hearing

Five Strategies to Protect and Preserve Hearing

By Monique Hammond / January 22, 2024 / Comments Off on Five Strategies to Protect and Preserve Hearing

Hearing connects us to our social and professional worlds. It allows us to enjoy the sounds of speech, nature, and music. Unfortunately, people all too often fail to appreciate this precious sense. They rarely feel motivated to protect and preserve their hearing. They take it for granted until it fades away and they experience the…

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Smartphone Sound Level Meter Apps Help Protect Hearing

By Monique Hammond / November 29, 2023 / Comments Off on Smartphone Sound Level Meter Apps Help Protect Hearing

Ever since I got a sound level meter app for my Android phone, I am a lot more confident with decisions regarding sound exposures for my already damaged ears. A click of the button lets me know at once whether I am headed into an overly loud, ear-unfriendly place. And I want to avoid more…

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When Sound Sensitivities Complicate Hearing Loss

By Monique Hammond / January 5, 2023 / Comments Off on When Sound Sensitivities Complicate Hearing Loss

Such a contradiction: Not hearing well and understanding even less, yet being overly sensitive to sound? How can this be? Once more, we are reminded that damaged hearing systems do not behave in a logical fashion. Shortly after my sudden, severe hearing-loss the sounds of everyday life turned into unexpected challenges. What never bothered me…

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Headphones

Making the Most of DIY Hearing Care

By Monique Hammond / March 2, 2022 / Comments Off on Making the Most of DIY Hearing Care

Over-simplifying hearing loss?  The son who had accompanied his mother to a hearing loss meeting shared confidentially that he liked his music loud and that he did not worry about hearing damage. He felt that he heard enough and that nowadays hearing loss is easy. “With all of that technology out there, you fix it…

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OTC Hearing Aid

OTC Hearing Aids Public Comment Period

By Monique Hammond / November 9, 2021 / Comments Off on OTC Hearing Aids Public Comment Period

OTC hearing aids will be “self-fitting,” non-prescription devices. They will be regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but people can buy them Over-the-Counter without a prescription or the input of any professional help. Would-be users will be on their own when it comes to deciding if they qualify for these devices because they are…

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Lazy Ear in children

Lazy Ear in Children

By Monique Hammond / August 28, 2021 / Comments Off on Lazy Ear in Children

A sound processing disorder The technical term for “Lazy Ear” is ambly-audia, which means dulled or blunted hearing. Although the condition can be genetic, it is often acquired during the phases of hearing development and maturation in infancy and throughout the childhood years.  Lazy Ear or amblyaudia is lopsided, asymmetrical hearing, which results from sound processing challenges…

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ASHA logo

It’s May, the Time to Take Action on Hearing and Speech Issues

By Monique Hammond / May 11, 2021 / Comments Off on It’s May, the Time to Take Action on Hearing and Speech Issues

During the month of May, people are called upon to raise awareness on many diverse topics. It is also my birth month. But I never ever thought that May would become important to me as “Better Hearing and Speech” Month.  Connections through Communication Every year since 1927, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) dedicates the month…

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Sudden Hearing Loss

Sudden Hearing Loss is a Medical Emergency

By Monique Hammond / April 28, 2021 / Comments Off on Sudden Hearing Loss is a Medical Emergency

Fast, noticeable losses For me, a sudden left-sided deafness became a scary and life-altering event. The longer name for this condition is Sudden SensoriNeural Hearing Loss (SSNHL). “Sensori” refers to  damage to the inner-ear cochlear hearing cells and “neural” refers to damage to the hearing nerve. Although both ears may be involved, in most cases…

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Hearing Loss Outed By Covid

Hearing Loss Outed by COVID-19

By Monique Hammond / March 27, 2021 / Comments Off on Hearing Loss Outed by COVID-19

No place to hide Yes, hearing loss became truly a family affair during COVID isolation and quarantine. There was no way to hide 24/7 when conversations became labored for those with hearing loss. Family members grew weary in a hurry of having to confront the communication struggles every single day. One lady shared that she…

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Covid 19 Hearing Loss

COVID-19 — Suddenly a Quieter World.

By Monique Hammond / April 20, 2020 / Comments Off on COVID-19 — Suddenly a Quieter World.

Calm and serenity: A silver lining?   Like everybody else, I do not enjoy social distancing. After all, I love doing my Safety and hearing loss presentations in person, with actual people! Feelings of isolation? As a person with hearing loss, I have my share of those already.  What I do enjoy about this virus-imposed quarantine…

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