Hearing impairment medical therapy: Difference between revisions
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===Treatment depends upon the following factors=== | ===Treatment depends upon the following factors=== | ||
* '''Age of onset of hearing impairment''' | *'''Age of onset of hearing impairment''' | ||
The age at which the hearing impairment develops is crucial to spoken language acquisition. Post-lingual hearing impairments are far more common than pre-lingual impairments. | The age at which the hearing impairment develops is crucial to spoken language acquisition. Post-lingual hearing impairments are far more common than pre-lingual impairments. | ||
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If the hearing loss occurs at a young age, interference with the acquisition of [[spoken language]] and [[social skills]] may occur. [[Hearing aid]]s, which amplify the incoming sound, may alleviate some of the problems caused by hearing impairment, but are often insufficient. [[Cochlear implants]] artificially stimulate the VIIIth Nerve by providing an electric impulse substitution for the firing of hair cells. [[Cochlear implants]] are not only expensive, but require sophisticated programming in conjunction with patient training for effectiveness. People who have hearing impairments, especially those who develop a hearing problem in childhood or old age, require support and technical adaptations as part of the rehabilitation process. | If the hearing loss occurs at a young age, interference with the acquisition of [[spoken language]] and [[social skills]] may occur. [[Hearing aid]]s, which amplify the incoming sound, may alleviate some of the problems caused by hearing impairment, but are often insufficient. [[Cochlear implants]] artificially stimulate the VIIIth Nerve by providing an electric impulse substitution for the firing of hair cells. [[Cochlear implants]] are not only expensive, but require sophisticated programming in conjunction with patient training for effectiveness. People who have hearing impairments, especially those who develop a hearing problem in childhood or old age, require support and technical adaptations as part of the rehabilitation process. | ||
* '''Pre-lingual deafness''' | *'''Pre-lingual deafness''' | ||
:''Main article: [[Prelingual deafness]]'' | :''Main article: [[Prelingual deafness]]'' | ||
''Prelingual hearing impairment'' exists when the impairment is [[congenital]] or otherwise acquired before the individual has acquired [[Speech communication|speech]] and [[language]], thus rendering the disadvantages more difficult to treat because the child is unable to access audible /spoken communication from the outset. It is important to note that those children born into signing families have no delay in language development and communication. Most pre-lingual hearing impairment is due to an acquired condition, usually either disease or trauma; therefore, families commonly have no prior knowledge of deafness. | ''Prelingual hearing impairment'' exists when the impairment is [[congenital]] or otherwise acquired before the individual has acquired [[Speech communication|speech]] and [[language]], thus rendering the disadvantages more difficult to treat because the child is unable to access audible /spoken communication from the outset. It is important to note that those children born into signing families have no delay in language development and communication. Most pre-lingual hearing impairment is due to an acquired condition, usually either disease or trauma; therefore, families commonly have no prior knowledge of deafness. | ||
* '''Post-lingual hearing impairment''' | *'''Post-lingual hearing impairment''' | ||
:''Main article: [[Post-lingual hearing impairment]]'' | :''Main article: [[Post-lingual hearing impairment]]'' | ||
''Post-lingual hearing impairment'' where hearing loss is adventitious after the acquisition of speech and language, usually after the age of six. It may develop due to [[disease]], [[Physical trauma|trauma]], or as a side-effect of a medicine. Typically, hearing loss is gradual, and often detected by family and friends of the people so affected long before the patients themselves will acknowledge the disability. Common treatments includes hearing aids and learning lip reading. Loneliness and depression can arise as a result of isolation (from the inability to communicate with friends and loved ones) and difficulty in accepting their disability. | ''Post-lingual hearing impairment'' where hearing loss is adventitious after the acquisition of speech and language, usually after the age of six. It may develop due to [[disease]], [[Physical trauma|trauma]], or as a side-effect of a medicine. Typically, hearing loss is gradual, and often detected by family and friends of the people so affected long before the patients themselves will acknowledge the disability. Common treatments includes hearing aids and learning lip reading. Loneliness and depression can arise as a result of isolation (from the inability to communicate with friends and loved ones) and difficulty in accepting their disability. | ||
* '''Hard-of-hearing''' | *'''Hard-of-hearing''' | ||
People who are ''hard of hearing'' have varying amounts of hearing loss but usually not enough to be considered deaf. Many people who are deaf consider spoken language their primary language and consider themselves "hard of hearing". How one classifies themselves relative to hearing loss or deafness is a very personal decision and reflects much more than just their ability to hear. | People who are ''hard of hearing'' have varying amounts of hearing loss but usually not enough to be considered deaf. Many people who are deaf consider spoken language their primary language and consider themselves "hard of hearing". How one classifies themselves relative to hearing loss or deafness is a very personal decision and reflects much more than just their ability to hear. | ||
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Noisy situations are especially difficult, because hearing loss not only affects the ability to hear sounds, but also to localize and filter out background noise. | Noisy situations are especially difficult, because hearing loss not only affects the ability to hear sounds, but also to localize and filter out background noise. | ||
* '''Unilateral hearing loss''' | *'''Unilateral hearing loss''' | ||
People with [[unilateral hearing loss]] (single sided deafness/SSD) can hear normally in one ear, but have trouble hearing out of the other ear. | People with [[unilateral hearing loss]] (single sided deafness/SSD) can hear normally in one ear, but have trouble hearing out of the other ear. | ||
Problems with this type of deficit is inability to localize sounds (ie. unable to tell where traffic is coming from) | Problems with this type of deficit is inability to localize sounds (ie. unable to tell where traffic is coming from) | ||
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===Views of treatments=== | ===Views of treatments=== | ||
There is controversy in the culturally deaf community as to whether cochlear implants address wellness concerns, the overall health and psycho-emotional well-being of prelingually deaf children at all. | There is controversy in the culturally deaf community as to whether cochlear implants address wellness concerns, the overall health and psycho-emotional well-being of prelingually deaf children at all. | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 11:48, 16 April 2021
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Hearing impairment |
Medical Therapy
Approaches
Cleaning of ear canal (usually occurs during physical exam) to remove cerumen or a foreign body can restore hearing.
