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# 292 Waiting time for a Cochlear implant can be years, but one state in Australia recently allocated funds to clear the back-log
# 291 Having a Cochlear Implant allowed me to hear for the first time in 15-20 years. But there are some limitations. I asked a group of recipients to tell me about the limitation of distance.
# 290 We cochlear implantees often get told we are hearing at a high pitch, that the sound is robotic and metallic and I get quite frustrated about this myth. I wondered if it was just me or do others feel the same way.
# 289 When I had hearing aids all they could do was amplify all sound. But technology has improved and hearing aids are just so much better.
# 288 I can hear sounds well when they are close by, but I can't understand when someone speaks from the next room
# 287 May is Better Speech and Hearing month.
# 286 When we rely on some sort of device to hear it can be devastating if we lose or damage one. I asked a group of people had they ever lost one.
# 285 Dishwashers, washing machines, tumble dryers, kitchen gadgets of all sorts. Then there are our modern toys. All these things to make our lives easier, to help us communicate, easier, better and give us more free time. But do we really have more?
# 284 Recently, I asked a group of people if they do insure their implant processors and if so how they do it.
# 283 What fashions our music tastes and how does it develop? What happens if we go deaf? We are no longer exposed to the nuances of music so how does this affect our music taste?
# 282 Cecile says - I was born deaf and had struggled through mainstream education all my life. I had heard a friend of mine – who was actually deafer than me – had had a successful cochlear implantation. I wanted to improve my life and decided to have the implant.
# 281 Cecile, a beautiful young French woman who was born deaf continues her story about how she struggled to hear and her decision to have a Cochlear Implant.
# 280 Cecile, a beautiful young french woman, was born deaf into a hearing family. She describes what it felt like to be different to everyone around - her struggles to just do normal things and to get an education.
# 279 Now that I know so much more about hearing and deafness, it's fascinating to observe my baby grandson in his journey to acquiring language.
# 278 My first implant was such a resounding success that it came as a huge shock when my second implant wasn't. But how is it now...
# 277 I was recently asked whether someone who has an implantable hearing solution can feel the implanted device particularly when the temperature changes. Since implants have a component of metal (titanium) can you feel it if it's hot or cold?
# 276 When I was going deaf the first thing I always had to tell people, from the check-out chick, the railway ticket seller, to new friends, was that I was deaf. And invariably some smart arse would say “pardon what did you say!” They thought they were being so original, so clever and witty. And it bugged me no end!
# 275 It's bad enough to go deaf because of aging or due to disease, but to go deaf by accident – through a sudden traumatic event, must be devastating. Sudden hearing loss is a loss which occurs in 1 to 3 days. One of the most common causes is a head trauma.
# 274 Someone who has had hearing and gone deaf later in life is more likely to have poor health than their hearing counterparts, particularly in relation to mental health.
# 273 Love it or hate it, we all need work. And there are important reasons other than financial. Being deaf makes it harder to find work,
# 272 If you are a hearing person, sign language probably doesn't rate top of mind. To become an interpreter you need to be able to hear as well as know sign language. So I wondered who becomes a sign language interpreter and why?
# 271 The Australian Open Tennis Grand Slam is on and it's great to watch the players as they stretch themselves to the limits aiming for the 'crown'. But it isn't always so nice to hear them as they play.
# 270 More and more people are requiring and have access to hearing aids. What are the reasons behind this increase?
# 269 In an earlier article I looked at how going deaf impacted on our education? The main reason is because language is incredibly difficult to acquire if you can't hear and without language it's especially hard to participate in school or university. So does having a cochlear implant help?
# 268 Deafness does cause us to rethink. Many of us have had to change careers or accept work below our level of capability. It adds to the distress and isolation which hearing loss causes us.
# 267 The biggest reason deaf or hard of hearing children don't get a good education is because they have greater difficulty in developing language. The result of pour linguistic skills is to seem unintelligent and sometimes downright stupid.
# 266 Cochlear's recent 30th year celebration started me wondering how many implantees there are and where they are.
# 265 Sometimes, because of your deafness it may seem very difficult to get through the round of parties and functions that come with the New Year.
# 264 While the cochlear implant was ground breaking in 1978, it still had a long way to go before it could be a commercial product. By 1982 the product was small enough to be portable, the Cochlear company was born and Graham Carrick became the first recipient of the commercial implant.
# 263 I am amazed I can hear, will never stop listening and will never give my processors back, and I always choose to wear them, there are some frustrations at the solutions they provide. Sometimes this is a small price to pay for normal hearing but other times it seems too high a price.
# 262 Recently I went to the movies to trial the latest close captioning system available in our area.
# 261 Recently I wrote about English pronunciation and then an email appeared in my inbox. I am unable to acknowledge the source and you may have seen it, but it bears out my premise…that English has more exceptions than rules when it comes to pronunciation.
# 260 At night, when we take our hearing aids or implant processors off, we can't hear. Ever wonder what you might be missing?
# 259 At Better Hearing Australia Adelaide Inc 's last Coffee Morning Dr Judith Boswell from Tinnitus SA was the speaker. Shona Fennell reports.
# 258 Proficiency in any language consists of three distinct skills - hearing, reading and speaking. But if you can't hear this is particularly difficult - so how can you know how to pronounce words?
# 257 Learning music as a child seems to help them learn speak and lay down strong auditary pathways in the brain. These strong auditary pathways seems to have shown that if someone goes deaf later in life, those who had music training cope better.
# 256 A conversation is a two way exchange of information, ideas, thoughts and reasoning. It takes two or more people to have a good conversation. (You can talk to yourself if you like, but it's likely to be biased!)
