American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): Smokers are at greater risk for hearing damage

It is known fact that smoking tobacco can increase risk of stroke, heart attack, pulmonary disease emphysema and cancer.  Researchers at the Annual ASHA conference in Philadelphia (November 2010) revealed that both men and women smokers are at higher risk for permanent cochlear damage than non-smokers. This study showed that nicotine appears to reduce the blood supply to the cochlea, which is crucial for normal function of the cochlea. It was found by researchers that reduction of the blood supply occurs regardless of the number of cigarettes smoked per day. 

It is important to keep up with such research developments to bring awareness to the population we serve. This information can help us identify at-risk individuals and provide the appropriate education to promote overall well-being. 

The publication is not yet available for review, but you can find the press release on ASHA's website. 

Make a difference! Donate hearing aids to The Global Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss

It breaks my heart to think about those individuals who do not have access to hearing healthcare and rehabilitative services. The ability to hear, whether naturally or with amplification, provides us with the means to communicate. And the lack of communication can bear significant emotional and social impacts on an individual, leading to isolation and even depression. For children, the ability to hear is a crucial building block for speech and language development. 

I came across an article on AudiologyOnline about a foundation that makes a huge impact for those who are underserved across various countries. In Vietnam, there are approximately 180,000 children who are identified with a hearing loss and yet there are no "professionally trained" audiologists to serve those in need. The Global Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss, a non-profit organization, provides services to those in need, but also trains educators and families to follow their lead for continued support. 

On January 10-21, 2011, an international team of audiologists and auditory-verbal therapists will be collaborating with nine Deaf Education schools in Vietnam to provide audiologic testing, hearing aid fittings, and auditory-verbal support to children and their educators and families. If you, a relative or a friend have a good functioning behind-the-ear style hearing aid, you can donate it to The Global Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss. If you don't have access to any used hearing aids, you can also provide monetary support for the mission. 

According to the article, the foundation has already received hearing aid donations from manufacturers, Oticon and Phonak, as well as grants from other organizations for the purchase of hearing aids. It states that a $100 donation can provide one hearing aid and two batteries, which is amazing. But of course, any amount of donation can contribute to the greater good and there are even opportunities to volunteer! 

For this holiday season, take a moment to consider the difference you can make in the lives of others!


For monetary donations to support the foundation’s Vietnam Deaf Education & Hearing Aid Programs: http://www.childrenwithhearingloss.org/difference.shtml

To donate hearing aids for the January 2010 mission: Contact Paige Stringer, Executive Director, Global Foundation For Children With Hearing Loss at paige@childrenwithhearingloss.org

MIT research findings could lead to improved hearing aid technology

Image from NCBI Bookshelf

Guess how many years it takes on average from the time someone thinks they have a hearing loss to the time they decide to do something about it? The answer: 7 years (HLAA Fact Sheet)! There are a number of factors that contribute to this fact including cosmetics and cost, but also the performance of hearing devices. Most people understand that hearing devices cannot restore normal hearing; however, they can help people with hearing loss hear in many situations and thus provide the gift of communication. 

There is a constant drive towards more advanced hearing aid technology development. The most common complaint I hear about hearing devices is when people are trying to pick out speech at restaurants or other scenarios where there is background noise. Although hearing devices can be fine-tune across different pitch changes, people's voices cannot be isolated or singled out from other amplified background noise and so all sounds are amplified. 

Recently, MIT researchers announced that they are exploring future technology possibilities since discovering a new mechanism involving the inner ear's ability to distinguish sounds. In 2007, these researchers reported that the "tiny, gel-like tectorial membrane, located in the inner ear, coordinates with the basilar membrane to fine tune the ear's ability to distinguish sounds." It was also found that the proteins of the tectorial membrane play an important in this process and a gene mutation can inhibit its function. 

Their goal is to mimic this interaction between the tectorial membrane and basilar membrane in a hearing device in an effort to focus on important frequencies for speech. This type of technology could be in the future, but who know when. To stay optimistic, it is wonderful to know researchers are working towards a goal that many millions of people suffering from hearing loss would appreciate. Stay tuned...

You can read more details about these mechanisms on the MIT website. 

via HearingSparks