With Audiologist Sharon Rende
Communication disorders affect people of all ages, from infants to the elderly. And according to the Center for Hearing and Communication and the World Health Organization, hearing loss affects nearly 48 million Americans and more than 1.5 billion people globally.
Unfortunately, too many people ignore their symptoms or deny treatment, potentially turning an easily addressed issue into a serious problem.
Communication Builds Connections, Hearing Loss Hurts Relationships
Good communication skills are essential for maintaining healthy relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. Hearing loss can erode that ability to communicate, greatly impacting quality of life, and degrading both mental and physical health. If left untreated, hearing loss may even result in:
- Social isolation and loneliness
- Depression and anxiety
- Migraines
- Fatigue
- Cognitive decline, including dementia
- Balance issues, sometimes resulting in falls
- Stress and high blood pressure
Recognizing Speech and Hearing Disorders in Children
Speech, language and hearing problems can significantly impact learning, as well as social and emotional health. Even mild hearing loss can harm a child's ability to speak, learn and interact with others, and should be evaluated by a professional.
Signs that your child may have hearing loss include:
- Abnormal speech for their age
- Delayed language skills
- Listening to TV or music at high volumes
- Learning difficulties
- Not responding to their name or loud sounds
- Not paying attention to conversations
- Asking “Huh?” and “What?”
- Fatigue or irritability after school
The Importance of Intervention, Finding Treatment for Hearing Loss
Early intervention is critical in addressing communication disorders. The earlier a communication disorder is detected and treated, the better the chances for positive outcomes. This is particularly true for children, as their brains are still developing and they are in a critical period for learning language and communication skills.
So why do people wait an average of seven years before seeking treatment for hearing loss? Often, because of the stigma or because they're in denial. But it's important to look for the signs.
Signs of an untreated hearing problem may include:
- Continually asking people to repeat themselves or to speak louder
- Speech sounds soft and muffled (“If only they didn’t mumble…”)
- Difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds (birds, doorbells, telephone)
- Needing to look at a person’s face in order to understand them
- Being unable to hear in a group conversation, especially in noise
- Listening to the TV at a high volume
- Experiencing a ringing or pain in the ears
- Increasing balance or dizziness problems
Treatment and Prevention
Treatment for communication disorders depends on the specific condition and its severity. Common treatments include medical, surgical and technological options, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants, as well as speech or voice therapy. The goal of treatment is to improve communication skills and enhance quality of life.
There are also steps you can take to support better communication with those who may be struggling. This includes speaking clearly and slowly, using visual aids when possible, reducing background noise, and being patient when communicating with someone who has a communication disorder.
But preventing hearing loss from occurring in the first place, if possible, is even better.
Noise is actually recognized as a public health issue affecting hearing health at all ages. We live in a very noisy world and are exposed daily to high volumes that can damage our hearing-this includes listening to music with the earbuds cranked up. (Rule of thumb is to keep the volume below 60%. If exterior noise is an issue, consider noise cancelling headphones.)
And don't forget to make hearing health part of your annual wellness checks.
Finding Help for Hearing Loss
If you’re living with untreated hearing or communication disorders, talk to a doctor about diagnosis and treatment options, which include everything from speech and voice therapy to surgical and technological options, like hearing aids or cochlear implants.
Your primary care doctor can get you on the right track, or you can make an appointment with an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist at Sarasota Memorial’s Otolaryngology Head and Neck Center.
Need help finding a specialist? Our HealthLine physician referral team can help: Click here or call 941-917-7777.
Written by Sarasota Memorial copywriter Philip Lederer, MA, who crafts a variety of external communications for the healthcare system. SMH's in-house wordsmith, Lederer earned his Master's degree in Public Administration and Political Philosophy from Morehead State University, KY, and hears things he shouldn't…