# 255 If you were disabled and needed a wheelchair your house would be adjusted and modified to allow you to easily move into and out of as well as around the inside of the house so I wondered if there is such a thing as designing houses for deafness.
# 254 Summarised from a presentation by Dr. Christopher Lind, Senior Lecturer in Audiology, Speech Pathology and Audiology Flinders University to BHA Adelaide Inc. members during Hearing Awareness Week 2012. Topic: "I'm sorry, would you repeat that?" - Observing how hearing loss affects every day talk.
# 253 Sometimes it seems, even in countries like Australia, that only if you have money do you have the right to hear.
# 252 How good is lip reading? Can people really read lips without any sound and understand what is being said?
# 251 The first 'hearing aids' if you could call them that, were hearing trumpets. They were large and cumbersome - like the trumpet on early gramophones. We've come a long way since then :-)
# 250 famous hard of hearing people, famous deaf people, famous deaf musicians, famous deaf politicians
# 249 There are many situations where we need different kinds of hearing and therefore different solutions. I thought I'd look at some of these.
# 248 Many countries have a Hearing Awareness Week (or a Deaf Awareness Week)– a week in which individuals, organisations and companies seek to raise awareness about hearing health. I wondered what it is for.
# 247 Accepting our loss we can minimise the emotional toll on ourselves and put us one more back in control regaining some of the independence we feel we had lost.
# 246 We all know that listening is the best way to create understanding. When you are down, if you have a friend you can talk to about your problems this simple act of having someone listen often takes away the stress.
# 245 "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me". I know it's intended to teach children not to listen, to take the sting out of someone calling them names, but we all know that names stigmatise and never more those who have some kind of disability or difference.
# 244 One extremely conspicuous sign of deafness is when someone's speech is too loud, way louder than those who are round them or the situation and condition demands. But is this always indicative of deafness?
# 243 When Jennie went deaf she used hearing aids. Now that she has a hearing and a cochlear implant she says that she hears well in 99% of situations.
# 242 When a child hears for the first time, what causes the excitement and joy? Is it the sound of his mother's voice or is it something else. It is exciting and it is wonderful that the child is now hearing but it will take time for them to learn to listen and understand what they are hearing.
# 241 Chris told me his story about being bi-modal. His experience is worth reading.
# 240 When cochlear implants were first available only one ear was implanted. However, the importance of creating the hearing experience to be as close to normal as possible is recognised. Cochlear implantees are encouraged to use a hearing aid in their unimplanted ear.
# 239 Tinnitus is a ringing or screeching in your ears. This noise is not present in your environment but is made inside your head. Some information about tinnitus
# 238 There are many myths about hearing loss. From one who knows – I hope you never go deaf. It is isolating, debilitating and destroys self esteem. Did you know this?
# 237 Hearing loss is becoming more prevalent as we invent more and more ways to 'abuse' our hearing in this noisy world. So there are some things you should know about a hearing loss.
# 236 I find it sad that so many people will suffer because of hearing loss as they age. At a time when they are likely to become isolated from their communities and families due to a loss of mobility, at the same time they are becoming isolated because to their hearing loss.
# 235 When a child is born hearing he usually doesn't need any support or extra help to learn how to talk. However, when a child is born deaf he needs intensive support usually for speech and language therapy. What about Cochlear implantees?
# 234 I have so many skills and accomplishments, so why does deafness make me feel inadequate?
# 233 All cultures encourage change – but at the same time they resist it. Change can be uncomfortable. So has a Cochlear implant entered our cultures/
# 232 There are many languages which have died out or have very few speakers. But a number of governments, educationalists and other bodies are doing their utmost to keep these languages alive.
# 231 Like any culture (or sub-culture) there are 'in jokes' and there is plenty of deaf humour around which play on the differences between hearing and deafness. Through humour we can laugh at ourselves and be laughed at without being ridiculed.
# 230 If someone who is born deaf and is illiterate has a Cochlear Implant will they understand?
# 229 Imagine waking up one morning and being deaf. Or perhaps having an accident and suddenly you can't hear. Going deaf suddenly is a life changing experience.
# 228 Hearing aids are expensive. To make sure you get the best out of them and have them last as long as possible Shona Fennell shares her tips
# 227 Shona, my guest author, is a long time hearing aid wearer and a lip reading instructor. She shares some of her insights into getting hearing aids.
# 226 Deafness doesn't just affect our hearing, it, among other things, also affects our speech. Many deaf people have never heard their own voice and those of us who went deaf later in life have forgotten what our voice sounds like.
# 225 It's been talked about for years...but it still seems a long way off. This article looks at some of the issues with digital radio providing captions.
# 224 We have so many built in redundancies in our bodies that we can get by even if we only have one of something – one eye, one ear, one kidney. Single-sided deafness - well we can live with it but it does require adjustments and compromises.
# 223 Recently on one of our forums someone asked about whether a Cochlear Implant is a cure for deafness. What is a cure?
# 222 Our senses are the way we interact with the world and if we lose one, to some degree our other senses take over to help us cope. Why is it so?
# 221 Modern living has introduced so many new sounds. Are you aware of how much noise there is in your own home?
# 220 The device which allows someone with a Cochlear implant to hear is called a Speech Processor – and that's no accident. Music can fall outside of these ranges and is one of the reasons we find it harder to understand.
# 219 My deafness is not hereditary, but nevertheless in the back of my mind was whether my delightful new grandson had somehow inherited my deafness.
# 218 Do others notice the difference in us now that we can hear again? Do we find it different? Are there noticeable differences with bi-lateral hearing?
