Hearing Impairments

Are there different types of hearing loss?

Yes. There are four types of hearing loss. These are:

Conductive Hearing Loss. A conductive loss occurs when there is a blockage or malfunction of the outer or middle ear preventing sound from being carried to the inner ear. This can often be corrected.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss. A sensorineural hearing loss occurs with the inner ear (cochlea or auditory nerve) is damaged or defective. A sensorineural hearing loss is usually permanent.
Mixed Hearing Loss. A mixed hearing loss occurs when both sensorineural and conductive losses are present. It is important that children with a sensorineural hearing loss have regular ear examinations sot hat conductive hearing loss components such as ear infections and wax buildup are corrected. Otherwise, the child's hearing problems will be further complicated.
Central Hearing Loss.A central loss occurs when the part of the brain responsible for hearing (the auditory complex) is damaged. The internal structures of the ear appear normal which makes this type of hearing loss difficult to diagnose. However, when the auditory cortex is damaged, the child will have difficulty analyzing certain sounds and inhibiting inappropriate motor responses to sound. The child may also have difficulty understanding or remembering sounds and choosing which sounds are important. Damage to other parts of the brain may cause similar difficulties.

Are there different degrees of hearing loss?

Yes. Hearing loss is measured in decibels and frequency. Decibels (dB) refer to loudness, and frequency (Hz or Hertz) refers to pitch. Degrees of hearing loss are as follows:

0-20 dB - Range of normal hearing.
21-40 dB - Mild Hearing Loss: may have difficulty understanding certain consonants, plurals and tenses.
41-55 dB - Moderate Hearing Loss: may miss most speech sounds at a normal conversational level. This is the average range for conversational speech sounds.
56-70 dB - Moderate to Severe Hearing Loss: may hear some of the louder sounds of conversational speech, but would have great difficulty understanding the words.
71-90 dB - Severe Hearing Loss: may hear loud sounds such as a barking dog, a lawnmower, piano playing, or a telephone. Would probably not hear speech sounds.
91+ dB - Profound Hearing Loss: may only hear very loud sounds such as drums, airplanes or helicopters, trucks, or chainsaws.

Who should test my child's hearing?

An audiologist should test the child's hearing. The audiologist has the basic responsibilities to assess hearing, determine ability to use hearing, and to fit the child with a hearing aid that has the appropriate amplification based on test results.

How do hearing aids work?

An audiologist selects the child's hearing aids based upon the child's hearing loss. The audiologist will make recommendations for setting of the hearing aids. It is important to check the hearing aids each time they are worn to insure the hearing aids are working and have the appropriate settings. The child should be encouraged to wear the hearing aids as much as possible. Hearing aids work much like any loudspeaker system. There is a tiny microphone and amplifier placed where the sound enters the hearing aid. These devices make the sound louder. A receiver changes electrical waves into sound waves, enabling the person to hear the louder sounds. Hearing aids also have a volume control to adjust loudness of the sounds. The audiologist determines the loudness settings.

Does a child hear normally with hearing aids?

No. Children have to be taught to understand and use the new incoming information. Hearing aids simply amplify the sound, but do not necessarily make it clearer. Therefore, the teacher or parent should not expect the child to hear as a person with normal hearing. Auditory goals are an essential part of the program for a child with a hearing loss. These goals become especially important for a child with deafblindness because visual information is distorted as well. Emphasis must be given to teaching the child to use whatever hearing he has.

How often should a child wear a hearing aid?

In the beginning, the child may need to wear the hearing aids for short periods of time with a gradual increase in wear time. The goal should be for the child to wear the hearing aids during all waking hours except during activities such as bathing or swimming. This gives the child the opportunity to use his hearing to develop listening, language, and speech skills. At school, the child may wear a special device called a FM unit rather than his personal hearing aid for part of the day. An FM unit is a radio frequency-modulated system. The FM system consists of a microphone that is connected to a transmitter. The teacher or speaker wears this device. The child wears a unit much like a hearing aid, which allows him to hear the speaker's voice without all of the background noises in the classroom.

How do I teach a child to use the hearing s/he has?

Always call attention to sounds and the source of sound. Help the child find the sound source and explore it. Give cues to let the know that you expect her to listen. You should be near the child as well as on her level when speaking to her. Keep background noise and activity to a minimum. Show the child that you expect a response. You can encourage the child to vocalize or make sounds by praising her and imitating any attempts.

Georgia Sensory Assistance Project

Services to Children and Youth with Deafblindness

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