Better Hearing and Speech

May is “Better Hearing and Speech Month,” the time every year (since 1927!) that the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) encourages Americans to get their hearing tested.  An estimated 36 million Americans have hearing loss, and the average lag-time from recognizing a possible impairment to getting hearing aids is 6 to 7 years!

Signs of hearing loss in adults include:

• Frequently ask people to repeat themselves
• Often turn your ear toward a sound to hear it better
• Understand people better when you wear your glasses or look directly at their faces
• Lose your place in group conversations
• Keep the volume on your radio or TV at a level that others say is too loud
• Have pain or ringing in your ears
• Notice that some sounds remain clear (often low-pitched sounds such as the bass line in music) while others may seem fuzzy (frequently women's and children's high-pitched voices). 

In children, typical signs of hearing loss include:

• Inconsistently responding to sound
• Delayed language and speech development
• Unclear speech
• Sound is turned up on electronic equipment (radio, TV, iPod, etc.)
• Does not follow directions
• Often says "Huh?"
• Does not respond when called
• Frequently misunderstands what is said and wants things repeated

If you suspect that you or a loved one might have a hearing loss, get it tested as soon as possible by a certified audiologist.  If for whatever reason that audiologist refuses to take your concerns seriously or check your hearing (that means a complete hearing test—where you sit in a soundproof booth, listen to tones, repeat back words, and have your eardrums tested), then go to another audiologist.  If you believe that you, your child, or other loved one has a hearing loss, it is well within your right as a patient to seek a second opinion and to receive complete testing from a certified professional.

Speech and language problems can occur without a hearing loss.  If you suspect that your child might have a problem with their speech and/or language, they should be evaluated by a certified speech-language pathologist.  Signs to look for include:

• Stuttering
• Articulation problems ("wabbit" instead of "rabbit")
• Language disorders such as the slow development of vocabulary, concepts, and grammar.
• Voice disorders (nasal, breathy, or horse voice and speech that is too high or low)