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Hearing is important to speech and language development and to learning. Audiologists can check your child's hearing and help with any problems.

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Diseases and conditions, ways to protect your hearing, communication devices, and topics for parents and health professionals.

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Skip to main content Diseases and conditions, ways to protect your hearing, communication devices, and topics for parents and health professionals. Balance disorders, Meniere's disease, and vestibular schwannoma. Taste and smell disorders. Voice problems, swallowing disorders, specific language impairment, speech/language milestones for babies and children, and more.

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Synopsis: Information on hearing and deafness including common auditory system conditions and sign language communication.

Definition: Hearing Loss

Hearing loss, deafness, hard of hearing, anacusis, or hearing impairment, is defined as a partial or total inability to hear. In children it may affect the development of language and can cause work related difficulties for adults. Hearing loss is caused by many factors, including: genetics, age, exposure to noise, illness, chemicals and physical trauma.

Deaf Culture: Describes the social beliefs, behaviors, art, literary traditions, history, values, and shared institutions of communities that are affected by deafness and which use sign languages as the main means of communication. When used as a cultural label especially within the culture, the word deaf is often written with a capital D and referred to as "big D Deaf" in speech and sign. When used as a label for the audiological condition, it is written with a lower case d.

Main Document

Hearing is one of the traditional five senses. It is the ability to perceive sound by detecting vibrations via an organ such as the ear. The inability to hear is called deafness. A hearing impairment or hearing loss is a full or partial decrease in the ability to detect or understand sounds. Caused by a wide range of biological and environmental factors, loss of hearing can happen to any organism that perceives sound.

Hearing loss can also be classified based on which portions of the hearing system (auditory system) are affected. When the nervous system is affected, it is referred to as sensorineural hearing loss. When the portions of the ear that are responsible for transmitting the sound to the nerves are affected, it is referred to as conductive hearing loss.

A sensorineural hearing loss is due to insensitivity of the inner ear, the cochlea, or to impairment of function in the auditory nervous system. It can be mild, moderate, severe, or profound, to the point of total deafness. This is classified as a disability under the ADA and if unable to work is eligible for disability payments.
There are two main types of hearing loss.

One happens when your inner ear or auditory nerve is damaged. This type is permanent.

The other kind happens when sound waves cannot reach your inner ear due to ear wax build up, fluid or a punctured eardrum.

Hearing loss is categorized by its severity and by the age of onset.
Two persons with the same severity of hearing loss will experience it quite differently if it occurs early or late in life. Furthermore, a loss can occur on only one side (unilateral) or on both (bilateral).

Hearing impairment may be ranked as mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe or profound:

Mild:

for adults: between 26 and 40 dB HL

for children: between 20 and 40 dB HL

Moderate: between 41 and 54 dB HL

Moderately severe: between 55 and 70 dB HL

Severe: between 71 and 90 dB HL

Profound: 91 dB HL or greater

Totally Deaf: Have no hearing at all.

Hearing loss can be inherited.
Both dominant gene and recessive genes exist which can cause mild to profound impairment. If a family has a dominant gene for deafness it will persist across generations because it will manifest itself in the offspring even if it is inherited from only one parent. It is estimated around half of all deafness and hearing impairment can be prevented.
People who are severely deaf rely a lot on lip-reading, even with a hearing aid.
Profoundly deaf people can also use sign language to communicate. Hearing impaired persons with partial loss of hearing may find that the quality of their hearing varies from day to day, or from one situation to another or not at all. They may also, to a greater or lesser extent, depend on both hearing-aids and lip-reading.

Any form of communication between people is a two way street. It is very important then to determine how a deaf person prefers to communicate. There are a number of options available to them such as sign language, lip reading or using text. There will be a way of making a connection. It may sometimes be difficult or awkward but the effort is well worth it.

