Understanding the Hearing Impaired

Understanding the hearing impaired is the first step towards effectively interacting with these individuals.

About 10% of the American population is deaf or hard of hearing. For this reason, it is vital to learn on how to communicate with the hearing impaired. For the 28 million Americans who are hearing impaired, communication and comprehension can be a daily struggle. You can help ease that burden by being knowledgeable about hearing impairment. Sound is a very important sense. It is how we initially become aware of the world. And it is the method through which we learn to speak. Even unborn children respond to the sound. People who are deaf, or very hard of hearing cannot do many of the things that we take for granted. They cannot respond to a fire alarm or doorbell or answer someone who speaks to them from behind. There are three basic types of hearing loss and each has different results. Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound does not settled efficiently through the outer ear canal to the eardrum and the ossicles or tiny bones of the middle ear. Conductive hearing loss, which may be caused by factors, like infection or impacted ear wax results in the reduction in hearing. Most people with this type of hearing loss find that hearing aids can help magnify sounds. A more severe form of hearing loss, sensory neural loss, involves the reduction or complete loss of the auditory sense. And can also impact the ability to understand speech. Sensory neural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the inner ear or the cochlea which is the inner ear’s nerves to the brain, the auditory nerves. It is often present at birth or occurs following disease. The third type of hearing impairment, mixed hearing loss. It occurs when there is a conductive hearing loss in combination with the sensory neural hearing loss. Hearing loss is further measured by the severity of the loss, which ear is affected and if the loss is sudden, or progressive. Whether the impairment is stable or fluctuating it is also taken into an account. When speaking to a person who is hearing impaired, make eye contact while talking, and watch the person’s expressions. Body language is silent but it is still a meaningful component of communication. You also want to be sure to speak slowly and clearly enunciating your words. It is probably a good idea to raise your voice slightly but do not shout. If you are conversing with the person who is hearing impaired, be sure that the conversation is just that. Allow the other person to speak in gesture as well. And keep in mind that you can talk with gestures, too. Even if you do not know sound language, using your hands to demonstrate meaning can be effective. Finally, find a quiet place to converse, if at all possible because many people with hearing impairments uses hearing aids, which tends to pick up background noise. A quiet area can make a world of difference. By being aware of hearing impairments and making an effort to converse and interactive people who have them, you will make a positive impression on both your lives.