July 27th 2010 · Read More · Comments Off
Communication is an ongoing, evolving process that every human experiences. From the cries and coos of an infant, to the mumblings of a young baby, verbal noises are perhaps our most effective form of indicating our wants and feelings. Most babies begin speaking actual words, to some degree, at around 18 months of age. However, there are a number of different circumstances that can result in delay of speech for a child. Speech delay comes in two forms. Some children can understand and process the sounds and speech of others, but have difficulty producing their own words, which is known as expressive delay. Conversely, other children may struggle to interpret and comprehend the words of others, making them incapable of expressing a response, referred to as receptive delay. If the speech delay is receptive, it may be caused by a hearing impairment or mental disorder such as autism or mental retardation. Go reading
July 13th 2010 · Read More · Comments Off
Hearing loss affects millions of people of all different ages. Understanding the reason behind this impairment is one of the many steps to overcoming it. Conductive hearing loss occurs because of a deficiency in the outer-ear’s ability to conduct sound, which therefore does not reach the eardrum. This results in a lowered volume of sound heard, and an inability to hear faint sounds. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, this is a disorder developed from having too much fluid or ear wax, an infection, a foreign object, or a malformation of some part of the ear. This is one of the more correctable forms of hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is permanent and cannot be easily fixed. This occurs when damage is done to the inner ear or nerves in the ear that connect to the brain. A few of the many causes of sensorineural hearing loss include disease, drugs, genetics, noise exposure, and aging.
Go reading
July 13th 2010 · Read More · Comments Off
Losing the ability to hear is a scary thought. Unfortunately, hearing loss is an inevitable part of life for many aging Americans. Others are struck with hearing hardships at early ages, before they even have a chance to learn spoken language. Scarily enough, an estimated 38 million people in the US have a hearing loss—that’s one in every ten Americans. Even more depressing, 15% of children (18 and under) in the US suffer from some degree of hearing loss. One in five of those children have educationally significant hearing loss—hearing so poor it affects their day to day lives. The upside to this ill-fated fact is that specialists today are making tremendous progress in hearing technology.
From simple hearing aids to cochlear implants, doctors are finding ways to reinstate the beauty of hearing for those who have lost it. First things first, it’s important to catch hearing loss early before it can progress untreated. Most elementary schools perform hearing screenings (audiograms) each year to check for hearing loss in children.
Hearing aids are the most common form of treatment for hearing loss. These small electronic devices fit in your ear to amplify things you want to hear while reducing background noise. Hearing aids are a reasonable option for people with mild to severe hearing loss who can still understand speech. They are able to be used with infants, toddlers, children, teens, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities.
If your hearing is more severe or profound, more extensive treatments are recommended. There are two common treatments for advanced hearing loss:
Go reading
July 13th 2010 · Read More · Comments Off
Imagine being able to think comprehensive thoughts, but not being able to express them. Or listening to your best friend talk, but hearing her words in a foreign language you can’t understand. These are just a few of the unfortunate realities associated with the communication disorder Aphasia.
If you’re new to the Aphasia train, it’s important to get a few facts straight. First of all, Aphasia is an acquired communication disorder that does NOT affect intelligence, it impairs the ability to speak and understand others. This means that if you or someone you know is suffering from the disorder, they are still the same person they used to be—they just may not be able to express themselves or understand you. Imagine how frustrating it must be to not be able to make sense of the world you once felt so connected to.
Go reading
July 13th 2010 · Read More · Comments Off
While communication disorders may hinder a person’s ability to speak, see, or hear in traditional spoken language, there are a variety of successful alternatives through which communication can still be achieved.
For the deaf, a combination of lip reading and sign language are the optimal form of communication. Though most deaf people learn to speak, they usually prefer to accompany their vocals with sign language. Sign language is the use of visually transmitted signals to relay a message. The language consists of thousands of standardized hand signals and patterns. While the spatial grammars are different from the spoken language, this visual communication gets the message across just like verbal speech. It is common among deaf students to use a sign language interpreter who will convert a professor’s lecture into signs.
Go reading
July 13th 2010 · Read More · Comments Off
Discovering that you or one of your loved ones has a hearing impairment can be discouraging. Fortunately, advancements in hearing aid technology make it much easier to cope with this issue. When deciding on a hearing aid, you must consider what qualities are most important to you. Some people place more importance on comfort, whereas others are more concerned with using a discreet hearing device. Luckily, most modern hearing technology doesn’t make you choose, combining quality and comfort with discreet and small devices.
Behind the ear devices (BTE) fit alongside the back of the ear with a smaller receiver that either rests in the outer ear canal or fits farther in the ear canal (RIC). Being on the outside of the ear makes these devices easily adjustable. Though they are usually larger than other styles, they can be made to match your skin color and are easily covered by hair. Most BTE devices provide higher levels of volume than other styles because of the larger battery and amplifier.
Go reading