# 217 Bullying makes the news these days – probably because social media makes it easy to record and share these experiences. But bullying is not new, especially for the Deaf.
# 216 “How do I know if I'm hearing impaired or a deaf? Is there a cut off point which is 'identified' as deaf?” There is so much misunderstanding about deafness and this question came from the position that the term hearing impaired implies only slightly less than normal hearing.
# 215 Not all sounds are pleasant and I've spent a good part of the past two weeks in hospitals.
# 214 We've just had Christmas and today it's New Year's Eve. Like most people we've had parties and dinners. For about 20 years I blundered through these things, using the 'hope I'm smiling right' smile so I didn't look too stupid or hopefully to indicate I was understanding and being part of the group.
# 213 One issue which comes up so often for the Deaf and hard of hearing is getting a job.
# 212 Being deaf or hard of hearing (or for that matter having any kind of disability) usually means you are way behind in the job stakes.
# 211 A new job is always a challenge, for anyone – hearing, hard of hearing or deaf. Recently I won another part-time position and as someone with Cochlear implant I always feel that I am on trial in a way I never used to feel when I was fully hearing.
# 210 Do deaf people have a disability? Are there degrees of disablity? How do I feel about my deafness? Are deaf people disabled?
# 209 We have to sell ourselves and being in the best position to do so can be difficult especially these days when first interviews may be conducted by phone. I don't have any answers. Here's my recent experience.
# 208 When you have lost your hearing focussing on what you can do and not what you can't may be the answer to accepting the limitations with technology.
# 207 Being deaf at work is pretty hard. Being deaf when you have to attend meetings means it is extremely difficult to follow and know what is going on. So how can you helf yourself to follow better.
# 206 Hearing loss is often synonymous with loss of self-esteem because we lose our place in the world. We are already suffering from our hearing loss making our lives hard so it is important to manage our self-esteem to ensure we don't slip into depression.
# 205 Most adults who go deaf feel incredibly alone They have no idea there is even a deaf community, or that there are hearing loss support groups and organisations. In fact, I would venture to say that most people don't even know to ask the question…where do I get help and support?
# 204 Cochlear (and probably all other cochlea implant manufacturers) promise backwards compatibility for all implantees, whenever new technology implants and processors are released. Should you upgrade?
# 203 Even if you live in a quiet suburban area, you are still subject to noise pollution.
# 202 It's quite amazing how far social networking has come and how it is helping people like me who have lost their hearing.
# 201 A lot of people with a hearing impairment express their frustration with family and friends who think that just because they now have hearing aid or even an implantable hearing solution such as a cochlear implant or baha, they are expected to hear perfectly again.
# 200 On September 11 Cochlear Limited announced a recall of some versions of their N5 implant. This recall sent their shares immediately tumbling by a hefty 20%. why would a company which has experienced phenomenal growth and increases in share prices do something so drastic?
# 199 It's so hard to believe that it is going on 9 years since I had my first Cochlear Implant. It's such a long time that I've found myself thinking about how I feel about it now, as well as the differences and changes it has made in my life.
# 198 You'd think that perhaps someone who was (say) over 90 would be too old to have a Cochlear Implant wouldn't you. Well it seems this is not always the case.
# 197 Deafness costs money. There are devices needed to help hear but a recent report found the real costs are in loss of productivity. But some things can't be costed - like the loss of quality of life. Early intervention has shown to improve this.
# 196 Equal access for the hearing impaired has long been an issue so it was nice to have captioned theatre available in my city. This is how it worked for me.
# 195 I attended a lecture by Geoff Plant, AO about Music perception for Cochlear Implantees. Some of the discussion was very interesting.
# 194 No we're not talking about the cutlery drawer. Language is fun and these are some of the fun and funny things we do with it.
# 193 What does the funny word Mondegreen mean and where does it come from? Read on to find out.
# 192 One of the things I hated, when I was deaf, was when a friend would say "hey have you heard this story it was so funny". Too often I missed the humour and especially the punch line.
# 191 Onomatopoeia's a big word, funny to say and even harder to spell. The dictionary definition is “the formation of a word by imitation of the sound”. So this means a word sounds like a sound.
# 190 I had been living deaf for about 10 years when I decided I had to do something about it
# 189 I was born to hear. I learned language at my mother's knee and attended main stream schools. I had everything going for me and deafness didn't even enter into it. The sense of loss was enormous and I almost lost myself.
# 188 We know that there have been deaf people throughout history. In fact, because communication was so difficult these people were denied some of the basic human rights. What kinds of aids were available before technology gave us the aids we know today?
# 187 Without language we can't even think let alone communicate and reason. Education, or rather lack of it, was one of the biggest issues for the pre-lingually deafened.
# 186 'I've had a cochlea implant. I know what sound is. I know what speech is. So why can't I hear straight away? And how can I explain this to my family and friends?' For those of us who've gone deaf and had a cochlea implant these are questions we hear all the time.
# 185 When you need a hearing aid of some kind, using a phone can be tricky. This article looks at some ways of using a phone with a Cochlear Implant....but some of the things also apply to using a phone with a hearing aid.
# 184 Which brand will work best for me? How do I make that choice? Choosing a cochlear implant brand is not quite the same as choosing a brand for a new car?
# 183 Recently I was asked a question “What does totally Deaf mean? Is it totally without any sound or does it mean lack of comprehension even if you can hear?”
# 182 When I first had my cochlear implant I was told that however well I was hearing after 12 months that would be the best I would ever hear. But is this the case?
