Coping with your child’s hearing loss

Coping with your child's hearing loss

When it comes to hearing loss, it can either be congenital hearing loss that a child is born with, or it can be acquired later. Congenital hearing loss, most often it is a result of a genetic problem, or problems during prenatal or childbirth phases. Half off all hearing problems are genetic. Premature birth or diabetes in the mother can also cause hearing loss for infants.

When a child acquires a hearing problem that they did not have at birth, many times it is due to an illness or condition. Meningitis, measles, chicken pox or influenza can all cause hearing problems.

Indicators of hearing loss in children include not responding to voices, not reacting to loud noises and making small noises that taper off towards the end. If you have any reason to believe that your child may have hearing loss, it’s important to immediately consult with a doctor.

When treating childhood hearing loss, there is a variety of treatments that can be used. The simplest one is waiting. Oftentimes the condition clears up on its own. Medication can also be used in an attempt to get rid a hearing problem. If the problem continues, hearing aids, implants or ear tubes are used to try to improve, the child’s hearing.

 

If your child does have hearing loss, it’s extremely important to stay in touch with your child. All too often children feel detached from the world due to their hearing loss. Early intervention and technology available today help parents stay in touch with their hearing impaired child.

If you have any questions about hearing loss, hearing aids or any aspect of audiology contact Hidden Hearing.

Bruce Springsteen wants Hyde Park gigs sound levels to remain

Bruce at Hyde park in 2009. He wants sound levels to stay at this limit.

Gigs in Hyde Park have been saved after Westminster Council rubber stamped the venue’s licence despite noise complaints by residents which threatened the viability of shows. However, the number of shows will be reduced to nine in 2013.

The Licensing Sub-Committee decided against reducing the number of concerts from 13 to six and noise levels to 73 decibels, from its current 75, at a marathon meeting yesterday. Capacity crowds of 80,000 will also be allowed.

Madonna, Bruce Springsteen (Hard Rock Calling), and Rhianna and Drake (Wireless) have already confirmed shows in the park. The reprieve also safeguards 18 Olympic events, which the promoter, Live Nation, threatened to drop if the constraints were imposed. A surprise intervention by Bruce Springsteen via a written a letter to Westminster Council said sound levels needed to be the same as last time he played in 2009.

A report stated that Westminster Council received 109 noise complaints from residents last year — that’s double the 2010 figure — with dance music singled out as being unsuitable for the area. The continuous and repetitive nature of acts like Chemical Brothers caused particular gripe for wealthy Mayfair residents.

However, for gig goers, Hyde Park is notorious for its poor sound quality with a sound level already below the usual rock show standard. A Red Hot Chilli Peppers show a few years ago sounded particularly awful – (Not just because of their songs- DN).

The committee heard Hyde Park concerts breached the terms of their license 24 times in 2011, with one resident claiming 60,000 people stomping at the same time sounds like an earthquake. The Evening Standard reported Mike Dunn, vice-chairman of the Mayfair Residents Group, said of the noise: “It’s pretty bad. There are two issues for us – the number of concerts and noise they’re allowed to make. If you sit here with the windows open on a hot day, you can hear every word.”

John Giddings, from Solo Productions which represents artists including U2 and Rolling Stones, said he would have advised his artists never to play the venue, had the constraints been imposed, report the Evening Standard.

