06/05/2022
Myths related to hearing aids
Hearing aids are personal amplification devices that help people who have any kind of permanent hearing loss to hear better, just as spectacles but then again, these two are vastly different. Apart from the stigma related to hearing aid use and appearance let us address a few other myths around hearing aids
1. The quality of hearing with hearing aids would be as good as a normal person: False, that is one key factor in how hearing aids differ from spectacles, while spectacles can provide you with the clarity of a normal eye, hearing aids will always sound more mechanical than natural speech so hearing aid users need to put in an extra strain to be able to hear even with the aids.
2. You need to shout to talk to a person with hearing aids: False, if you shout then the aids which are already amplifying auditory signals tend to distort the loud sound so that the hearing aid user does not receive an amplified signal and damage their hearing, this, in turn, leads to discomfort and a distorted signal means the user does not understand what is being said. In fact, if you talk with the loudness you use with others, the user will eventually get used to the signal and start being sensitive and responsive to the same.
3. Hearing loss can be reversed/ it gets worsened with hearing aids: False, hearing loss that reaches the inner ear is permanent, i.e, unless and until you do not have an infection that can be completely resolved with medications you will have to use hearing aids to support your hearing for the rest of your life. Hearing aids are programmed according to a person’s loss so they only aid in hearing better and do not deteriorate the already existing loss, however people tend to buy over-the-counter hearing aids that are not programmed by an audiologist for the person’s loss, these can be harmful to a person’s hearing. Apart from causing general discomfort, they can further deteriorate a loss. On the other hand, if a person in need of hearing aids does not get aided or delays getting aided, the neural deprivation that is caused due to the lack of sounds reaching the brain causes increased sensitivity to finer sounds once aided, unacceptance of aids at a later stage and decreased neuronal stimulation can further trigger early onset of neural diseases of the brain.
4. You have to change the way you talk to a hearing-impaired: This might be true in certain conditions, while it is not advisable to shout while talking to any hearing aid user, children who are first-time users and even adults who have still not gotten used to hearing with the aids might need some assistance from the speaker. These include speaking at a slower rate, speaking one at a time, reducing background noise while talking, facing the hearing aid user and speaking a little louder than usual until they get sensitive to low-intensity sounds. As they are accustomed to the aids, listening in adverse conditions also becomes easier and thus, such modifications are not required later.
5. One size fits all: False, hearing aids come in different shapes, sizes and specifications, according to the degree and type of loss of a person an Audiologist prescribes the right fit for a person and further programmes it specifically for the person, not only depending on their loss but the duration of the problem, their age, requirements and comfort. The programmable aids generally range from 25,000 to 3,50,000; even though the range might slightly vary according to the company, the products span over more or less the same.
6. Children born with deafness need to learn sign language: False if a child is identified early (a child can be identified with loss as early as 24 hours after birth); preferably within 2 months of age and given therapy within this critical age of development (until 5 years) they can start communicating as their peers and even streamlined in a normal school. If a child is not benefitting from hearing aids, they can further have a cochlear implant, a minor surgery recommended for children below 5 years. Cochlear implants are the world’s most successful medical prostheses in that less than 0.2% of recipients reject them or do not use them and the failure rate needing reimplantation is around 0.5%. Children have been seen to have tremendous improvement with therapy post-implantation.
7. You develop language as soon as you start hearing: False, for children having pre-lingual deafness their journey towards oral communication does not end with hearing aid fitting that is the first step, once the child is fitted with hearing aids, they need to learn how to hear with them. Yes, that is right, as discussed before hearing with aids isn’t as natural as seeing with spectacles; also not having heard many sounds since birth they need to be taught to direct their attention to auditory stimuli. This is done with the help of therapy, any child wearing hearing aids needs to attend Auditory-Verbal Therapy and Speech Therapy to be able to make use of the hearing aids.
8. Hearing Impaired cannot listen to the recorded speech or TV or music or phone calls: False, now with the advent of Bluetooth technology in hearing aids, the impaired can connect their devices to other electronic gadgets and listen to amplified sound hands-free, they are also able to appreciate music and respond to speech. Apart from hearing aids, there are Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) that can further cater to specific needs of the hearing impaired and help them in appreciating recorded speech, and enjoy television and music.
Let us work together and address the myths related to hearing impairment and hearing loss, so the children and adults facing this sensory deprivation are not left out just because someone thought they needed to communicate with them in sign language or they needed to shout or put in an extra effort to accommodate them. Let us work together to help in their early identification and rehabilitation so they can be streamlined and can adapt to their peer group past the stigma and disability.
If you have even the slightest doubt regarding a child’s hearing ability, make sure you refer them to an audiologist for a detailed hearing test. If you’re looking for a hearing test in Mumbai, do visit Montfort Care Early Intervention Centre, Dadar.