# 181 If you operate loud machinery or work in a factory you are expected to wear hearing protecting. Yet many of us listen to loud music. Exposure to loud music has often been linked to hearing loss.
# 180 I can understand why there might be Disabled or Blind Sports but why are there Deaf Sports?
# 179 Pioneer Cochlear Implantee, Shirley yesterday celebrated 25 years since she received her implant.
# 178 As someone who went deaf there were many sounds I could no longer hear, but there are also many that no longer exist. What is quite astounding is there are probably two generations who have never even heard these sounds.
# 177 For those of us who go deaf using a phone is just about impossible. Technology has bridged the gap but live conversations still pose a challenge. This article details my first impressions of a captioned telephone and service.
# 176 The Disability Act is to eliminate discrimination on the grounds if disability. What is happening with discrimination against the hearing impaired?
# 175 The benefits and hidden dangers. So much new technology – it's really quite exciting – but along with the benefits there is also a hidden danger.
# 174 Robyn was deaf from an early age but she became one of the first in NZ to have a Cochlear Implant. When it failed after 15 years she had no hesitation in being remplanted. But when that implant also failed - what was she to do? This is her story.
# 173 Hearing is such a vital part of our culture and if you can't hear you miss out on so much. Almost all entertainment requires hearing.
# 172 Most of us have been subjected to the insensitivity of others because we didn't hear them speak to us. But what if it is your family?
# 171 When someone like me goes slowly deaf (over about 15 years) we slowly adapt and make changes that help us to interpret the hearing world.
# 170 My personal journey was hard. Being positive was not always easy but I discovered it was up to me - I had to keep hope alive that things could improve. This article looks at some of the ways I did it.
# 169 If you have a hearing loss there are many kinds of solutions. The best solution for you will depend on how bad and what kind of loss you have. This article looks at hearing aids, implantable solutions and assistive listening devices.
# 168 Even though, we shouldn't we deafened adults find plenty of things to feel guilty for.
# 167 We all have needs that help us live a happy and fulfilling life. If any, some or all of these needs aren't met then depression is often a result. Deafness impacts on all areas and we need to understand how.
# 166 When communication difficulties exist human interaction stops and without human interaction we feel alone.
# 165 Surely when sign language was being developed it would have been sensible to have a universal language? That might seem logical but in reality it isn't.
# 164 A recent development in cochlea implants is the Hybrid or electroacoustic implant. What this means is it is part cochlea implant and part hearing aid.
# 163 I wondered why we all love listening to or reading personal hearing loss stories. What is it about these stories which inspire us?
# 162 One of the things which struck me, when I recently read a story by a hearing mother of a baby born deaf, was 'We wanted him to have a life like ours.' And isn't that what all parents want?
# 161 In the last 10 years, especially with advent of digital technology, hearing aids have changed dramatically.
# 160 Make the most of the Christmas and New Year holiday season and enjoy it.
# 159 Success can mean so many different things to different people. I wondered what people who have had a Cochlear Implant considered was successful for them
# 158 Most of us know that if we are exposed to constant noise (above 50 decibels) then we increase the risk of permanent hearing damage. But did you know that hearing loss is only one of the problems associated with exposure to noise?
# 157 Does our general health affect our hearing? It has long been recognised that hearing loss can have an effect on our mental health causing anxiety, loss of self esteem and depression. Are things which are going on in other parts of our body affecting our hearing?
# 156 Is there any reason why a deaf person can't participate in sports? The answer to this is of course, if they have the inclination and the talent then of course they can participate. But there may be some limitations.
# 155 The internet is a great leveller. I am not deaf on the internet and therefore, there are many opportunities for socialising, entertainment and keeping up with news and current affairs which were once denied me.
# 154 If you can't hear on special occasions you miss just so much. This is the story of my recent trip to Hawaii for my daughter's wedding.
# 153 Isn't an assistive listening device just a hearing aid? Read the article to find out what they are, how they help you hear and where they can be purchased.
# 152 When the issue of deaf people driving is discussed I don't think it is about discrimination but about safety. Is a deaf driver as safe a driver as a hearing driver? Does the lack of hearing impact on safety?
# 151 Deafness is not reserved for the poor or the unknown and there are many famous people, past and present who are also Deaf or hearing impaired.
# 150 Being deaf doesn't necessarily mean we hear nothing and getting hearing back again doesn't always mean we like every sound we hear. I asked a few people what sounds they don't like!
# 149 Even if you have hearing aids or implantable hearing solutions, we are still often deaf at night because we can't keep them on while we sleep.
# 148 It depends on the kind of work you do, but being deaf in the workplace often comes with risks. If you work in an office then this risk may be minimal but if you are in an industrial workplace risks could be considerable.
# 147 We all rely on our senses to alert us to danger. We use our vision to see obstacles and our hearing to listen for alarms, traffic or intruders. When someone is deaf an important early warning system is missing.
# 146 When someone gets hearing aids they don't become a hearing aid advocate and join a group telling people about their experience. Yet Cochlear Implantees often become Advocates. I wondered why?
# 145 Is thinking the same as hearing? Do we hear our own thoughts? And do we really hear tinniuts?
# 144 Our bodies have many built in redundancies. For instance we have two eyes, two ears, two lungs and two kidneys. But many people live their lives with just one of these organs. I have a theory about hearing. Read on....
# 143 Is deafness a disability? If so how is it manifest? and if not why not?
# 142 I'm a 24 year-old French girl, deaf since birth. Travelling as a deaf person is a challenge. But you just have to get rid of the perception that misunderstanding or being misunderstood is shameful, and be ready to go off the beaten path of communication!
