Chronicles of a deaf Audiologist
Rehabilitation beyond hearing aids and cochlear implants: lipreading instruction, brain/auditory training and communication strategies.
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From the chronicles
Feeling excluded from group conversations because you can’t hear?
To anyone who has felt left out or not included for any reason: may you find your tribe. Don’t give up! 🙏 In addition to finding the support of others who made the effort to include me, I also rely on cochlear implant technology, remote microphone technology (Phonak Roger 20 receiver and a Roger On […]
When I am not wearing my cochlear implants, I really have to pay attention!
I didn’t want to waste water on this reel (especially since it took two takes) – but I have walked away from the sink, come back, and found it overflowing and water on the floor. Without the auditory cue of running water, I really have to pay attention. Being attentive is how I want to […]
When you’re learning how to read lips No. 36
Learning to read lips is all a matter of practice! Here’s an example of what you need to know: Check out my free Lipreading Challenge on YouTube to quickly learn key lipreading concepts. Just 90 minutes can improve your skills and help you when the listening environment is challenging. If you need more support, I […]
Cochlear implants without auditory training is like a cell phone without a signal
Cochlear implants without auditory training is like a cell phone without a signal. If you can’t get a signal on your phone despite a nearby cell phone tower, you might feel disconnected and different (compared to everyone else who can get a signal). Similarly, with cochlear implants, the signal in the signal-to-noise ratio is the […]
I heard you the first time: my responsibility as a person with hearing loss
As a deaf person, I can be guilty of not acknowledging that I have heard something, and force the other person to repeat needlessly. The tension is also avoidable. Here’s what is going on for me in a conversation: What about you? Related post: How can you tell hearing loss from selective hearing?
Learn to read lips No. 35
When you’re trying to lipread, clues from the context are like the autocomplete or autosuggest features on a search engine. By context, I mean what is happening in the moment; what just happened; what is about to happen; who you are with; and where you are. How would you ask for context, if it was […]
Even people with normal hearing benefit from auditory training
Processing speed affects our ability to hear in noisy listening environments, even for people with normal hearing. I emphasize this even for people with normal hearing, because some people with hearing loss believe that hearing aids alone should provide the benefits they are looking for. But even older adults with normal hearing have difficulty in […]
Listening fatigue in children with hearing difficulties
Around 60% of the school day is spent listening. For children with hearing difficulties, there’s an invisible, yet significant, challenge at play: listening fatigue. The 3-minute video below explores signs and symptoms of listening fatigue, and offers solutions for parents and educators.
Hearing aids without auditory training is like a dog walk without a dog
Without my dog, I’d skip walks when it’s difficult, missing out on exercise, sunlight, and dog joy in the snow. This is what life would look like: Similarly, background noise makes it difficult to hear. Without auditory training, people may avoid noisy environments altogether. Auditory training uses structured exercises to help the brain hear […]
Learn how to read lips No. 34
Can you read lips? Some people seem to have natural ability. Whether you have that natural ability or not, it helps to review some basics first. Getting a little background information (such as which sounds look alike and how that can help you to make educated guesses) can make learning lipreading a lot easier. Here’s […]