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Infants and Toddlers

OAE testing may be utilized at this age if the child will tolerate the device in his ear for up to two minutes (the device is a small rubber tip and sometimes little ones just don’t want to still for 2 minutes!)

If a child will not tolerate headphones, sounds can be played through loudspeakers, however, only the better ear is tested, and a hearing loss in one ear may be unidentified.

Ages 3 – 4

At three to four years old the child can usually respond to a sound by placing a block in a bucket, pegs in a board, etc. With earphones on or in both ears, the child is taught to wait, listen, and respond.

Ages 5 and up

Most children once they reach the age of 5 can be tested using the same methods used with adults.

The identification and diagnostic process is closely linked with a comprehensive program of early intervention, insuring the availability of important auditory information during the early, critical years of hearing development.

What are assistive listening devices?

The terms assistive listening device or assistive listening technology can refer to any device that helps a person with hearing loss to communicate. These terms often refer to devices that help a person to hear and understand what is being said more clearly or to express thoughts more easily. With the development of digital and wireless technologies, more and more devices are becoming available to help people with hearing disorders to communicate more meaningfully and participate more fully in their daily lives.

What types of assistive listening devices are available?

Several types of ALDs are available to improve sound transmission for people with hearing loss. Some are designed for large facilities such as classrooms, theaters, places of worship, and airports. Other types are intended for personal use in small settings and for one-on-one conversations. All can be used with or without hearing aids or a cochlear implant. ALD systems for large facilities include hearing loop systems, frequency-modulated (FM) systems, and infrared systems.

FM systems use radio signals to transmit amplified sounds. They are often used in classrooms, where the instructor wears a small microphone connected to a transmitter and the student wears the receiver, which is tuned to a specific frequency, or channel. People who have a telecoil inside their hearing aid or cochlear implant may also wear a wire around the neck (called a neckloop) or behind their aid or implant (called a silhouette inductor) to convert the signal into magnetic signals that can be picked up directly by the telecoil.

FM systems can transmit signals up to 300 feet and are able to be used in many public places. However, because radio signals are able to penetrate walls, listeners in one room may need to listen to a different channel than those in another room to avoid receiving mixed signals. Personal FM systems operate in the same way as larger scale systems and can be used to help people with hearing loss to follow one-on-one conversations.

Infrared Systems

Infrared systems use infrared light to transmit sound. A transmitter converts sound into a light signal and beams it to a receiver that is worn by a listener. The receiver decodes the infrared signal back to sound. As with FM systems, people whose hearing aids or cochlear implants have a telecoil may also wear a neckloop or silhouette inductor to convert the infrared signal into a magnetic signal, which can be picked up through their telecoil.

Unlike induction loop or FM systems, the infrared signal cannot pass through walls, making it particularly useful in courtrooms, where confidential information is often discussed, and in buildings where competing signals can be a problem, such as classrooms or movie theaters. However, infrared systems cannot be used in environments with too many competing light sources, such as outdoors or in strongly lit rooms.

Personal Amplifiers

Personal amplifiers are useful in places in which the above systems are unavailable or when watching TV, being outdoors, or traveling in a car. About the size of a cell phone, these devices increase sound levels and reduce background noise for a listener. Some have directional microphones that can be angled toward a speaker or other source of sound. As with other ALDs, the amplified sound can be picked up by a receiver that the listener is wearing, either as a headset or as earbuds.

What devices are available for communicating by telephone?

For many years, people with hearing loss have used text telephone or telecommunications devices, called TTY or TDD machines, to communicate by phone. This same technology also benefits people with speech difficulties. A TTY machine consists of a typewriter keyboard that displays typed conversations onto a readout panel or printed on paper.

Callers will either type messages to each other over the system or, if a call recipient does not have a TTY machine, use the national toll-free telecommunications relay service at 711 to communicate.  Through the relay service, a communications assistant serves as a bridge between two callers, reading typed messages aloud to the person with hearing while transcribing what’s spoken into type for the person with hearing loss.

With today’s new electronic communication devices, however, TTY machines have almost become a thing of the past. People can place phone calls through the telecommunications relay service using almost any device with a keypad, including a laptop, personal digital assistant, and cell phone. Text messaging has also become a popular method of communication, skipping the relay service altogether.

Another system uses voice recognition software and an extensive library of video clips depicting American Sign Language to translate a signer’s words into text or computer-generated speech in real time. It is also able to translate spoken words back into sign language or text.

Finally, for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, captioned telephones allow you to carry on a spoken conversation, while providing a transcript of the other person’s words on a readout panel or computer screen as back-up.

What types of alerting devices are available?

Alerting or alarm devices use sound, light, vibrations, or a combination of these techniques to let someone know when a particular event is occurring. Clocks and wake-up alarm systems allow a person to choose to wake up to flashing lights, horns, or a gentle shaking.

Visual alert signalers monitor a variety of household devices and other sounds, such as doorbells and telephones. When the phone rings, the visual alert signaler will be activated and will vibrate or flash a light to let people know. In addition, remote receivers placed around the house can alert a person from any room. Portable vibrating pagers can let parents and caretakers know when a baby is crying. Some baby monitoring devices analyze a baby’s cry and light up a picture to indicate if the baby sounds hungry, bored, or sleepy.

What research is being conducted on assistive technology?

Researchers are developing devices that help people with varying degrees of hearing loss communicate with others. One team of researchers has developed a portable device in which two or more users type messages to each other that can be displayed simultaneously in real time. Another team is designing an ALD that amplifies and enhances speech for a group of individuals who are conversing in a noisy environment.

Noise, or unwanted sound, is a pervasive occupational health problem. Exposure to high levels of noise can cause hearing loss. The extent of damage depends primarily on the intensity of the noise and the duration of the exposure. Noise-induced hearing loss can be temporary or permanent.

Temporary hearing loss results from short-term exposure to noise, with normal hearing returning after period of rest. Generally, prolonged exposure to high noise levels over a period of time can gradually cause permanent damage. Did you know that sounds over 85 decibels are considered dangerous to your ears? Common everyday sounds, that you may not even be conscious of, can reach much higher than that and can damage your hearing.

At Cadence Hearing Services, we suggest limiting your exposure to loud sounds and using hearing protection products when you will be exposed for any length of time. Some of the sounds that may cause hearing loss include that should be limited should be limited in use or used along with hearing protection products:

• Hair dryers- they can reach up to 92 decibels.
• Lawn and yard equipment- up to 99 decibels.
• Aerobics classes- up to 106 decibels.
• Concerts (any type) – up to 120 decibels.
• Movies (in the theatre) – up to 104 decibels.
• Ambulance sirens- reach up 120 decibels.

In addition to hearing aids, Cadence Hearing Services offers hearing protection/noise reduction plugs that can help in the following situations:

• In loud work environments.
• For hunting and target shooting.
• In motor sports.
• In dentistry.
• For musicians’.

We also would like to remind you to limit use of ear buds (or head phones) as they can cause damage. If you think you may already be losing your hearing and live near Doylestown or the Newtown/Langhorne area call on Cadence Hearing Services to schedule a hearing evaluation.