We couldn’t have predicted a single thing about Jackson’s birth. Delivered in the morning via c-section, with Brendan by my side, baby Jackson’s life began as COVID-19 pandemic had begun to wreak havoc on the U.S. And if the public health situation wasn’t enough of an unexpected challenge during Jackson’s birth
HHF Responds to 'How to Block Out the Sounds of Summer' in The New York Times
The New York Times’ recent publication of “How to Block Out the Sounds of Summer” is both timely and informative. As pandemic restrictions ease, we are becoming exposed to more noise, some of which can cause permanent hearing damage.
From Macrame to Masks
This adjustable elastic was designed for those with special needs, such as those with autism and wearers of hearing aids. The principal is simple: One strap goes around the neck, the other one around the head. The problem was the bottom elastic—it gets caught in the hearing aids and the elastic turns into a slingshot.
COVID-19 and Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, and Vertigo
Over the past year of the COVID-19 pandemic, case reports and studies have suggested a link between the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 and hearing loss and related conditions.
Finding a “New Normal” After Sudden Single-Sided Deafness
Michael Goldsmith realized he had lost his hearing in his left ear when he woke up from his medically induced coma in March 2020. His account demonstrates the learning process and journey to a cochlear implant when sudden deafness occurs as just one part of a more complex medical situation.
How Does the New CARES Act Affect You?
The year 2020 has been one of so many questions: When will things return to normal? Do I qualify for the stimulus check? Where did I put my mask? And, how can I be fiscally responsible while still supporting a favorite cause, like hearing and balance science? The good news is that you can do both at the same time, thanks to recent legislation.
COVID-19: A Potential Cause of Sudden Hearing Loss?
In the journal Otology & Neurology on Sept. 4, 2020, we reported a case of an 18-year-old woman who arrived as a patient in our clinic with seven weeks of sudden hearing loss in both ears, intermittent aural fullness (sensation of clogged ears), and vertigo. Her hearing test showed a moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss in the right ear, and a moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss in the left ear.
Helping Those with Hearing Loss During COVID-19
One group of people that have been hard done by during the pandemic and its repercussions is the hearing loss community. With masks and social distancing becoming recommended or even mandatory in many public places, it can be tricky to communicate with a community that relies on context given by lip-reading.
A Design Fix for Face Masks
My wife Nathalie and I are both artisans, originally from Normandy, France, now living in New Jersey. I design and make furniture and Nathalie works with textiles. When the pandemic started affecting our New York-New Jersey area, we watched as local hospitals were in dire need of PPE (personal protective equipment). We wanted to use our talents to help, so we started making fabric face masks with ties/elastic around the head.
Making Sound More Visual for Students With Hearing Loss in Your Virtual Classroom
Due to COVID-19, most classrooms will look different this fall. Some will exist in person with social distancing measures in place, while others will be entirely virtual. Many will be a hybrid of both face-to-face and online instruction. As always, there will still be students ready to learn and caring teachers eager to take on the curriculum.