The commonest cause of hearing loss is aging, and three-quarters of people who are deaf are aged over 60. At around 20 years of age, our hearing starts a gradual decline. Higher frequencies are usually the first to go. This age-related hearing loss is normal and doesn't lead to total loss of hearing. Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) typically begins with the loss of higher frequencies, so that certain speech sounds - such as 's', 'f' and 't' - end up sounding very similar. This means the older person can hear, but not always understand.

Many people who are deaf consider spoken language their primary language and consider themselves "hard of hearing". How one classifies themselves relative to hearing loss or deafness is a very personal decision and reflects much more than just their ability to hear.

Hearing Impairment Awareness Dates

The Gold and Silver awareness ribbon represents hearing impairments including Tinnitus and Meniere Disease.

Canada - May is Speech and Hearing Awareness Month.

USA - October Is National Audiology Awareness Month. AAA is dedicated to increasing public awareness of audiology and the importance of hearing protection.

UK - September is Hearing Awareness Month

Quick Facts: Hearing Loss

Some medications may reversibly affect hearing. This includes some diuretics, aspirin and NSAIDs, and macrolide antibiotics.

The term hearing impaired is more likely to be used by people with a less than severe hearing loss and people who have acquired deafness in adulthood rather than by those who have grown up deaf.

There is a progressive loss of ability to hear high frequencies with increasing age known as presbycusis. For men, this can start as early as 25 and women at 30, but may even affect teenagers and children.

Hearing loss can be inherited. Around 75-80% of all cases are inherited by recessive genes, 20 to 25% are inherited by dominant genes, 1 to 2% are inherited by X-linked patterns, and fewer than 1% are inherited by mitochondrial inheritance.

Members of the deaf community tend to view deafness as a difference in human experience rather than a disability. A positive attitude toward being deaf is typical in deaf cultural groups. Deafness is not generally considered a condition that needs to be fixed.

Deaf culture is recognized under article 30, paragraph 4 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which states that "Persons with disabilities shall be entitled, on an equal basis with others, to recognition and support of their specific cultural and linguistic identity, including sign languages and deaf culture."

Statistics: Hearing Impairment

Over 37 million adults and over 1 million children in the United States suffer from some degree of hearing loss.

In the U.K. around 840 babies are born with significant deafness each year. About one in 1,000 children is deaf at three years old and about 20,000 children aged up to 15 are moderately to profoundly deaf.

Latest Hearing Loss and Deafness Publications

1. Sustaining a Career After Acquired Hearing Loss
Research from Oregon State University shows for adults who acquire severe hearing loss, accepting and adapting play key roles in sustaining a career and thriving in the workplace.

2. Second Cause of Hidden Hearing Loss Identified
People who can not hear people clearly in a noisy environment, but pass a hearing test at the doctor, may have hidden hearing loss.

3. Auditory Cortex of Hearing and Deaf People Nearly Identical
Study raises questions about the role of experience in processing sensory information, and could point the way toward potential new avenues for intervention in deafness.

4. Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL): Causes & Prevention
Long lasting and loud sounds can damage sensitive structures in the inner ear and cause noise induced hearing loss (NIHL).

5. Deaf Children & Cognitive Development
Investigating whether early exposure to sign language can forestall cognitive issues in deaf children.

Full List of Hearing Loss and Deafness Documents (29 Items)

Loan Information for low income singles, families, seniors and disabled. Includes home, vehicle and personal loans.

Citation

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Hearing Impairment: Deaf and Hearing Loss Information

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Synopsis: Information on hearing and deafness including common auditory system conditions and sign language communication. Hearing loss, deafness, hard of hearing, anacusis, or hearing impairment, is defined as a partial or total inability to hear. In children it may affect the development of language and can cause work related difficulties for adults.

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Not all hearing loss is the same. Treatment will depend on the type of hearing loss you have. Audiologists can help.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Hearing loss can affect a child's ability to develop communication, language, and social skills. The earlier children with hearing loss start getting services, the more likely they are to reach their full potential. If you are a parent and you suspect your child has hearing loss, trust your instincts and speak with your child's doctor. Don't wait!