# 141 What does it take to become a teacher of the deaf? Why is it different? I was asked for some advice - obviously in this short space I can't give much - but here are some thoughts.
# 140 Learning a new language is hard even for most people with excellent hearing. Learning a second language when you are deaf and can't get any feedback about the way the language sounds is doubly difficult.
# 139 Most people don't give deafness a thought because they never experience it nor know anyone who is deaf. I asked Karla, a degree student in Writing, at my alumni Curtin University, to write an article on her impressions of deafness.
# 138 As a hearing person who became deaf by the time I was about 35 I can't imagine anyone choosing deafness over hearing. I wondered were there any people in the world who had hearing and would like to be deaf and if so why?
# 137 Fascinated as I was in watching the Deaf children on our school bus, because I had no understanding of deafness, the perception I formed was that these children were mentally deficient, simply because they couldn't talk like me and my friends.
# 136 Are new restaurant designs getting it wrong? Guest Author Rowena Vnuk looks at the design of restaurants and how this affects the noise levels.
# 135 Everyone needs to be fluent in the lanugage of their country so the real question is not what language should my deaf child learn but rather should they be taught sign language first?
# 134 “Your child is deaf” – words parents of a newborn or toddler definitely never expect to hear. Their reaction, whether they themselves are Deaf or hearing, is usually one of shock, anger, fear, grief and confusion.
# 133 When I recently became a live kidney donor for my husband, I found hearing in hospital was critical.
# 132 It's now one month since my second cochlear implant was switched on and it's time to test what sounds I understand.
# 131 I thought I knew how to hear with both ears... I am already experiencing a whole new world of bilateral hearing something I thought was not possible. Having my first cochlear implant was great, and now having my second cochlear implant has opened up my world even further and I am loving it.
# 130 It should be simple to hear with two ears shouldn't it? I know how to hear. So why did I need to re-learn?
# 129 Before I had my 2nd cochlear implant I read all the brochures and asked other bi-lateral recipients to explain what the differences were between hearing with one ear and hearing with two ears. Most couldn't easily articulate the differences but all said it was 'better'. What did 'better' mean?
# 128 I already knew what it was like to go through the Cochlear Implant switch on process and to learn to re-hear, but I still found it was just as hard as the first time
# 127 Having the surgery for a Cochlear Implant is only the first step in my new hearing process. There are many other things to be done. One of the first is the Telemetry Test to determine which electrodes are working.
# 126 No one likes having an operation, but my recovery from a recent second Cochlear Implant Operation has been excellent. My experience may help someone else understand what it is like.
# 125 In February 2010 I had my second cochlear implant. This time I was more interested than fearful in the operation process. Perhaps my experience will help someone else make this hard decision.
# 124 When I examined why it takes someone so long to make the decision to have a cochlear implant I expected fear or surgery, fear of failure and so on was the main reason. I was therefore surprised to realise there are far deeper reasons, often ones we don't recognise which makes this decision so hard.
# 123 Do deaf people have a harder time getting and staying in work? If they get their hearing back (through say, a cochlear implant) does this improve their position?
# 122 If you lose your hearing in later life, do you think to go to a Deaf Society for help? Do you know that help even exists?
# 121 What sounds would you miss the most if you went deaf? Or what sounds do you miss the most now that you are deaf?
# 120 Hearing loss prevelance in the UK is about 390 children per year. This research found that many parents were opting for a cochlear implant.
# 119 We all want our children to be perfect, to have the best advantages and start in life. If you suspect your child isn't responding to sound the way you expect what should you do? Is my child deaf? Here are some suggestions of what you can do.
# 118 One of the first things we lose as we go deaf is confidence. It is fear of rejection, because we might make a fool of ourselves which is the main cause. But there is no need to passively accept it. You can take steps to improve your confidence.
# 117 Deafness doesn't just affect the person who is deaf. It has a profound effect upon all those people we love. Spouses particularly have to develop a level of understanding.
# 116 Recently a member of our Cochlear Implant Forum raised a couple of extremely important points, probably the crux of the issue with cochlear implants for people who identify with the Deaf community. These are a sense of community and a sense of identity.
# 115 Recently I was asked how a Cochlear Implant works. First of all if you understand how normal hearing works it might help you to understand how the cochlear implant works. (I'm not a doctor nor an audiologist, simply an implantee! so this is not a medical treatise!)
# 114 Why is there a variation between the outcomes for some Cochlear Implantess? I'm not a doctor, just a successful implantee and I get asked this question frequently. And what constitutes success?
# 113 Navigating the journey of Cochlear implantation in children is new territory for new parents. The Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre held a forum to help parents understand their options if their child is found to have a hearing loss.
# 112 Hearing aids have come a long way from the analogue aids I wore. My aids were relatively bulky and either sat behind my ear or filled my ear canal leaving me with a hot stuffed feeling. But the latest hearing aids are digital and are far more powerful and adaptable than old analogue aids.
# 111 There are many reasons for deafness. Diseases or viruses during pregnancy, in childhood and later life, hereditary factors, exposure to loud noise, head injuries, ototoxic drugs, allergic reactions and aging can all be causes of deafness.
# 110 Imagine being deaf for just one day. How would you cope? What would you miss? Wouldn't you do everything you could to turn your world back on?
# 109 Surviving Christmas, Easter and other social festivities can stretch our limited hearing and cause us stress, anxiety and exhaustion. Rowena provides some of her top hints and tips to make sure you don't miss out this silly season.
# 108 There has been a lot of discussion in the media about the risk of deafness caused by listening to music on a personal audio device such as an iPod or MP3 player.
