I’m pleased to report my book proposal about hearing loss passed the second level of editorial reviews. It has to go through one more editorial review and that will be sometime in early fall.

Over the summer I noticed more and more new technologies for DHH people coming out. Hearing aid for those who suffer from tinnitus, and there are waterproof hearing aids now on the market. There’s a faster captioned telephone now available (CaptionCall by Sorenson) and even bluetooth for hearing aids.

I should be back blogging more often in a couple of weeks.

Yes, it’s a great time for DHH people today. Let’s rock!

In case you haven’t noticed, computer technologies are becoming quite valuable for DHH people to use. Learn computer skills as soon as possible.

Also, Social media is becoming ever more and more popular. It’s really amazing to see it grow. Like for LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Take a social media class. You’ll be surprised what you can do with social media. It can improve your life in many ways.

Yes, it’s great to use computer technologies, because it eliminates the need for people to know you have a hearing loss.  Here’s an example of what I mean: just earlier today there was a news announcement that restaurant patrons can now do virtual restaurant ordering.

How does it work? You go into a restaurant, and the table you choose to sit at will show your virtual plate. It will also show the choices of food items you can put on your virtual plate.

When you’re done, just click and the order goes to the chef. You won’t be needing the waiter that much. So you don’t have to worry about trying to communicate with your waiter, or getting your order messed up just because the waiter didn’t understand your speech. Pretty cool, huh? Here’s an online article about it:

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/07/06/restaurant-serves-virtual-food/

Life is getting pretty exciting for DHH people, isn’t it? I just love technologies that are helpful for DHH people. Even captioning is being expanded to include places such as airports, churches, conventions, etc. And let’s not forget greater advances are being made for better hearing aids and cochlear implants.

I will cover some of these technology advances in future postings.

Hope your summer is going well!  :)

As we all know, humans like to be with others, and they do this mainly by using their hearing, to talk and communicate. To a lesser extent, people are becoming sociable also through social media. This is wonderful, for friends who live far away. It’s also a boon for those with hearing problems. But yet, we all want to be with others in person, in groups we can relate to, and identify with.

I went to a very large Deaf social event last Sunday. It was a place where just about everyone uses sign language to communicate. And they all were having a good time, including me, since I know ASL decently. It was helpful, too, because the place I was in had low lights and was somewhat noisy. It’s a brilliant way to communicate, if your speech or hearing isn’t good. It was great, because I was eating delicious food, dancing, and moving around to talk to various friends.

Quite often, oralists and those who lose their hearing later in life, might stick up their noses at those who sign. They most likely want to be in a group that shares their ideas, and espouse a more oral communication method. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Within the DHH spectrum, I have seen many, many subgroups of DHH people.

I’ve seen those with CIs stick together and talk, and then go back to the hearing world. I have seen people who sign exclusively and won’t deal with hearing people at all. There are even those who are deaf and don’t want a CI or a hearing aid, and don’t sign, and yet speak. There are those who have obtained CIs and want only to be with hearing people. Believe me, there are many specific DHH subgroups.

We all have a preference and right, to how we want to communicate. We also have the right to decide how to handle our hearing loss issues personally. And to decide which DHH groups to join, or not join.

For me, although I was raised oralist, and do sign, I prefer to communicate via written English. I live in the world of words more than speaking, or communicating to others in sign.

This is something that parents of DHH children might have difficulty understanding, why or how a DHH child finally selects a communication modality.

Although technically a parent of a DHH child has the right to decide how a child’s hearing loss will be treated, do not be surprised if the DHH child switches communication gears and group alliances later on.

It’s not a crime, or a sign that a parent of a DHH child made a mistake. Your DHH child may have discovered lipreading and hearing aids (ditto for CIs) aren’t the right communication modality for him. Signing may be easier and more helpful, and you should not deride your child for that.

Rather, be happy, if your child seems more content and sociable now than before, especially in signing. Accept what happened, even if you don’t understand your child completely. I have had hearing parents complain to me that their DHH child came back from school, and was signing exclusively, and they could no longer understand their child.

It’s similar to this: a hearing mother and father told me a story about their hearing son. Their son went to Germany, fell in love with the country, and suddenly decided to live there. He loves the social life, the people, their customs there. He now speaks German all the time. The parents are sad and disappointed.

I don’t think the parents of the gone-to-Germany son should be sad. Rather, I think they should celebrate the fact their son has found a group he finds comfortable and exciting to be in.

