Chowder House. The walk-around layout gives guests the opportunity to interact with the chefs as well as New York’s television broadcasters, who act as “sous chefs.” Attendees will find the familiar faces of Brenda Blackmon from My9, Francesca Maxime of PIX11, Ernie Anastos of Fox 5, and NY1’s Shazia Khan, among others, helping to serve so many signature items from famous New York kitchens in one event. For the first time, this year’s Feast will feature a seated dessert room, where guests will be served decadent treats while bidding on fantastic live auction items auctioneered by Nicholas Dawes of “Antiques Roadhouse.” Items donated to the charity auction include hard-to-get tickets to exclusive venues and performances (Wimbledon, “Book of Mormon,” etc.), behind the scenes access to tapings of top TV shows, special meals at fabulous NYC restaurants, and one-of-a-kind fashion. Following the auction, guests will enjoy special performances by Broadway talent, including Janet Ducal and Darren Ritchie.

The event will illuminate the world without limits made possible by the nonprofit agency’s extraordinary public service. The agency’s top notch clinicians provide innovative communication therapy that teaches babies who were born deaf to speak; a staff of certified therapists counsel people with all degrees of hearing loss; and a state-of-the-art “Listening Studio” allows audiologists to program modern hearing aids in dozens of real world noise environments, allowing for real-time adjustments and maximum gain. New programming over the past year includes 2010’s launch of the Auditory Processing Center, already a field-leader in the diagnosis and rehabilitation of oft-misunderstood, debilitating childhood auditory challenges. CHC also founded the Noise Center, home of NYC’s noise experts, alongside International Noise Awareness Day. For 17 years, the globally recognized day has sparked government policy changes, public health events, and public art exhibits surrounding noise pollution, its dramatic effects on health, and hearing loss prevention.
A public resource, every day the not-for-profit organization’s staff responds to urgent requests for information and help from around the world. Clinicians take the time that is truly necessary to treat all the effects of hearing loss – social, emotional, and physical. A client since childhood and current volunteer, Susan Kornfeld puts it this way: “CHC staff does a wonderful job of not only providing treatment, but they also care deeply about each client's personal journey. My experience with CHC has caused me to embrace hearing technology, to highly value its services and get involved helping other clients whenever I can.” This year’s gala theme, “Hear the Difference,” will highlight the audiological, speech and communication therapy, and emotional health and wellness services that rise above and beyond what is provided by typical private practices.

CHC is renowned for a unique approach, a hugely diverse array of services, and successful outcomes that cut down to size the obstacles between people and hearing healthcare. A CHC client and scholarship recipient’s mother stated, “Rarely a day goes by that I don’t look at Zoe and something she has accomplished and honestly wonder how it would have happened had I not found CHC when I did.” Donor support allows the agency to connect people in all financial circumstances with the hearing technology they need to connect to life. A warm, welcoming space devoted to providing compassionate care, the agency takes care to address the emotional needs of individual and families during treatment for hearing loss, encouraging a positive sense of acceptance toward the benefits of hearing technology. CHC teaches clients how to advocate for their (or their child’s) needs, and many clients credit the agency for fostering their ability to do so. “CHC played a pivotal part in my life. It broadened my horizons and expectations of what I could achieve. My interaction and association with other children like myself provided me with the self-esteem I was so desperately in need of,” reports Estelle, who has been a client since the 1950s when she was three years old.

The Feast is an event of joy and hope, and an embodiment of New York City’s spirit of compassion. To learn more about the event, phone (917) 305-7807 or visit http://www.CHChearing.org.
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Original article can be found here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/10/prweb8893633.htm
Source: PRWeb.com - Laura Grasso

Augusta hearing-loss group gets national recognition

2011-10-20T08:32:00.000-07:00

Augusta hearing-loss group gets national recognition

Source: Augusta.com - Lynn Davidson

Hearing loss is the third-most common health issue in the United States, behind arthritis and heart disease. Even though it affects 17 percent of Americans of all ages, hearing loss is not easily recognized.

