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From the chronicles

Hear Me Out podcast: cochlear implants, listening fatigue, auditory training and communication strategies

I had the pleasure of appearing on Belinda Waites’ podcast, Hear Me Out. We talked about cochlear implants, listening fatigue, auditory training with Lace AI Pro, and communication strategies. The video resources about lipreading theory that I spoke about in the podcast are available on YouTube; check out the playlist.

Why it doesn’t help to talk really loud to a PWHL

When you talk loudly, only the vowel sounds get louder. You can’t yell consonants, such as S or SHSHSHSHSSH. You’re better off giving the person with hearing loss (PWHL) some context (such as, we’re talking about our lunch plans tomorrow) and then slowing down a bit. And if that doesn’t work…create the space for the […]

What is Auditory Neuropathy?

Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD) is a rare form of inner ear hearing loss. This video resource is intended for families and teachers of children with auditory neuropathy.

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 […]

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.

Life with a hearing ear dog

My hearing ear dog alerts me to household sounds such as the doorbell, smoke alarm, telephone ring, and oven timer. I need this support when I am sleeping or if I remove my cochlear implants during the day. The Lions Foundation says she has to retire at 11, and since only one hearing ear dog […]

Common emotions with hearing loss

When your emotions are normalized, you recognize that your feelings are a valid response to your situation. Understanding that others would likely feel the same helps to reduce distress. When I was studying to become an audiologist, my feelings about coping with hearing loss were normalized. This was life-changing for me! More information about common […]

Anxiety in people with hearing loss

Multiple studies have linked hearing loss with a greater chance of developing anxiety and experiencing psychological stress. Hearing loss can make it difficult to communicate and follow conversations, which may result in missing important information or social cues. This can cause feelings of exclusion and social anxiety. Some people with hearing loss also worry about their condition […]

Can hearing aids affect your well-being?

A study found that people reported significantly lower fatigue and required less overall concentration at the end of the day when they wore hearing aids that day, compared to not wearing them. The study participants had significantly faster processing speed at the end of the day when they wore hearing aids that day, compared to […]

Can you wiggle your ears?

Millions of years ago, our ancestors used the auricular muscles to move their ears towards sounds. Perhaps these muscles are redundant now because modern humans predominantly depend on visual and verbal communication. A Frontiers in Neuroscience study found that these muscles still activate in some people when listening gets challenging, especially the superior auricular muscles. […]