Source: The Londonist> Read More

Uncontrolled diabetes may result in hearing loss in women

New study shows uncontrolled hearing loss affects hearing loss in woman Uncontrolled diabetes may result in hearing loss in women, much like it affects vision or kidney function, according to the results of a new study. “There have been studies that demonstrate that hearing loss is greater in diabetics than normal individuals,” study investigator Kathleen L. Yaremchuk, MD, Chair, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, told Formulary. “This is the first study that demonstrates that the control of the diabetes can impact the degree of hearing loss that occurs in diabetics.” The study was presented January 26 at the annual Triological Society’s Combined Sections Meeting in Miami Beach, Fla. The investigators conducted a retrospective chart review of 990 patients who had audiograms performed between 2000 and 2008. Patients were classified by gender, age, and diabetic control (as determined by the American Diabetes Association guidelines that use HbA1C blood levels). A 3-way analysis of variance was used to examine pure tone average (PTA), speech-frequency PTA, high-frequency PTA, and word recognition scoring (WRS). The investigators found that there was a statistically significant difference in average PTA for women aged 60 to 75 and those younger than 60 with well-controlled diabetes and poorly controlled diabetes compared with those who did not have diabetes. Among women younger than 60, those with diabetes had worse hearing than non-diabetic women, regardless of whether it was controlled. A breakdown of the research: Well-controlled diabetes (<60 years, PTA, 20.0; 60 to 75 years, PTA, 27.0) Poorly controlled diabetes (<60 years, PTA, 22.1; 60 to 75 years, PTA, 29.6) No diabetes (<60 years, PTA, 14.8; 60 to 75 years, PTA, 23.6) The investigators saw no similar correlations among men, who had greater hearings loss than women in all age groups. Men are more likely to be exposed to noise through work, hobbies, and social activities, Dr Yaremchuk said. “We have known for some time that the control of diabetes was related to kidney function, peripheral neuropathy, and diabetic retinopathy. This study now demonstrates the same is true for hearing,” she said. “Future research would be a prospective, long-term study looking at noise exposure and diabetes status in a population.”

Northern Ireland’s First Ministers reveal how they work together so well !

Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson pictured with Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and US President Barack Obama

PETER Robinson feared he might have to quit politics after becoming deaf in one ear, he has revealed.

The problem in the First Minister’s left ear, which is ongoing, happened overnight about two years ago but Mr Robinson spoke about it publicly for the first time yesterday.

His partner in government, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, has suffered from tinnitus in his right ear for a decade.

Mr Robinson said: “I just woke up one morning to find I had lost the hearing of my left ear.

“My first reaction was to doubt that I could carry on my job. I did at first assume it would interfere too much with the discharge of my duties.”

The DUP leader said: “You work around it. After some weeks of saying nothing about my hearing impairment to colleagues I realised that nobody had noticed.

“There are occasions when it is particularly difficult, if there is noise in the room that makes it difficult to pick up on what is said, but life can be dealt with in a normal way by working around whatever disability you have.

“My officials know to approach me from the right side if they are going to whisper something during a meeting; waiters often get ignored if they come to the left side.”

Mr Robinson joked about his relations with the Deputy First Minister.

“When I confided in Martin I discovered that he had a hearing deficit in his right ear so now you know the secret of how we work so well together,” he said.

“I can say whatever I like about him and direct it to his right ear and he smiles back and he can call me whatever he likes as long as he directs it to my left ear.”

If you have any questions about hearing loss or hearing aids contact Hidden Hearing

Source Belfast Newsletter: Read More: newsletter

Mobile hearing clinic to visit Douglas

As seen in the Cork Independent

A mobile hearing clinic will be available at Douglas Village Shopping Centre today, Thursday 16 February providing hearing screenings free of charge. The state-of-the-art mobile hearing clinic is conducted by leading healthcare specialist Hidden Hearing.

The hearing clinic is a fully-functional modern facility, staffed by highly trained experts and equipped with the latest audiological technology. The mobile clinic features testing equipment which can pinpoint exactly what frequencies a person is missing.

Discussing the mobile clinic service, Hidden Hearing Marketing Manager, Dolores Madden said: “We are delighted to be coming to Douglas with our mobile hearing screening clinic, which helps people to take a proactive approach to their hearing health. A major factor with regard to hearing loss is that those who initially notice a problem with their hearing will often delay taking action, sometimes putting it off for up to 15 years. While we all tend to look after our eyesight, we tend to ignore looking after our hearing. The Hidden Hearing mobile clinic makes it easier than ever for people throughout Ireland to take the first step in tackling their hearing loss. Our research shows that hearing loss which isn’t addressed can impact on people socially and in the workplace.”

State of the art Mobile Clinic

There’s no requirement to book an appointment with the mobile clinic. Anyone can drop in and avail of a convenient consultation free of charge. The Hidden Hearing mobile clinic will be at Douglas Village Shopping Centre from 9.30-4.00pm. Check www.hiddenhearing.ie for details of the mobile clinic.