“If someone walks in blind, people in the room experience a sense of pity. But if someone walks in with hearing loss, it’s a sense of comedy,” said Dr. Brian McKinnon, an assistant professor of otolaryngology at Georgia Health Sciences University.

“It isn’t visible, so people think they are ignorant because they don’t understand what’s going on. But it’s because they can’t hear.”

Help is available to people with hearing loss in the Augusta area. The Hearing Loss Association of America has an Augusta chapter, one of only four across the state. The chapter was presented the Phoenix Award at the national convention in Washington, D.C., in June. Created specifically to honor the Augusta chapter, the award symbolizes the group’s successful efforts to revive and reinvigorate the chapter, which now has 50 members.

The club meets the third Monday of each month from September to May at First Baptist Church on Walton Way Extension.

“I learned a lot about hearing loss,” said Sarah Allen, a charter member of Augusta’s group.
“And I made so many wonderful, wonderful friends. We support each other and have a good time doing it.”

Meetings start with a social time and refreshments at 5:30 p.m. in room 101 of the Adult Building. A brief business meeting begins at 6 p.m., followed by an educational speaker or planned social activity.
“We have speakers about hearing loss, cochlear implants, stress problems related to hearing loss, hearing dogs – that was one of our most popular programs,” said Dave Welster, the chapter vice president.

Valerie Martin said a meeting that dealt with hearing loss in the workplace was particularly helpful because she works as a secretary in a government office.

“This group has been a great support,” Martin said. “Two years ago my hearing aids didn’t work, and they helped me know what to do. It’s a great support group. I like all the different topics.”
McKinnon said hearing loss can be inherited, a result of accidents or exposure to loud noise, disease, tumors, malformations in the inner ear or, simply, aging.

“Despite the mechanisms, the challenges are universal — they can’t communicate,” he said.
People with hearing loss can’t hear in big groups or crowded places, have trouble understanding children or women with high-pitched voices, and don’t know when people are talking behind them, according to group members.

The local chapter makes information packets for hospital patients with hearing loss. The packets include a pad and pencil for communicating, a “face me, I’m hard of hearing” pin, tips on how to communicate, and a big sign to hang over the bed.

“It’s surprising how many doctors do not know how to communicate with hearing loss,” Welster said.
He explained that doctors and hospital staff members are busy looking down, writing in files, looking at equipment, or standing behind the patient during an exam and don’t realize they aren’t being heard. That is the reason McKinney tries to attend every chapter meeting.

“It’s very good for me, because it gets me out of my ivory tower. It gives me a sense of the real world, reminds me of the reason I’m here,” he said with a smile.

“And they enjoy me coming because they get a free consultation.”
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Original article can be found here: http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/richmond-neighbors/2011-10-20/augusta-hearing-loss-group-gets-national-recognition?v=1319080412
Source: Augusta.com - Lynn Davidson

The captain who paved the way with signs

2011-10-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

The captain who paved the way with signs

Source: ESPN - Sharda Ugra

Umesh Valjee doesn't get the excuse cricketers make when they run their partners out. "I can't understand why people say there's no communication. I don't think I've ever run people out." Valjee is making his point over the Friday-evening clamour of a Camden pub. "Okay, maybe one or two run-outs every year," he grins.

A slight correction. Valjee actually said he couldn't understand why "hearing people" ran their partners out. Valjee cannot hear and has played cricket for over 20 years now. He has just come off a winter tour of Australia where his team won a tri-nation Twenty20 tournament in which Valjee scored three centuries in four innings. He is the captain of the England deaf team and this year became the first deaf cricketer to win the ECB's Disability Cricketer of the Year award.

