Study published about genes that influence age-related hearing loss

A new study by House Ear Institute and other institutions, published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics, has found genes related to hearing loss risk. 

You can read more about this interesting study at the Los Angeles Times website:  http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2008/12/gene-that-influ.html

Here is another news brief about the same study:

Science Daily 

Photos from presentation for 9th graders

I posted a couple photos of the 9th graders during the presentation on Nov. 21st. Photos courtesy of Julian Diego Lometillo, a Clark Magnet HS student.

Hearing Presentation on Nov. 21st

It has been a while since I last posted here, but school has managed to keep me quite busy! However, I am pleased to share that I will be returning to Clark Magnet High School this week to present to 9th graders on hearing health and conservation. 

I plan to post with a briefing on the experience. Check back soon! 

Useful resource: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Page through the various pages for information on ear related topics. 

Japan is releasing speakers that fit inside your ear canal this August 2008. Click on the link to read about the technology on Tech-On! Victor's Earphone Makes Sound Deeper in Ear. (Image from http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/)

Think this might be a bad idea? Definitely! Here's why...

First of all, the brain adjusts to sound after a while. So, for the argument that having the earphone deeper in the ear would allow people turn the volume down lower than with earphones that do not sit as deep... this would most likely not be the case. As the brain adjusts to the lower volume, people have a tendency of wanting to turn it up.

These speakers definitely have the potential and technology to cause permanent hearing damage. The placement of these speaker units being so close to your eardrum also mean that they are closer to the hair cells of the cochlea (sensory organ of hearing) in the inner ear. Hair cells are responsible for transmitting sound information to the brain. When these hair cells are exposed to loud sounds, anything above 85 dB, they are prone to permanent damage. There is a pie chart created by House Ear Institute with different decibel levels and the number of hours of exposure it would take to cause hearing damage. With repeated exposure at unsafe levels, there would likely be a measurable hearing loss.

Yes although those with hearing loss who are fit with hearing aids have an earmold that sits deeper inside their ear canal, which delivers amplified sound to their ears, they only have access to making minimal adjustments with their volume control. The amount of gain applied is prescribed using objective measures. However with these speakers, unless you were well aware of safe sound levels, you could potentially blow your eardrums. Anyone heard of a ruptured eardrum?

Whittier Daily News - Youths warned of threats to hearing

As a presenter on behalf of House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, California, I present hearing information to kids and teens. On May 21, 2008, I presented my hearing conservation awareness presentation to the 7th and 8th graders at Downey West Middle School in Downey, California.

We were lucky enough to have the local newspaper, Whittier Daily News come out to cover the event. Since I still need to get permission to post images here, I have posted the link to the article:

Youths warned of threats to hearing - Whittier Daily News

Below is a PDF file of the article, since it will move to the archives soon.
Simply click on the images to read the full article.

South Pasadena Middle School Presentations

On January 14, 2008, I prepared and presented the hearing conservation program titled, "It's How You Listen That Counts" on behalf of the House Ear Institute at South Pasadena Middle School in Pasadena, CA. The goal of the presentation was to educate approximately 1,050 students (6th-8th graders) on basic anatomy of the ear, how we ear, safe sound levels, dangers of loud noise exposure and how to protect our hearing. The presentations ranged between 25-30 minutes and included a question and answer session. The students were a great group and asked some thoughtful questions!

An interactive portion of the presentation involved the use of a sound level meter to measure the loudness level of music in decibels (unit used to measure sound intensity). To show this, an iPod was connected to an external speaker and a student volunteer read the level displayed on the sound level meter as I increased the volume of the iPod. The purpose of the demonstration was to listen to what 85 dB sounds like and also emphasize the importance of the location of the sound source in relation to your ears. The students learned that sound intensity attenuates (decreases) as distance increases and how this can help us with protecting our ears.

As always, it was a pleasure to be able to meet with students in the community and contribute to their learning experiences. I hope that the information will help them make sound decisions, such as using earplugs in loud environments (ex. concerts) and setting safe volume levels on their mp3 players and other electronic devices. I am also continuously amazed at how receptive children and teens can be on hearing matters!

AudiologyNOW! 2008

AudiologyNOW!, the annual audiology convention held by the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) was at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, NC from April 2-5. This year, the convention was themed "Hear to Stay" to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the American Academy of Audiology. With approximately 7,000 attendees, the event offered learning labs, research poster displays, technological information and the Audiology Solutions exposition.

The expo featured products and services related to audiology including the latest developments in hearing aid technology. The expo included the following categories among many others: diagnostic instruments, hearing aid manufacturers and accessories, implantable devices, earmold/impression material, listening devices, earphones, batteries, and hearing protection. The Employment Service Center is available each year to provide an opportunity for employers and job seekers to network.

The DiscovEARy Zone was a free and interactive station designed for kids to educate about the human ear and hearing loss. More specifically, information about how the ear works, dangerous sounds, information about how to protect ears from loud sounds and hearing screenings provided by audiologists on-site. This was made possible using interactive computer kiosks, hands-on learning tables, displays and listening stations. The DiscovEARy Zone debuted at last year's convention and was open to the public.

As a first-time attendee, I enjoyed every aspect of the experience and felt I gained some valuable resources as a student. One of the highlights of the event was having an opportunity to meet audiologists, other audiology doctoral students, and professionals and individuals involved in our profession. There was a wealth of information available, such as recent research findings and interesting case studies to learn from. With all the great events and activities, it was just a matter of having enough time to experience everything.

Next year, AudiologyNOW! will be held in Dallas, TX on April 1-4, 2009. For more information and to download the program (PDF) for AudiologyNOW! 2008, you can visit www.audiologynow.org.