Chronicles of a deaf Audiologist
Rehabilitation beyond hearing aids and cochlear implants: lipreading instruction, brain/auditory training and communication strategies.
Success for Hearing Better
HEARa is dedicated to the idea that people need the right information, at the right times, to be successful with hearing loss. HEARa’s mission is to reach out to adults with hearing loss and say—keep going. Learning about your hearing loss should be a lifelong process.
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From the chronicles
Why it’s important to slow down when talking to people with hearing loss
When you are talking to a person with hearing loss, it’s really important to slow down. Why? Your words run together when you talk fast. Here’s an example. Let’s say you are commenting on some brownies that I made, and I thought you said, “It’s awfully chewy.” When you actually said, “It’s soft and chewy.” […]
Christmas wish list for people with hearing loss
Music sets the mood at a party, but please turn it down once it’s in full swing so people with hearing loss (PWHL) can enjoy conversations and connections. Slowing down when speaking makes it easier to understand you—thank you! Another wish list item is hearing care professionals who recognize that auditory training is an essential […]
Four Things not to do as a person with hearing loss at a party
Assume that others remember that you have hearing loss: as a PWHL (person with hearing loss), expect that you will have to tell people more than once about your hearing loss and your communication needs. People will forget that you have hearing loss. We’re human, and human beings forget. Also, people are more focused on […]
Fix Bluetooth connectivity problems with hearing aids and cochlear implants
Did you know that a frequent reason for calls to hearing aid clinics is issues with Bluetooth connectivity? Here are my top three troubleshooting tips: #1 For cochlear implants, when you change the batteries, or for hearing aids, when you close the battery door or pull the hearing aids out of the charger, make sure […]
The effects of noise on health
I was so excited. A camping trip! A dear friend’s company, good food, and a campsite next to a lake. What the online map didn’t show, though, was a set of train tracks located on the other side of the lake. All night long the trains passed. As a deaf camper, I saw the lights […]
This is Chanty, my hearing ear dog
Do you know why you should not ask to pet a hearing ear dog? Sounds are very transient. While you pet her, Chanty is distracted. Even if it is a very short delay, Chanty may not be able to identify the location of a sound if the sound is no longer there. Then she doesn’t […]
Why hearing screening is important in children
In Canada and the U.S., the newborn hearing screening process has screened almost all births each year. So why do children need a hearing screening? After reviewing the medical records of 326 children who had hearing loss, a study found that not all children with hearing loss were detected by newborn hearing screening. First, not […]
Study shows gamers risk hearing loss
A survey of video gamers aged 18–35-years old found that more than three-quarters regularly engage in activities that can be detrimental to hearing, including 52% who use headphones for long periods or at loud volumes. Up to a third were aware of are already experiencing hearing loss. However, when informed of their risk for hearing […]
Multi-tasking affects balance in young adults with hearing loss
A research study looked at the effect of multi-tasking on young adults with hearing aids (HA). Subjects had to maintain balance under single-task (ST) and dual-task (DT) conditions. In the DT condition, there was a visual cognitive task (Backward Digit Recall) while standing on a force plate. (A force plate is an instrument that detects and […]
The effect of cauliflower ear on hearing
Cauliflower ear is a deformity of the ear caused by a hit – or repeated hits – to the ear. This leads to small pools of blood (hematomas) that clot and block the flow of blood and nutrients. It’s also called subperichondrial hematoma, wrestler’s ear, and boxer’s ear. Left untreated, this type of injury can lead […]