Of all the sounds related to cricket that Valjee cannot access - the crack of the ball meeting the bat's sweet spot, umpires calling "over", fatal edges, "death rattles", sledging - somehow not being able to holler out yes/no/sorry is not an issue. There are many other difficulties about playing cricket when you are unable to hear and speak, but run-outs? That's lame.

Valjee is talking to ESPNcricinfo in the company of his signing interpreter, Sula Gleeson. His clarity and articulation, through signing and expression, render voice recorders inadequate. The story of his life is told through his hands, and the emotion involved flits across his face. Cricket in his world, Valjee says, is "more a question of watching closely. A lot of it is body language." And running between wickets? All about eye contact, picking up cues from his partner and perfecting the deaf cricketer's sixth sense - watchfulness. "If he runs, I run. If he stops, I don't run, you know," he shrugs.

Being watchful and alert has worked for Valjee in his two decades in the game; that and his ambition to be a professional cricketer, as much as he could possibly be. The inability to hear has been a hindrance but not a limitation. "Of course, sometimes I think if I was hearing, my talent could have been different. I could have talked to people about my cricket. But generally I'm happy."

The basic criterion for selection to a deaf team in England requires that the player's better ear must have an average (audiogram) reading loss of 55 decibels or more. Those near the 55dB range, Gleeson explains, will not hear their name being called from behind them. If the person calling them stands in front, they will catch the sound. On the field of play, no hearing aids are allowed, and not all deaf cricketers use sign language. In the three years Gleeson has worked with Valjee, she says she has not heard his voice. His communication, though, is first-rate. Among the 30 regular players in the England deaf team there are only about 10 signers, she says. Amongst the deaf, sign language may primarily be most used by those unable to get any assistance from hearing aids. In the England deaf team, the captain is one of them. That in itself is remarkable.

Valjee's pursuit of cricket - "My heart was in it" - has been driven by a striving for personal improvement as opening batsman. While captaining the England deaf team, he has tried to stay involved with conventional cricket. Training at Ilford CC and playing for Stanmore CC gave him short periods with the Gloucester and Hampshire county 2nd XIs. "That was the closest I got to being a professional cricketer," Valjee says. He has played for the MCC, the Club Cricket Conference, and twice spent a month each touring overseas with a hearing team.

He encourages every young deaf player to chase this possibility. "I always tell them, if you want to be better, you have to play with the hearing. In a deaf team, it's like being in a local club team. You play with the hearing at a good level, the grade is very high. Everyone is trying to aim for that. That's the challenge."

His first glimpse of cricket came at the West London Deaf Cricket Club, where his brother, older by 11 years, hung out every Sunday. The older Valjee preferred for his sibling to vamoose, but seeing the youngster's eagerness, a club member encouraged him to keep dropping by. Another deaf cricketer got him to try batting and gave him a special half hour of training in the basics to start him off. Valjee says the first boundary of his life was a six. He was not about to go away.

The two men who drew him into cricket are no longer alive. "I got a hundred at the Nursery Ground at Lord's last summer (England Deaf v MCC) and I thought, 'I'm here, nearly at Lord's, looking quite professional.' It was due to those two men, Gerald Dixey and Tom Clinton. I looked up and thought of them." He got out next ball, he signs wryly.

The entire, original article can be found here: http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/535158.html

Source: ESPN - Sharda Ugra

Better Hearing Institute Warns on Do-It-Yourself Hearing Care

2011-10-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

Better Hearing Institute Warns on Do-It-Yourself Hearing Care

Source: PRNewswire.com - Better Hearing Institute

The Better Hearing Institute (BHI) is warning consumers of the inherent risks associated with purchasing over-the-counter, one-size-fits-all hearing aids instead of consulting a hearing healthcare professional. Hearing loss is sometimes the symptom of a serious underlying medical problem. All 50 states require that consumers use a credentialed hearing care professional to purchase hearing aids. BHI also points out that hearing devices that are purchased over-the-counter or Internet without the consultation of a hearing healthcare professional may result in the devices not being accurately customized to the specific hearing needs of the individual.