In addition to hearing aids there exist cochlear implants of increasing complexity and effectiveness. These are useful in treating the mild to profound hearing impairment when the onset follows the acquisitions of language and in some cases in children whose hearing loss came before language was acquired. Recent research shows variations in effacacy but some promising studies[1] show that if implanted at a very young age, some profoundly impaired children can acquire effective hearing and speech.
Ear protection can be used for the prevention of additional hearing loss.
Treatment depends upon the following factors
- Age of onset of hearing impairment
The age at which the hearing impairment develops is crucial to spoken language acquisition. Post-lingual hearing impairments are far more common than pre-lingual impairments.
If the hearing loss occurs at a young age, interference with the acquisition of spoken language and social skills may occur. Hearing aids, which amplify the incoming sound, may alleviate some of the problems caused by hearing impairment, but are often insufficient. Cochlear implants artificially stimulate the VIIIth Nerve by providing an electric impulse substitution for the firing of hair cells. Cochlear implants are not only expensive, but require sophisticated programming in conjunction with patient training for effectiveness. People who have hearing impairments, especially those who develop a hearing problem in childhood or old age, require support and technical adaptations as part of the rehabilitation process.
- Pre-lingual deafness
- Main article: Prelingual deafness
Prelingual hearing impairment exists when the impairment is congenital or otherwise acquired before the individual has acquired speech and language, thus rendering the disadvantages more difficult to treat because the child is unable to access audible /spoken communication from the outset. It is important to note that those children born into signing families have no delay in language development and communication. Most pre-lingual hearing impairment is due to an acquired condition, usually either disease or trauma; therefore, families commonly have no prior knowledge of deafness.
- Post-lingual hearing impairment
- Main article: Post-lingual hearing impairment
Post-lingual hearing impairment where hearing loss is adventitious after the acquisition of speech and language, usually after the age of six. It may develop due to disease, trauma, or as a side-effect of a medicine. Typically, hearing loss is gradual, and often detected by family and friends of the people so affected long before the patients themselves will acknowledge the disability. Common treatments includes hearing aids and learning lip reading. Loneliness and depression can arise as a result of isolation (from the inability to communicate with friends and loved ones) and difficulty in accepting their disability.
- Hard-of-hearing
People who are hard of hearing have varying amounts of hearing loss but usually not enough to be considered deaf. Many people who are deaf consider spoken language their primary language and consider themselves "hard of hearing". How one classifies themselves relative to hearing loss or deafness is a very personal decision and reflects much more than just their ability to hear.
The phrase hard of hearing, normally used as an adjective or adverb, can also be used as a noun, referring to people with hearing impairment as the hard of hearing. People who consider themselves culturally deaf, prefer the term "hard of hearing" or "deaf", and perceive "hearing impaired" as an insult.
Hearing impaired persons with partial loss of hearing may find that the quality of their hearing varies from day to day, or from one situation to another or not at all. They may also, to a greater or lesser extent, depend on both hearing-aids and lip-reading. They may perhaps not always be aware of it, but they do admit to it being important to see the speaker's face in conversation.
Many people with hearing loss have better hearing in the lower frequency ranges (low tones), and cannot hear as well or at all in the higher frequencies. Some people may merely find it difficult to differentiate between words that begin with consonantal sounds such as the fricatives or sibilants, z, or th, or the plosives d, t, b, or p. They may be unable to hear thin, high-pitched or metallic noises, such as birds chirping or singing, clocks ticking, etc. Often, they are able to hear and understand men's voices better than women's.
Others will find their condition so much worse if circumstances in their immediate environment affect the way they are able to use their hearing aids, or prevent them from employing their speech reading skills. A room with a high ceiling and a lot of reverberation will affect the sound of a speaker's voice adversely. The position of the listener, too, sitting at a right angle to the speaker at a long seminar table, thus being able to hear only with one, maybe the ineffectual ear, can make a difference. Difficulties can also arise for the listener trying to lip-read, if the speaker is sitting with his back against the light-source and is in this way obscuring his face. A rule of thumb is that bright lighting is to the hearing-impaired what noise is to the hearing; a source of distraction.
The speaker's accent; the topic under discussion, possibly with many unfamiliar words; the softness of his voice; possibly his having a speech impediment; a habit of holding a hand in front of his mouth or turning his face away at times: all these tendencies cause problems to the hard-of-hearing, especially when they have to rely on lip-reading. The rustling of papers, and notebook pages being turned are precisely the noises that will be the first thing hearing-aids pick up.
Noisy situations are especially difficult, because hearing loss not only affects the ability to hear sounds, but also to localize and filter out background noise.
- Unilateral hearing loss
People with unilateral hearing loss (single sided deafness/SSD) can hear normally in one ear, but have trouble hearing out of the other ear. Problems with this type of deficit is inability to localize sounds (ie. unable to tell where traffic is coming from) and inability to process out background noise in a noisy environment, such as in a restaurant.
Views of treatments
There is controversy in the culturally deaf community as to whether cochlear implants address wellness concerns, the overall health and psycho-emotional well-being of prelingually deaf children at all.