# 107 A week of celebration pushed my hearing to the limits and my cochlear implant helped me cope.
# 106 Sound gradually fades when deafness creeps upon us. Most of the time we don't recognise what we are missing but then one day we are startled when remember we haven't heard something for a long time.
# 105 Depression and isolation can lead to paranoia for late deafened adults. It creeps up and is the result of mis-understanding social cues.
# 104 Travelling can pose special challenges for a deaf or hard of hearing person, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't go.
# 103 Technology is improving all the time and unless we hear about these then there's no way they can benefit us. I asked Linda Ballam-Davies from Cochlear to give me the latest information about new implantable solutions.
# 102 Should hearing impairment stop you from driving? Are there any rules and if so what are they? What does the research show about safe driving for deaf people.
# 101 There are three aspects to hearing but only two for effective communication. Interestingly while the hearing process can help understanding it doesn't necessarily mean you listen effectively.
# 100 Why does hearing sound bring us joy? The joy in hearing is more than just the opposite of the pain of not hearing. The joy of hearing is more subtle and refined.
# 99 How do you cope with your world when you can no longer hear the way you used to? Deafness provides many challenges you need to face just to keep safe in your world.
# 98 Sensorineural hearing loss the most common cause of hearing loss and is the age related cause of deafness. What is this condition and what are the treatments?
# 97 Otosclerosis is a common cause of deafness, particularly for women. What is it?
# 96 Being deaf and being Deaf are two different things in our society. When a person goes deaf in later life - where do they fit? If they have their hearing restored through technology are they deaf or hearing?
# 95 Deafness brings mis-understanding, alienation and language barriers. It's a lot like moving to a foreign country.
# 94 Mishearing occurs for both deaf and hearing people and often both feel embarassment. But there are so many times this happens for deaf and hard of hearing people that it builds to a feeling of inadequacy.
# 93 'You don't sound deaf!' A surprised comment from many people I come across. This article looks at what 'sounding deaf' means.
# 92 Everyone mispronounces words occasionally, but those with a hearing loss find many more occasions to mispronounce simply because we may never have heard a word spoken. Not knowing pronunciation makes lip reading harder and is one of many reasons late deafened people withdraw from social contact.
# 91 Many women report a change in their hearing during pregnancy. Is there a link between pregnancy and hearing loss?
# 90 Menieres syndrome is a diagnosis that is not easy to live with. It is one of the most debilitating conditions affecting quality of life. Read about the disease and link to two stories of people who have it.
# 89 Having a Cochlear implant is a difficult decision for many people. This article looks at the key issues in the decision process and then compares that with the decision to have a bi-lateral implant.
# 88 I cannot remember hearing with two ears and now I am considering bi-lateral cochlear implantation. I wanted to know what I could expect by hearing with two ears.
# 87 Remember just because a person looks 'normal' doesn't mean they can hear. By understanding the behaviours of those with a loss you can help them communicate better.
# 86 Going deaf doesn't mean your life has to change. You just need to find ways of coping with your loss so you can maintain the quality of your life.
# 85 When you first suspect your hearing is deteriorating most people deny it. But you've come to the point where you've realised you can no longer deny it – what do you do?
# 84 It is important to know what is happening with your hearing loss because it helps you better manage it. I asked Rowena how she manages her hearing loss.
# 83 The hearing aid market is very confusing. There are many brands, many styles and lots of different functions. Then “will it work”, “will it fit”, “will I choose the right one”? This becomes even more difficult if you are choosing for a child. So how do you go about it?
# 82 Most people take their ears for granted. After all you were born with them and just like our eyes or mouth your hearing ability developed without you even thinking about it. Most of us never stop to consider what it would be like if our hearing stopped working.
# 81 As we start to go deaf many activities we once took for granted become a thing of the past. Going to the movies is one of these because it becomes harder and harder to understand the sound track. But what do you once you can no longer understand speech?
# 80 Is hearing loss getting worse? If so who is at risk and why? Does gender, race and education play a part?
# 79 Hearing aid glasses are glasses which have the hearing aid built into one (or both) of the arms of the glasses.
# 78 Cochlear Implants have come a long way since the first implant in 1978. Newer, smarter, more sophisticated and smaller devices are on the way making hearing an easier and better experience for those who need an implant.
# 77 Is there really a class for lip reading? Yes in fact there are many and teachers can be trained so they can help you learn better.
# 76 Some people say that they are more afraid of speaking in public than death. Yet public speaking can also help people (including hearing-impaired people) communicate better with others.
# 75 Why do deaf people shout? Why do people shout at deaf people? Why does speech deteriorate along with hearing loss? Of course the obvious answer is that we no longer hear own voice. But there is more to it than that.
# 74 Many hearing aids, and in some cases people with a Cochlear Implant, will require that you have a hearing mould.
# 73 Sometimes it's just too hard to communicate with hearing people. It's tiring and difficult and so we often withdraw. Rowena, a lady who has been hard of hearing from birth, tells how she took steps to avoid depression - with a surprising outcome.
# 72 Both Deaf and hearing individuals use different methods of communication. While one relies heavily on speech tone, the other relies heavily on sign language.
# 71 Incessant talking is a coping mechanism often used by the deaf so they don't have to listen.
# 70 Using a tswitch and a hearing loop means hard of hearing person can get clearer sound than they would if they just used their hearing aid or processor and listened to the sound sent through a loud speaker system.
# 69 One in four adults over the age of 50 experience a hearing problem and three in four over the age of 75. When this happens it is usually gradual and often we do not even realise we are missing sounds.