"Today's state-of-the-art hearing aids should be programmed to the individual's specific hearing loss requirements in order to provide good levels of benefit and customer satisfaction," says Sergei Kochkin, BHI's Executive Director. "The process requires a complete in-person hearing assessment in a sound booth, the training and skills of a credentialed hearing healthcare professional in order to prescriptively fit the hearing aids using sophisticated computer programs, and appropriate in-person follow-up and counseling. This is not possible when consumers purchase one-size-fits-all hearing aids over the Internet or elsewhere."

Extensive research shows that individualized hearing health assessments and fittings programmed specific to the needs of the hearing aid user provide the best chance for optimal hearing enhancement and customer satisfaction.

"The best advice BHI can give anyone purchasing a hearing aid is to find a state credentialed hearing healthcare professional and to communicate openly during the evaluation, fitting and trial period to increase the likelihood that you are receiving the best possible benefit from your hearing aids," says Kochkin. "It will make a tremendous difference in your ability to hear and in your quality of life."
BHI has published a comprehensive consumer guide entitled, "Your Guide to Buying Hearing Aids." (See www.betterhearing.org under hearing loss treatment.) The guidelines give confidence to first-time hearing aid buyers by providing a detailed, step-by-step explanation of what to expect, ask, and look for when selecting and visiting a hearing healthcare professional and purchasing a hearing aid.

BHI also has published, "Your Guide to Financial Assistance for Hearing Aids," the first comprehensive guide on how people can obtain financial assistance to purchase hearing aids.

More About Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids

The number of Americans with hearing loss has grown to more than 34 million—roughly 11 percent of the U.S. population. Over the past generation, hearing loss among Americans has increased at a rate of 160 percent of U.S. population growth and is one of the most commonly unaddressed health conditions in America today.

Numerous studies have linked untreated hearing loss to a wide range of physical and emotional conditions, including impaired memory and ability to learn new tasks, reduced alertness, increased risk of personal safety, irritability, negativism, anger, fatigue, tension, stress, depression, and diminished psychological and overall health.

But the vast majority of people with hearing loss can benefit from hearing aids. In fact, eight out of ten hearing aid users report improvements in their quality of life, according to a survey by BHI of more than 2,000 consumers.

Advances in digital technology have dramatically improved hearing aids in recent years, making them smaller with better sound quality. Designs are modern, sleek, and discreet. Clarity, greater directionality, better speech audibility in a variety of environments, better cell phone compatibility, less whistling and feedback than hearing aids of the past, and greater ruggedness for active lifestyles are common features.
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You can find the original article here: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/better-hearing-institute-warns-on-do-it-yourself-hearing-care-131831238.html
Source: PRNewswire.com - Better Hearing Institute

Miley Cyrus gives the gift of hearing in Haiti.. Again!

2011-10-11T07:49:00.000-07:00

Miley Cyrus shows her tender side as she comforts children in Haiti

Source: DailyMail.co.uk - Laura Schreffler

She's usually makes headlines for her racy clothing choices and brazen behavior.

But Miley Cyrus is in the spotlight for an all together different reason this time.

The 18-year-old starlet made her second trip to Haiti over the weekend where she was doing charity work with the Starkey Hearing Foundation.

Her goal was to help the organization distribute and fit hearing aids to more than 400 Haitians.

She dropped her pop star look for the visit to Haiti's capital city of Port au Prince, eschewing makeup and her designer wardrobe for simple clothing and a fresh face.

She wore simple T-shirts and threw her hair up in a messy bun in an effort to look as non-threatening as possible.

This is the former Hannah Montana star's second trip to the Caribbean country; she also traveled there with the Starkey Foundation back in February.

Back in July, she won an auction at the So The World May Hear Awards Gala that sent her back to the country on a second hearing mission.

