Hearing Impairments

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Hearing Impairments

This is the type of condition in which an individual is fully or partially unable to detect or perceive at least some frequencies of sound that can typically be heard by others. Another aspect of hearing loss involves how clearly the sound is perceived opposed to how loud it is. In humans, that aspect is usually measured by tests of speech perception. These tests measure one's ability to understand speech and to detect sound. Hearing loss is categorized based on the type (sensorineural, conductive, or both), the severity, and by the age of onset. The loss can exist in only one ear (unilateral) or in both ears (bilateral).

A conductive hearing impairment occurs when something prevents the conduction of sound waves through the path of the outer ear, the eardrum, and the bones of the middle or inner ear. A sensorineural hearing impairment occurs when there is a dysfunction in the vestibulocochlear nerve or the inner ear. It can also come from damage to the part of the brain that process auditory signals which causes the sound to be heard at the normal level but to be unclear. This is called Central Hearing Impairment.

These dysfunctions happen at birth due to genetic or developmental abnormalities, or arise through trauma or disease during a person's life.

Hearing loss is categorized in this way:

Mild: for adults: between 26 and 40 dB HL; for children: between 20 and 40 dB HL
Moderate: between 41 and 55 dB HL
Moderately severe: between 56 and 70 dB HL
Severe: between 71 and 90 dB HL
Profound: 90 dB HL or greater

Hearing loss can also be classified by the "percentage of hearing loss" but this usually only used for legal purposes. Some take pride in their deafness or view themselves as a minority rather than a disability group.

New American Sign Language Commercial Debuts During Episode of Switched at Birth

Details: Published on Tuesday, 05 March 2013 09:22

Kati Leclerc, star on the ABC Family television series Switched at Birth, teamed up with Purple Communications™ last night for the debut in a TV commercial that was aired entirely in American Sign Language (ASL).

Tips to Help Tinnitus Sufferers Regain their Hearing

Details: Published on Monday, 05 November 2012 10:19

Tinnitus is a hearing impairment often described as buzzing, ringing, hissing, humming, roaring, or whistling that a person hears in the absence of any external sound. More than 50 million people in the United States alone suffer from the disability, according to the American Tinnitus Association. Usually brought on by exposure to loud noise, the problem is especially significant in the military because the constant exposure to gun fire and explosions. More than 34 percent of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from the condition.

Loss of Cognitive Function Linked with Hearing Loss

Details: Published on Tuesday, 22 January 2013 09:43

A new study is emphasizing the need to correct hearing loss in older Americans. It is estimated that 27 million Americans over the age of 50 and two-thirds of those over the age of 70 suffer from some form of hearing loss. Most of these cases go untreated, with only 15 percent seeking to correct the problem with a hearing aid.

Celebrities and Politicians Raise $7.6 Million at "So the World May Hear" Awards Gala

Details: Published on Tuesday, 07 August 2012 09:30

On Saturday, August 4, 2012, Starkey Hearing Foundation, whose mission – So the World May Hear – brings greater understanding among people through hearing care, raised more than $7.6 million during its annual So the World May Hear Awards Gala. The event, which drew dozens of celebrity and VIP supporters, raised the most money of any gala since the event began in 2001.

Healthcare Careers Not Readily Available for People Who are Deaf

Details: Published on Wednesday, 04 July 2012 10:19

Nurses and Doctor signing A study led by a team of health and education professionals has found that people in the deaf community are finding it difficult to find employment in the field of healthcare. The team of 20, called the Task Force on Health Care Careers for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community, consisted of proffessionals from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.; the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, a college of Rochester Institute of Technology; University of Rochester Medical Center; and Rochester General Health Systems, along with individual representatives.

Cochlear Implants Make it Possible for Many to Hear (Video)

Details: Published on Wednesday, 11 April 2012 09:00

A life without hearing includes learning sign language and to read lips, attending special schools and a severe disconnect from society. A fairly new technology, Cochlear Implants, has changed what it means to be deaf. The implants enable those who have Sensorineural hearing loss, hearing loss caused by abnormalities in the hair cells of the organ of Corti in the cochlea, to be able to understand sounds that were once faint.

PROPER ETIQUETTE: Communicating with People Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Details: Published on Monday, 28 May 2012 12:33

When interacting with people who are deaf or hard of hearing it is important to them and you that you communicate effectively. It is often an uncomfortable situation for someone who is unfamiliar. Though well meaning, it is easy for someone to make offensive or untimely mistakes. Here are some good tips for effective communication.

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