Valley Center of the Deaf

Helping Your Child Get Through Hearing Loss

admin — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Struggling through hearing loss can be a tough and trying time for the sufferer as well as the friends and family around him or her. You might know someone who has suffered from hearing loss or, maybe, you happen to be the parent of a child who has recently been afflicted with this. It can be frustrating and communication can really break down if this situation isn’t dealt with in the right manner. A certain level of patience and understanding as well as some professional help are all required unless you want your family to fall apart.

One of the best ways you can connect with your child if he or she is suffering from hearing loss is to show an interest in their plight and demonstrate ways in which you want to help or make it easier. I know it can be a struggle with all the rest of life’s little challenges – mortgages, paying the bills, car repairs, looking into Debt Settlement, internet bills, etc. – but the fact of that matter is that your child needs you. Take some time to look into some schools specially designed for this sort of thing and start becoming more active in your child’s life. This might require you to learn to sign and while it may not be the same as vocal communication; it is still communication none the less.

Do You Have A Deaf Family Member Needing Aid?

admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are many assistance options when it comes to helping a deaf family member. If they are in need of an aid, there are many options available. Hearing assistance devices are one of the most common aids that most deaf people rely on for communication. There are many different types of hearing aids that can help out with a deaf family member. You can determine which hearing aid will best suit your deaf family member, depending on the severity of their deafness.
You can also look into video relay/interpreter services. These come in handy for phone conversations as well as important meetings, if applicable. There are many organizations as well as phone companies that offer this service, if interested. It does help out with assistance to the extreme.
Visual notifications are also important, and will help out if you receive some type of email message. There are notifications that will actually pop up on your computer screen to inform you of a notification that you have received. Many windows on computers already have options which just have to be programmed, if needed.
All of these options are available to help out with a family member who is hard of hearing.Keep looking, there’s more: Rhode Island Commission on the Deaf & Hard of Hearing finds Point To Communicate

Deaf People Need Good Brand Hearing Aids

admin — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Hearing aids can be quite expensive for people that are deaf. The whole point is that deaf people need good brand hearing aids. They need a hearing aid that is going to last them for some time. They also need a hearing aid that is going to give them the highest in standards. People that use good brand hearing aids will seek many benefits.
Hearing aids are meant to improve word recognization through what they call central reorganization. People who have mild to moderate hearing loss should definitely consider a hearing aid in both ears. The top brand hearing aids usually consist of of speed audibility, physical comfort, and audible comfort which means not too much noise in the background, and not too loud. They also are known for being cosmetically acceptable, size consistent with persons ability to manipulate small objects, and best of all a reasonable price.
Just because they’re one of the best brands, does not mean that they have to be too expensive. You can still find reasonable, good branded hearing aids. They deliver the best when it comes to hearing. Most insurance will cover some of the cost, but not all. Hearing can be made simple.

Hearing Aids Are Great For the Deaf

admin — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Modern hearing aids are so well-designed that they are great for the hearing impaired and people that may be deaf. These devices are easy to conceal and are not big and bulky like they used to be. For years people with hearing impairments didn’t want to wear hearing aids because they appeared big, were easily noticed by others and were uncomfortable.

With modern technology making them smaller and lightweight, people can easily wear hearing aids without others noticing that they have them on. These hearing aids are not only smaller and more easily concealed, they work much better than past versions too. They are able to magnify sound much better and the sound that they produce is much clearer.

Hearings aids are great for the deaf because they allow them to hear when they otherwise wouldn’t be able to do so. The deaf can once again enjoy having conversations with people, watching their favorite television show and listening to their favorite music. Hearing aids can greatly improve the quality of life for people with hearing impairments. They also can resolve safety issues that those with a hearing impairment may face on a day to day basis. These wonderful devices are truly a great asset to a hearing impaired individual.You thought this was good? Brace yourself: “Hearing dummies” set to revolutionise hearing impairment treatment

Choosing the Right Hearing Aid Product

admin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

When you’re deaf or nearly deaf, the last thing you want is to be burdened by tons of information regarding the latest and greatest hearing technologies. The best thing to do to avoid confusion when choosing a new hearing product is to look at all the options then make a slow, informed decision. For such a big purchase, you should be sure.
Digital Hearing Aids: Relatively new to the market, these are the latest and greatest in hearing technologies. Detecting even the slightest change in movement or vibration, digital hearing aids give their wearers an increased sense of confidence when it comes to conversation.
Invisible Hearing Aids: When it comes to minimalism, invisible hearing aids are a great solution. These aids are designed specifically to hide well within the ear canal and make great options for younger wearers or even children.
Traditional Hearing Aids: Tried and true, regular hearing aids are nothing to scoff at. A majority of hearing aid wearers are eligible for a traditional hearing aid and these battery operated devices are a great option for the cost and appearance conscious.

The challenge of unilateral hearing loss

www.valleycenterofthedeaf.org — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 06:18:08 +0000

Unilateral hearing loss, as befits its name, refers to hearing loss in only one ear. The main causes of unilateral hearing loss are physical injury, acoustic neroma (a benign intracranial tumor), microtia (where one ear is underdeveloped), or disease (measles, meningitis, mumps, etc.). While this may sound like a minimal impairment compared to full hearing loss, it presents its own set of challenges. These are mostly associated with the difficulty of interpreting sound through only one mediumin other words, hearing in mono instead of stereo. Cover one of your own ears in a crowd, or in a situation where someone is speaking over background noise. Can you pick out where the speaker is, or differentiate the speech from the environment?These difficulties result in other common side effects, such as irritability, headaches, and nervous anxiety. Sufferers of unilateral hearing loss may choose to avoid social situations due to the difficulty of understanding and carrying on conversations.Two special hearing aids have been developed for those with UHL: contralateral routing of signals (CROS) hearing aids and bone anchored hearing aids (BAHA). The CROS hearing aid transfers sound from the ear with poorer hearing and transmits it to the hearing ear, usually via two behind-the-ear units with wired or wireless transmission. Hearing sounds from both sides helps the listener situate themselves in the environment more easily. BAHAs, on the other hand, use the conductive properties of bone to transfer sound and stimulate the hearing ear’s cochlea. While this cannot necessarily improve sound localization, it can reduce the head shadow (a term for the region where sound amplitude is limited because of the head).