She said: 'After I went on my first mission to Haiti with the Starkey Hearing Foundation, I felt so drawn to helping others hear for the first time and immediately wanted to look for another chance to go back and help again.

'This second mission to Haiti was just as impactful to me as the first one. I grew up around music and couldn't imagine what it would be like for my siblings and me, if we couldn't hear the magic of music.

She concluded: 'It's had such an influence on my life that I just want everyone to enjoy sound as it was intended.'

Miley made a real effort on her trip, chatting with children, fitting Haitians with hearing aids and really working to better herself.

She had an especially touching moment with a little Haitian boy named Emanuel who she cuddled close while doing her charitable work.

'That's a little boy named Emanuel :) we fit him w hearing aids... I've never seen a smile like his!' she couldn't resist tweeting yesterday. She added: 'I can't wait to go back.'

You can find the original article here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2047640/Miley-Cyrus-cheers-children-Haiti-charity-mission.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Source: DailyMail.co.uk - Laura Schreffler

Five reasons to address your hearing loss if you haven't already

2011-10-10T07:36:00.000-07:00

Five reasons to address your hearing loss if you haven't already

Source: JSOnline.com - ARA

If you're having problems hearing but haven't yet done anything to address them, you're not alone. Every day people put off getting help for hearing loss for a number of reasons that range from not wanting to show signs of vulnerability to being fearful of having to wear a bulky hearing aid. While these reasons are understandable, the benefits of getting hearing help far outweigh the reasons for avoiding seeing a hearing specialist.

This is especially true when you take into account that hearing aids are more discreet than they've ever been - some can even be considered invisible. This makes it easy for someone to correct hearing loss without experiencing the discomfort or self-consciousness often associated with hearing aids.
If you're experiencing trouble hearing, here are five reasons to get help and visit a hearing care professional:

1. Increase your financial growth opportunity. If you have untreated hearing loss, there's a good chance you aren't reaching your full potential in the workplace, as you may be missing important items in conversation or unconsciously withdrawing yourself from your duties. Correcting hearing problems can allow you to perform your job to the best of your ability.

2. Improve your social life. Whether you know it or not, hearing problems can cause you to communicate ineffectively with others, which can hinder relationship building. It may also cause you to decide not to participate in activities or social gatherings as you otherwise would.

3. Improve your relationship with your family. Communication is even more important in the intimate relationships you maintain with family members. When communication is interrupted by hearing loss, it can weaken those relationships without the intention of doing so. Hearing loss can affect the subtle communication that is so important to maintaining a strong bond with your loved ones.

4. Today's hearing aids are no longer obtrusive. For example, U.S. hearing technology company Starkey offers invisible hearing aids that are worn deep in the ear canal or are hidden behind your ear.
5. Hearing aids work better than ever. Today's hearing aids address the most common concerns of wearers, including virtually eliminating feedback (buzzing and whistling) and providing noise management technology that identifies and preserves speech even in the noisiest environments. Volume control has also become more sophisticated, so you don't have to constantly make adjustment based on your environment. Finally, some hearing aids can connect directly with the media devices in your home including TV, MP3 player or stereo.

When you get help for your hearing problem, you have the potential to improve your life in ways you may have never imagined. With the right hearing aid and treatment, you can improve the way you communicate, which can help you reach your full potential and improve your relationships with those who are important to you. The first step is to visit a hearing care professional to find out what course of action is right for you. To find a professional, visit www.starkey.com.
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Original article can be found here: http://www.jsonline.com/sponsoredarticles/easyliving/131448068.html
Source: JSOnline.com - ARA

Video: 29 Year Old Woman Hears Herself for the First Time

2011-10-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

29 Year Old Woman Hears Herself for the First Time

Source: YouTube - Lyric Hearing - Sarah Churman

As a hearing care practice that prides itself on staying current on the latest technologies and mediums to reach patients we see a lot of web content. We often scour the internet for hours each week searching for the latest advancements in our field, as well as just looking for great content to re-post in an effort to reach more people. We stumble across hundreds of articles and videos each week, and every once in a while we find that golden piece of media that we just have to share.