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Learn More About Hearing Loss in Children | CDC

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Hearing loss can affect a child's ability to develop communication, language, and social skills. The earlier children with hearing loss start getting services, the more likely they are to reach their full potential. If you are a parent and you suspect your child has hearing loss, trust your instincts and speak with your child's doctor.

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HEARING LOSS AND DEALING WITH LIFE AS BEING DEAF

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HEARING LOSS AND DEALING WITH LIFE AS BEING DEAF

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Hearing loss has so many causes Sometimes hearing loss is only one aspect of a group of conditionsBabies and young children are often born with, or acquire, hearing loss early in childhoodCertain drugs can cause hearing lossSome causes of hearing loss primarily affect adults or teenagersSome miscellaneous causes of hearing loss. These causes are not genetic, nor are they syndromic

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Hearing loss has so many causes Sometimes hearing loss is only one aspect of a group of conditionsBabies and young children are often born with, or acquire, hearing loss early in childhoodCertain drugs can cause hearing lossSome causes of hearing loss primarily affect adults or teenagersSome miscellaneous causes of hearing loss. These causes are not genetic, nor are they syndromic

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Just because of their hearing loss they are still exposed to all the other diseases imposed on people. Making the deaf population more vulnerable to risks associated with improper use of medications and not following proper treatment of other health system related diseases

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Just because of their hearing loss they are still exposed to all the other diseases imposed on people. Making the deaf population more vulnerable to risks associated with improper use of medications and not following proper treatment of other health system related diseases

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The prevalence of Deaf ASL users with inadequate health literacy is substantial and suggests for warranting further interventions and research to provide proper and educational opportunities for our hearing impaired population.
Just having the proper tools to communicate and educate the deaf is a challenge in itself. Reinforcement and teach back is the key to their success with their medical diseases and treatments

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Making it mandatory that all deaf patients have to re-demonstrate all treatments as a part of their treatment plan. Providing immediate access to a certified American sign language interpreter. Having readily available written materials to be able to assess reading skills in the deaf population  

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Making it mandatory that all deaf patients have to re-demonstrate all treatments as a part of their treatment plan. Providing immediate access to a certified American sign language interpreter. Having readily available written materials to be able to assess reading skills in the deaf population  

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DEVICES

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Invisible Hearing Aids Types of Hearing Aids Hearing Aid Clip Art In the Canal Hearing Aids Best Digital Hearing Aids Walmart Hearing Aids Best Hearing Aids Ratings Consumer Reports Digital Hearing Aids Hearing Loss Hearing Aid Parts Hard of Hearing Lyric Hearing Aid Animated Hearing Aide Holding Hearing Aide Hearing

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Their vulnerable because of the lack of resources available to health care professionals to provide them with proper health education and the assessment of teach back by the health care team. American sign language isn’t a commonly known used resource readily available to healthcare professionals.

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Their vulnerable because of the lack of resources available to health care professionals to provide them with proper health education and the assessment of teach back by the health care team. American sign language isn’t a commonly known used resource readily available to healthcare professionals.

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:) SOME HUMOR:)

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Hearing Loss Funny Quotes Funny Hearing Loss Hearing Cartoon Hearing Funny Stuff Cartoons About Hearing Loss Hearing Loss Humor Hearing Jokes Seniors Ear Hearing Jokes Jokes About Hearing Loss Funny Jokes About Hearing and Hearing Things Hard of Hearing Jokes Clip Art of Hearing Jokes Old Hearing Aids Hearing Aids

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DEVICES

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Invisible Hearing Aids Types of Hearing Aids Hearing Aid Clip Art In the Canal Hearing Aids Best Digital Hearing Aids Walmart Hearing Aids Best Hearing Aids Ratings Consumer Reports Digital Hearing Aids Hearing Loss Hearing Aid Parts Hard of Hearing Lyric Hearing Aid Animated Hearing Aide Holding Hearing Aide Hearing