Dogs for the Deaf offers companionship and assistance

www.valleycenterofthedeaf.org — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 11:24:35 +0000

Many Americans are familiar with the concept of seeing-eye dogs, but trained dogs can be great companions for deaf individuals as well. Dogs for the Deaf, located in Central Point, Oregon, is one of the organizations in American that works to place hearing dogs in households, all with no cost to either taxpayers or to the new owner (besides a 50 application fee). These dogs are taken from animal shelters and trained individually by a DFD professional, usually for 4 to 6 months. Microchipping and spaying/neutering is customary for all dogs, as is any medical care needed to ensure the dog’s health.DFD first started its mission in 1977, led by Hollywood and circus animal trainer Roy G. Kabat. Today, his daughter Robin Dickson serves as CEO and President of the organization. The “Hearing Dogs” program is actually just one of four that DFD offers. “Miracle Mutts” also places dogs with those in need, although not necessarily due to hearing impairment, while “Harmony’s Hounds” and “Career Change Dogs” help dogs with special needs find homes.If Oregon is out of your way but you’re in need of a hearing dog, Florida Dog Guides for the Deaf helps place hearing ear dogs with Florida residents. Other programs may be found through some research online, or simply by contacting a deaf assistance organization in your area. Hearing ear dogs can truly be a best friend for a deaf or hard of hearing person, and the dog will be just as happy to find a good home as their owner is to have them.

CSD

www.valleycenterofthedeaf.org — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 19:40:27 +0000

As mentioned on the page “Dealing With Deafness,” the risk of social isolation is high for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc. (CSD) is a private nonprofit that helps to combat this alarming trend. Their services range from technology that helps deaf people connect from inside their homes to in-person interpreters (in certain states).Currently, CSD has locations in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas. The company offers interpreting services, which can be booked via the company’s website (www.c-s-d.org), in four of those states: Maryland, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Texas. The services in other states vary by location. For instance, in Ohio, CSD hosts Deaf BH MattersConsumer Advocacy Network, a service for deaf people with Behavioral Health issues. CSD Ohio also features a Deaf Off Drugs & Alcohol Program, a Regional Infant Hearing Program (RIHP) provided free to eligible families, Case Management and Counseling Services that offer support to both the deaf and their families, and Development Disabilities Services. The services offered in other states can be found at the CSD website.The company’s innovative video CSD (vCSD) program is available around the country. vCSD uses video conferencing, videophones, and/or webcams to connect deaf individuals with support specialists, especially those who can benefit from behavioral health counseling. Other services include domestic violence counseling and deaf advocacy. vCSD is especially helpful for deaf individuals in isolated areas without physical access to services, but this technology does require an Internet connection. That’s why CSD also sponsors Project Endeavor, a program for installing high speed broadband internet in the homes of the deaf and hard of hearing. The company is currently hiring American Sign Language speakers to work in the contact center, as well as web graphic and layout designers and PC techs. If you’d like to get involved with CSD and helping to build connections with deaf individuals in need, contact the company today.Other CSD services include CSD Interpreting Online (CSDIO), which offers online real-time interpreting services for deaf and hearing people in the same room, and SIGNews, a monthly newsletter with information relevant to the deaf and signing community.

WORLDEAF Cinema Festival

www.valleycenterofthedeaf.org — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 22:44:05 +0000

Gallaudet University, located in Washington, D.C., was the first advanced education school for the hard of hearing in the world, and it continues to set precedents to this day. The latest one is the WORLDEAF Cinema Festival, which was held November 4-7 on campus. The conference honors hard of hearing people in cinema and hearing people who create works that depict deaf people in a realistic and positive light.Marlee Matlin, an Academy Award-winning actress (Children of a Lesser God) who just happens to be deaf, chaired the festival. In her welcome message online, Matlin says that “the WORLDEAF Cinema Festival offers unique opportunities to network with motion picture industry leaders, andparticipate in discussion forums on production, marketing, and distribution issues.” Matlin received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the festival.However, she’s not the only one who viewers may recognize. On Thursday, there was a panel discussion that included Shoshannah Stern, best known for her role as Bonnie Richmond in Jericho and recurring roles in Weeds and Lie To Me. Russell Harvard was also presenthe played the adult H.W. Plainview in the film There Will Be Blood, and will also be playing deaf wrestler Matt Hamill in an upcoming biopic.Festival attendees also had the chance to view a number of films based around deaf identity, including:I’m Deaf and I Didn’t Know: A young deaf woman struggles to find her identity.Deafhood: The Journey: A film about the power of American Sign Language to connect the deaf with the world.Anna’s Silent Struggle: The story of one of the few deaf survivors of Auschwitz.The Fingerspellers: A comedy about a deaf crime family.Gerald: The story of a man who finds out that he has a deaf autistic grandfather.Music Is Not Everything: An aspiring musician suddenly becomes deaf.For a complete listing of the films that were shown, you can check out the WDCF site, part of the Gallaudet University website.