This video is one of those golden pieces mentioned above that we love to share with the world. With over 6,000,000 views this young woman has done a wonderful job of reaching out to the hearing loss community, which is very often under-served (especially in the media). We just wanted to re-post her video to do our part in continuing this video's reach. We highly recommend checking it out as well as spreading it around the web. We hope it touches the hearts of others like it did ours.

You can find the full video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsOo3jzkhYA&feature=youtu.be

Enjoy!

For All to Hear

2011-09-28T10:50:00.000-07:00

For All to Hear

Source: ADVANCE Hearing - Rich Magda

Dr. Melanie Driscoll, AuD, founded Hear Here Hearing Centers in 2006 on the principles of providing exceptional patient care, educating the general public on hearing healthcare topics and giving back to local communities through services projects. Incorporating each aspect of her practice's mission, she began hosting free educational seminars throughout the Louisville, KY, area when she opened her first office. Since then, the practice has tripled in size and the seminars have continued on a regular basis, covering basic hearing healthcare topics, including a tinnitus support group, and benefiting her practice in many ways.

The Best Place to Start
"We currently host free educational seminars every quarter and speak to organizations on the importance of proper hearing care about twice a month depending on demand," Dr. Driscoll says. "All of our speaking engagements are offered free of charge. We are in the business of improving hearing healthcare within our community, and educating the public is the best place to start."

According to Adam Jones, the general manager of the practice and Dr. Driscoll's son, Hear Here has hosted educational seminars at many different locations, including at their offices for smaller crowds and at restaurants and other public venues for larger crowds. The audiology staff at Hear Here also visits corporate headquarters of companies in the Louisville area to speak to their employees and offer free onsite hearing screenings, making these engagements a great way not only to inform a large group about the importance of hearing healthcare but also to help make them comfortable with the screening process.

"Our audiologists typically give a presentation to attendees followed by a question and answer session. The audiologists are often assisted by other staff members to help point people in the right direction as well as to hand out educational information," Jones says. "We work very closely as a team at Hear Here, and it is not uncommon for the majority of our staff to show up to these speaking engagements." He added that during peak business hours, however, the practice usually delegates one audiologist to speak at a seminar due to the needs of patients.

Keeping with the practice's primary founding principle of providing exceptional patient care, and acknowledging that seminar attendees may very well become patients, Hear Here goes beyond free admittance and offers free lunch and refreshments as well.

"We want to ensure that each person attending our educational seminars has the best experience possible," Jones says, "even if it means paying a little extra on our end."

Focused on Education
This approach has resulted in attendance numbers in the range of 30-40 people per seminar. Dr. Driscoll says the seminars are usually very well received, and she believes it is because they focus on education.

"We are not trying to sell them anything or push them to do anything they are not comfortable with," she adds. "We are there solely to educate them on the importance of proper hearing healthcare, and the people who attend our seminars pick up on this." We have never had an unhappy attendee and have actually had several people from our tinnitus seminars follow up with us to tell us that we literally changed their lives for the better. What could be more rewarding?"

Building on this thought, Dr. Driscoll advises other hearing healthcare professionals to "throw the sales pitches out the window" when hosting educational events.

"We have heard time and time again about other companies who have held so-called seminars that are just fancy sales pitches," she says. "Stick to trying to help the people attending these seminars, and be sure to build your seminar around providing a benefit to the community. Seminars mean a great deal to our practice because they allow us to do our part in improving the overall hearing healthcare in our state. We may be just one company, but we are dedicated to making an impact on the hearing healthcare industry one day at a time."
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Original article can be found here: http://audiology.advanceweb.com/Features/Articles/For-All-to-Hear.aspx

Source: ADVANCE Hearing - Rich Magda