# 68 Being fitted for a hearing aid is confusing. How can you avoid some of it?
# 67 Even fully hearing people do not hear everything. What we don't hear is filled in giving the impression we have heard everything. For the deaf the gaps are bigger and our brains have to fill in a lot more .
# 66 Social bluffing, especially in children, is not good because it can lull people (parents) into thinking you are understanding far more than you are. You miss vital information and miss out on wonderful conversation. It is in your best interests to break the social bluffing habit.
# 65 What is social bluffing? It simply means we make out we've heard. We sit in a group with a polite smile fixed on our face and smile. It's the 'I hope I'm smiling the right smile for this conversation' smile.
# 64 You just buy a hearing aid and stick it in your ear and you can hear properly again – that's right isn't it? Wouldn't it be great if it was that simple, but it's not.
# 63 Using the telephone if your deaf was, in the past, difficult. But there are so many new technologies available that telephony is now available to almost everyone.
# 62 The Cochlear implant has come a long way since its invention, but has it yet returned normal hearing? According to Graeme Clark, the Australian inventor of this technology, the answer is NO. So as a user, where is it lacking?
# 61 When someone starts to go deaf, losing music is probably not their first concern. In fact, many will naturally stop listening to music until one day the recognise how much they have missed.
# 60 There's no need to be afraid of taking a hearing test. You won't be poked with needles or asked to strip off your clothes! A hearing test is simple, has no risks and causes no discomfort.
# 59 Are there some situations where you feel you are not hearing as well as you should? Here's a self-evaluation which may help you decide whether to seek professional help and have your hearing checked.
# 58 Nagging someone about their inability to hear generally does not help and often has the opposite effect. It does not get the person to take a hearing test if they have a loss.
# 57 Age-related deafness is gradual, often slow and at first not even noticed. Family, friends and work colleagues are usually the first to notice a difference.
# 56 Isolation is not a solution to avoid communication. Ask people (your family) how they would like to communicate with you. Help your family to know how best to attract your attention. It is a learning process for everyone and patience is needed by all of us.
# 55 Someone who has a gradual hearing loss goes through many stages and these are some of the characteristics.
# 54 Recognising the effort and changes that hearing people need to make when someone goes gradually deaf can help with communication.
# 53 Mixing with people who understand what it's like to lose hearing provides a social atmosphere where embarrassment is removed. These people are more sympathetic and will take the time to listen and help. You are not alone.
# 52 At the Disability Expo in Adelaide Australia, last week a Cochlear Implantee brought along her Hearing Dog. I asked her why, since she can now hear very well, did she need a hearing dog.
# 51 I meet many people and they often say to me I am 'lucky' because I lost my hearing and not my vision. They tell me it would be far easier to live with deafness than blindness. I've often wondered why they should think this when the issues of being deaf are complex.
# 50 With one in six people having some form of deafness and even more as we age it means that almost every family or households are touched by deafness. This is a true story about how one family had been affected by deafness.
# 49 Finding the right Assistive Listening Device can be a minefield. It is regularly seen as 'too hard'. As a result so many people don't even ask for help. Sometimes just knowing there are devices which can help is a giant leap in finding solutions for you.
# 48 Hearing loss for Australian Indigenous peoples is a major health issue. It is a disease of poverty, frequently left untreated, with at least 40% of their children affected. Yet, sadly it's a treatable condition and if treated would give these children a much greater chance in life.
# 47 Statistics show that people with a hearing loss on average are more likely to be unemployed, under employed or paid less than their hearing counterparts. However with just a little thought and consideration people with a hearing loss are productive employees.
# 46 Hearing people take noise granted and often tell us they find sound annoying. But deafened people, particularly those deafened after they have had hearing, miss noise – even the noise hearing people choose to ignore. For those who have regained hearing - Noise is Beautiful.
# 45 Do deaf children benefit from having a Cochlear implant and if so how? Does it give them a better future, improved opportunity for education and are there social benefits?
# 44 As late as the mid-20th century children with a hearing loss were often misdiagnosed and parents were told they had a mental deficiency. Research has found that children must receive stimulation to the auditory nerves during the early formative years.
# 43 Communication is the very basis of our existence. Without communication we cannot interact with our peers, we cannot learn language and at a very basic level we cannot even think.
# 42 Recently I was asked a lot of questions about what it's like to wear a Cochlear Implant. Here's some of the questions and my answers.
# 41 Hearing loss is a worldwide issue. In this article I point to some excellent UK hearing loss statistics and summarise some for the USA.
# 40 Without hearing it is more difficult for a child to learn a language and without language we cannot even think. You want the best for your child. Get their hearing checked so if they need it they can get the appropriate treatment.
# 39 The focus of the world has been on Beijing during August 2008 with the Olympic games showcasing the fastest athletes, the strongest swimmers, the smoothest divers and the best and greatest in any of the sports competing for glory. But not all people can compete in the Olympics.
# 38 Finding a job if you're deaf can be almost impossible. How do you apply when you need to use a phone and can't?
# 37 Hearing loss often is silent. Rarely is it sudden (although that does happen). More often it is a slow and gradual loss and this can be difficult to recognise.
# 36 A discussion on whether discrimination at work exists for the deaf and if so in what forms and how can it be overcome.
# 35 I have been examining the issue of why there is a stigma attached to wearing hearing aids. If you wear glasses there is no stigma. You put them on and say “Wow now I can see!” but hearing aids can't be that effective and in many cases you still hear poorly even with the aid.
# 34 A discussion on the influence of education, schools families and Communities in the evolution of Auslan
# 33 Hearing loss is prevelant. While many of the statistics I quote are Australian, research indicates that these statistics apply to most countries. All you need to do to is multiply the percentage by your country's population to find the number of people.
