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Better Hearing and Speech Month

For over 75 years May has been designated as Better Hearing and Speech Month -- a time to raise public awareness, knowledge, and understanding of the various forms of communication disabilities to include those of hearing, speech, language, and voice. Communication disabilities, particularly hearing loss, can have impact upon our entire society. Hearing loss affects people of any age—children, youth, older adults alike and their families.

For the 2012 celebration, the American Speech-Language Association (ASHA) chose “Connecting People through Communication” as the theme. People have many resources available to help them with overcoming any barriers to communication being experienced. The Division of Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing (DSDHH) focuses on being a leading resource for over one million individuals in North Carolina faced with hearing loss.

One important fact to remember—most of the time the person does not recognize hearing loss in his or her own life. Hearing loss is normally pointed out by family and friends who surround the individual. Studies have shown that the average time it takes a person to react to seeking assistance with hearing loss issues once recognized is seven years. Reasons people cite for not seeking assistance are: denial of hearing loss, vanity or the cost of hearing aids.

A simple self-test can be one of the most important things a person can do in order to determine if hearing loss is being experienced.

You may have a hearing loss if you:

• 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

Other available resources for individuals are through the internet. National organizations can provide a wealth of information on hearing loss through fact sheets, brochures and other forms of information.

Some suggested resources are as follows:

• Hearing Loss Association of America — www.hearingloss.org
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders — www.nidcd.nih.gov
• American Speech-Language Hearing Association — www.asha.org
• Better Hearing Institute — www.betterhearing.org

DSDHH Regional Centers have planned activities in association with the May emphasis. Check out the Better Hearing and Speech Month Activities in NC close to you.

For more information on hearing loss and resources available in North Carolina, contact a DSDHH regional center.