Hearing Aids

Types of Hearing Loss Conductive Sensory Neural Central hearing loss

Conductive Outer or middle ear Mild hearing loss Usually, medical treatment can help. This happens when there is a problem with a part of the outer or middle ear. Most kids with conductive hearing loss have a mild hearing loss and it is usually temporary because in most cases medical treatment can help.

Sensory Cochlea is affected The amount of sound they can hear varies Ability to talk may be affected Everybody point to the cochlea on their model (give them time so they are all pointing). Well, this type of hearing loss happens when the cochlea is not working correctly because the tiny hair cells are damaged. Depending on the hearing loss, the child might hear most sounds (although they may be muffled), hearing in quiet but not in noise, hear only some sounds, or no sounds at all. Sensory hearing impairment is almost always permanent and a person’s ability to talk normally may be affected.

Neural Message failure Nerve is damaged Does anyone remember where the information sent after it gets to the cochlea? The brain, that’s right! This happens when there is a problem with the connection from the cochlea to the brain. Neural means related to nerve, so neural hearing loss means that the nerve that carries messages from the cochlea to the brain is damaged.

Central Hearing Loss Cochlea is fine Brain is not Message cannot be decoded This happens when the cochlea is working properly, but parts of the brain are not. This is a less frequent type of hearing loss and is much more difficult to treat due to the brains complexity.

Why do some people lose their hearing? Too much noise Aging Tumors Ear infection Heredity Head trauma Disease There are many reasons that a person could become deaf or hard of hearing. Can anyone tell me a reason for this? (write their ideas on the board). Very good, these are just a few of the factors that could cause hearing loss.

Types of Hearing Aids Digital Hearing Aids Disposable Hearing Aids Programmable Hearing Aids Conventional Hearing Aids

Digital Hearing Aids Made from a microchip Math is used! Digital Hearing Aids are made with a microchip and are programmed by a computer. Once unplugged from the computer, the hearing aids adapt to the environment and pick up the sounds all around them. Here is the process of how the Digital Hearing Aids work, the sound wave enters a microphone in the hearing aid and the sound is translated into a series of numbers. A special tool in the hearing aid performs a specific amount of mathematic calculations, and keeps the sound in a patients comfort zone with noise. This signal is then sent to a receiver and into the ear as a clear sound.

Disposable Hearing Aids Almost invisible! Soft to the touch Replace every 40 days. Very beneficial Disposable Hearing Aids are very much like contacts for the eye, they are almost invisible when they are inserted in the ear! This hearing aid can either be translucent, see through, or they can be skin colored. This hearing aid is soft to the touch because it is made with soft materials and gives off excellent sound quality. This hearing aid should be replaced every 40 days with a fresh new one. This is beneficial because it reduces the need for hearing aid repairs and hearing aid batteries.

Programmable Hearing Aids Already programmed instructions Based on person’s hearing test Can be readjusted, fine-tuned, or even replaced Greatest flexibility A Programmable hearing aid has already digitally programmed instructions in its memory, inside of the hearing aid. It is specially designed to respond to specific environments based on the results of the user’s hearing test. Once this is programmed, the hearing aid can easily be readjusted, fine- tuned, or even replaced in the event that a person’s hearing aids need adjusted. This hearing aid offers a better way to be accommodated to a person’s individual needs, allowing the greatest flexibility of all hearing aids!

Conventional (analog) Hearing Aids The most basic Will be visible to the eye Only one or two adjustments The most inexpensive Conventional Hearing Aids increase sound level and fit on the inside or the back of the ear. This hearing aid has an electronic circuit that closely matches a person’s hearing loss needs when needed. With this, it is possible to make only about one or two adjustments to the hearing aid. These hearing aids offer the most basic type of amplification and are a good choice when money is an issue because they are very cheap compared to the others. They are the most inexpensive.

Cochlear Implant Electronic device Surgically implanted Improves speech perception and speech production Consonant, vowels, intonation, and rhythm. Noisy environments may be a problem Cochlear Implant Simulation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpKKYBkJ9Hw A Cochlear Implant is similar to a hearing aid. This is an electronic device that is surgically implanted which provides a sense of sound to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. There are many benefits that come along with this type of hearing device. The majority of the time, there are improvements in the speech perception and speech production of children after the cochlear implantation. Also, children who are provided with a cochlear implant at a younger age are on average more accurate with their production of consonant, vowels, intonation, and rhythm. Along with the benefits comes some limitations for the individuals who choose to go with this route. Noisy environments remain a problem for people with these implants due to the sounds coming in too loudly for the individuals comfort level. Also, there is no definition of a successful implant user. There are no set standards or expectations for individuals with this. (show the cochlear implant simulation).