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Deafness, Difficulties & Communication - a blogg

Jenny105
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Back in the old days old every 7yr old took a hearing test at school, I was teaching in a Middle School in W Su.ssex when the day came for my class of 36 , 6-7yr olds to be tested. When the last child had donned the earphones I quietly asked if I could be tested. The soft response , ''staffroom, at break''

      This happened.  I was handed 2 pieces of paper which were to be shown to my doctor. Confirmation that my hearing levels were down enough to be of concern.


A test involves donning earphones  while the tester twiddles knobs for different frequencies. Each ear is tested seperately usually the sounds start  clear (press a on hearing) . If theres a hearing problem the sounds tail off ; the button pressing tails off. too head_bandage  

A graph is produced showing sounds heard across the board This indicates sound  levels heard and  not heard !!.

I might fnd a graph if there's interest.

This is a personal story from a non qualified person, just from someone with a longstanding hearing loss

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JAZZ-trad
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Thank you @Jenny105

Thank you for that post. 

We all will gradually have hearing losses I suppose.

(Especially those who stood at the side of those very large speakers!upside_down

When I went for a sight test, I was offered a hearing test too.

I think it is quite easy to have a test nowadays as there are quite a few places

offering it.

I have to say though that I don't know if they offer it to children at school now

my guess is they do not. It would be better if they did as well as a sight test.

Just to be sure that they CAN hear and see everything or just not listening.

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Cleoriff
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I remember those hearing tests at school.

I used to have very acute hearing. When my lads my lads muttered at me after a telling off, I could hear them....much to their shock.

 

Now old age is catching up with me and it's nowhere near as good as it was. I think a visit to a hearing specialist is on the cards.

 

I don't think they do the hearing tests at school now... Edit: I have double checked this and was wrong.

Most schools do offer hearing tests. They are also done at birth and again before the age of 5 years.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hearing-tests-children/

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gmarkj
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Thanks for sharing your story @Jenny105.
My father in law a couple of years ago was finally convinced to go and see if he could get hearing aids.
He was of the opinion that nothing could be done - he suffered from tinnitus and thought that he just had to live with it.
The change since has been fantastic - he can hear people much clearer than before, and where he used to suffer from headaches because of the ringing as he now hears sounds they are much reduced.
So even if you are not deaf but do suffer from a hearing complaint it is well worth the time to get checked!

Please note, this is not customer services and we cannot access your account. Do not publish personal details (email, phone number, bank account).


Link to our guide on how to contact them can be found here

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Jenny105
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Jazz  thought provoking.  

   Children have preschool tests I think whether that enough I'm not sure. But thats contencious

And yes at a later  age hearing loss is often caused by loss of use of ''hair cells'' but there are other causes.

 

Im not an expert just talking from my own experience

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Jenny105
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That's brill. Tinnitus is tough,
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Cleoriff
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@Jenny105 

Yes, the article I linked to said "some" schools do audiology testing on children after 5 yrs old. As you say, this isn't enough.

I read somewhere that schools in the US do regular testing on older school children. Not sure it would be free though.

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Jenny105
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Hi that sounds like a good plan . NHS route is usually via your GP. There are some testing sites online but Im not sure how good they are !! GP will probably refer you for a test. There are sometimes 3 routes. I wouldn't choose the one via a famous spectacle firm with comical TV ads.
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Jenny105
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Next step in the personal blog

It took awhile for the audiologists to decide whether the hearing loss was in bone conduction or nerve endings. Nerve endings were chosen. These hair like nerves are damaged and cannot conduct certain frequences to the brain well so there's a loss of full  hearing. Bone, i believe is damage to the little bones with in the ear.

 

A hearing aid wasnt suggested at this point. My GP told me it was because of my job as infant teacher . I assume that was because of all the many classroom background noises, and because of the short distance a hearing aid can operate over.  this was before digital aids but even now these issues are common .

Note    this is a persoanl story of my own experience and my own undersatnding. Please add yours to mine

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Jenny105
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Now comes the more difficult part.  

About 20yrs ago it was decided a hearing aid would assist me. No longer teaching and in a sheltered environment I chose the NHS route.    Another test was performed and a digital aid was available.  I went into great detail abour the busy life I led and that I needed a T bar (loop system in the aid. I also opted a setting to mute background noise.

 

It's important to stress your busy life ,  Loop systems are fitted as a matter of course to NHS aids I believe but to be sure ask. Other settings available are   background noise mute, music setting and one other which I have forgotten!      It is also important to ask the tester when the button you are holding should be pushed  ie   when you hear a loud noise is obvious but do you press when you think you hear a tiny faint noise

 

If everything sounds too loud at first its advised to use the aid for a few hours each day, gradually increase that.   If that or anything else is not as you'd hoped; uncomfortable or a problem , ring in or ask someone to ring in for a check up..       next up the day to day problems

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