The USPSTF recently considered whether the federal government should recommend screening for hearing loss in adults. In many ways, hearing loss is similar to hypertension. It doesn’t cause any pain and people often don’t know they have it, but neither condition is benign.
What Auditory Processing Disorders Are Really All About
I expand on the information presented, clarify issues, and ensure that readers obtain an appropriate understanding of what auditory processing disorders are really all about, how they are appropriately evaluated, and how specific treatments are identified for the different types of auditory processing disorders (APD) that may be found in a child.
Should the Federal Government Recommend Screening Adults Ages 50 and Older for Hearing Loss?
That’s the question currently being asked by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which just posted its draft recommendations for public comment, along with this statement: “[The USPSTF] concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for hearing loss in older adults.”
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.
Where Does Audiology Go From Here?
In this new climate, remote care and telehealth are helping audiologists bridge the gap of hearing healthcare accessibility. Among our network of clinics across the United Kingdom, immediate challenges included a lack of equipment, online accessibility, and experience offering telehealth. We also found that generally only premium hearing aid models included embedded remote care features, so that this service was not available to everyone.
Earbuds vs. Over-the-Ear Headphones: Which Should You Use?
Avoiding noise-induced trauma is arguably one of the best ways to reduce your chances of hearing loss. However, while everybody knows that explosive noise like construction equipment and jet engines can damage your ears, fewer people are aware of another, more common culprit. I'm speaking about music.
Advocating for Relief from Noise
When I was 8 years old, an audiologist declared that I have hyperacusis, a rare hearing condition that makes noise unbearable with no available cure. Eight years later, loudness is still completely intolerable for me, and I am committed to improving the lives of everyone in my situation through online education and advocacy.
A Request for Supplemental Funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Beyond funding groundbreaking hearing loss research, Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) also promotes hearing health through a variety of channels, including outreach to legislators. In June 2020, HHF and eight other member organizations of the Friends of the Congressional Hearing Health Caucus authored a letter to Congress to urge supplemental funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Our Noisy World's Toll on Our Ears
About 22 million workers are exposed to hazardous noises annually, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and it estimates about one in four workers has been exposed to a hazardous noise. Tuten says that although hearing protection can protect the ears of workers, it’s not always used correctly.
Action on Captions
I’m a longtime radio broadcaster and after 25 years on the air, I owned an advertising agency where all the work was creating radio and TV ads and video scripts all day, every day. I’ve spent nearly my entire adult life in a studio, wearing headphones.