# 32 Not many people realise that losing your hearing can have a major impact on your general health and in particular your mental health
# 31 Many younger people are putting their hearing health at risk. It is not occasional exposure to loud noise which will cause long term damage. It is regular and prolonged exposure. DONT turn it down. Take a break for your hearing health
# 30 At the 5th Australian National Deafness Summit in Canberra during May 2008 I was astounded to hear some of the statistics on the increase in prevelance of deafness. While the statistics I quote are for the Australian market they apply to all markets.
# 29 Hearing loss impacts on individuals, their families, friends and colleagues. But hearing loss also has an impact on the wider community.
# 28 Subtitles and captions both deliver at least the speech content of a visual medium. Captions may provide more information but subtitles will help a hearing impaired person get a better quality experience from viewing television, movies or DVDS.
# 27 For those of us who have experienced late on-set deafness our lives have been turned upside down. Everything familiar has become strange because we can no longer interpret the world as we know it and we don't know where we fit.
# 26 When deafness strikes later in life it is hard, however the impact of deafness is not just felt by the person who has lost their hearing because family members and friends often suffer.
# 25 For some people ordinary sounds are extraordinary. May is Better Speech and Hearing month in the USA. It is the month when focus is on educating the public about speech and hearing disorders, promoting treatment and understanding for people who my need it.
# 24 Many advancements in technology have added noise pollution to our environment in a way never before experienced. Hearing loss has developed in direct proportion to our exposure to this noise.
# 23 When ideas and theories are challenged a community breaks away from the mainstream culture and, as is the case with the Deaf, a new sub-culture is formed. A culture is a “System of symbols, including language and values and the patterned way of doing things shared by a given human group.”
# 22 Deaf Communities were formed as a result of adversity and alienation – a necessity for a group of people who were branded with a stigma who were ostracised and isolated from the world into which they were born. It was from this that their rich language was developed.
# 21 Closed captions, or subtitles, can enhance the experience whether you are watching television, you are at the movies, at the theatre, in an aircraft or airport, hospital, shopping mall or on the internet. There are even noisy environments where captioning can benefit people with full hearing.
# 20 Sometimes it can be good to be deaf. Here's a few times I was glad to be deaf.
# 19 Ever been asked if you're allowed to drive? It's not a question most people even think about. But it is one deaf people get asked regularly. Research shows deaf drivers are no better nor worse than hearing drivers.
# 18 Lip reading, why do you need it? If you are sometimes having trouble understanding speech, one of the best things you can do for yourself is learn lip reading. Learning lip reading can help you communicate better even if you can't hear everything.
# 17 An introduction by the new Deafness Editor.
# 16 A Cochlear Implant is not an alternative to a hearing aid. It is only an option if a person cannot effectively use hearing aids. It is not a high powered hearing aid and does not amplify sound. It is a serious decision, one which is taken after testing and all other avenues for hearing are explored.
# 15 Why subscribe to my Deafness Newsletter? It is my aim as Deafness Editor for Bellaonline to provide timely information to those who need it; the deaf, their friends, family and colleagues and will cover many issues. Read the rest of the article to find out more.
# 14 Getting away for a break can be stressful, but when you are deaf or hearing impaired being in strange places can be even harder. Take time to prepare before you leave to help relieve some of the pressure.
# 13 Hearing impairment, an increasing problem in our aging population causes a breakdown in communication and is a disability hidden in full view. We need to understand more about deafness.
# 12 What do you do if you lose your hearing aid? Panic? Well I suppose that is the first response of many people. Hearing aids, regardless of type often get lost, misplaced or damaged and since they can be very expensive, losing one is likely to cause plenty of stress.
# 11 Closed captions, or subtitles, can enhance the experience whether you are watching television, you are at the movies, at the theatre, in an aircraft or airport, hospital, shopping mall or on the internet. There are even noisy environments where captioning can benefit people with full hearing.
# 10 Sometimes it can be good to be deaf. Here's a few times I was glad to be deaf.
# 9 Ever been asked if you're allowed to drive? It's not a question most people even think about. But it is one deaf people get asked regularly. Research shows deaf drivers are no better nor worse than hearing drivers.
# 8 Lip reading, why do you need it? If you are sometimes having trouble understanding speech, one of the best things you can do for yourself is learn lip reading. Learning lip reading can help you communicate better even if you can't hear everything.
# 7 An introduction by the new Deafness Editor.
# 6 A Cochlear Implant is not an alternative to a hearing aid. It is only an option if a person cannot effectively use hearing aids. It is not a high powered hearing aid and does not amplify sound. It is a serious decision, one which is taken after testing and all other avenues for hearing are explored.
# 5 Why subscribe to my Deafness Newsletter? It is my aim as Deafness Editor for Bellaonline to provide timely information to those who need it; the deaf, their friends, family and colleagues and will cover many issues. Read the rest of the article to find out more.
# 4 Getting away for a break can be stressful, but when you are deaf or hearing impaired being in strange places can be even harder. Take time to prepare before you leave to help relieve some of the pressure.
# 3 Hearing impairment, an increasing problem in our aging population causes a breakdown in communication and is a disability hidden in full view. We need to understand more about deafness.
# 2 There are not only no visible signs of deafness, but because deaf people cannot easily participate they often become hidden and this leads to social isolation.
# 1 The malls are in a frenzy, the department stores crowded and parties galore. Well of course. It's Christmas! This time of year can mean extra stress for deaf and the hearing imparied. Even if you get good results from your hearing aids or implant processors some coping tricks may still be needed.