It’s the same with a DHH child. If the child comes home signing and seems content, be glad.

Success is when your DHH child is able to identify and be accepted within a DHH social group.

For this is something we all seek.

We all want to be part of specific groups, where everybody knows your name.

Changes in the earmold technology field has been interesting over the last few years. There are new shapes and sizes, and now receivers can be installed within them. By that I mean the sound is coming straight out of the earmold, versus the sound travelling out of the hearing aid and travelling through the tubes to the earmold.

However, no matter what kind of earmold you get, there are several cardinal rules for using them:

1) Clean them on a daily basis. Some wearers swab them with alcohol. (Check with your dealer first.) Some use mild soap and water. Some use cleaners provided by their dealers or audiologists. Whatever you use for cleaning, make sure your earmolds are DRY afterwards. If they are not dry when you insert them in your ears, you run the risk of an ear infection. I am not kidding you.

2) Do not put them on immediately following swimming, washing your hair, or taking a shower. Your ears must be dry first before putting them in your ears. Again, you run the risk of getting an ear infection. Trust me, ear infections are NOT fun.

3) If you have an ear infection, discontinue wearing them and see your doctor. I am prone to ear infections no matter how careful I am, so I keep a stock of otoantibiotics (ear infection antibiotics) on hand. I treat myself, and then I usually wait a few days before I put my hearing aid back on. Ear infections make your ears swell up, and then the earmold won’t fit. And then you get that annoying whistle or what is referred to as “feedback”. Not to mention pain, redness and itching, and often discharge.

4) The clear tubes that run between your earmold and hearing aid should be clear. If they are yellow, get them replaced. If it has water spots within it, or has earwax, clear it out. If you don’t know how, see your hearing aid dealer or audiologist. Learn to do it yourself. It saves a lot of time and aggravation, and it is a simple process.

5) Watch your weight. Any changes of 5-10 pounds extra or loss will change the size of your ears and then they whistle or won’t fit well. You may have to get new ones. They are expensive.

6) Often you develop an allergy to the earmold. If so, clean them meticulously on a daily basis. Use alcohol, earmold cleaner, or even antibiotic drops. Drip a few drops over it. Eventually it may clear up. If not, you need to get a new one. Ask that your new earmold be made of a different material. Earmolds can be made from various substances, and you should know what they are. Have your hearing aid specialist or audiologist explain what they are. Sometimes earmolds are rough and weren’t buffed enough. If it’s rough, it will scratch your ear and cause cuts and possibly ear infections. You can ask to have it buffed, to make it smoother.

I hope these few tips will help you hear better.

I think life for DHH people is getting exciting, because I’m seeing more and more technological advances for hearing loss. I’m seeing improvements in captioning technologies, hearing aids, videophones, cochlear implants, captioning for telephones, social media, computers, etc. It’s been just fantastic, seeing this explosion.

I hope to “shine a flashlight” over some of these technologies over the next several postings, and discuss them in some detail.

Remember, life is exciting, even if you have hearing trouble. There’s no excuse for it. We have many different items you can try and there are always support groups and clubs to join.

Keep your hearing aid or cochlear implant on, and keep your eyes open.

Otherwise you’re missing out on great times, even with hearing loss.  :)

It’s a lot to lose:  a spouse, and the ability to hear, both within a short frame of time. Many people often have difficulty dealing with one loss, but she has two major ones to deal with.

We all go through the grief process, most of us more than once.

It’s important that you accept and acknowledge your loss of hearing. When you do accept it completely, then it’s easier to navigate the various lifestyle choices that you’ll be offered within the DHH culture.

This woman, fortunately, had made two big realizations: One was she admitted to me that she has a hearing loss, and secondly, she was ready to be with DHH people. Although she would be with hearing people mostly, she realized she needed to see and mingle within the DHH culture, from time to time.

In accepting that she was now part of DHH culture, she’ll probably be able to accept the loss of her husband eventually. Just accepting the hearing loss alone — it’s a big and positive leap in growth for her.

Generally, for many new DHH people, it takes on the average about seven years to accept, or admit a hearing loss.

Below is a short story that was written by a mother whose child was found to have autism. But I think it applies to anyone who has, or gets a disability. The title is “Welcome to Holland”.

Here it is: http://www.our-kids.org/Archives/Holland.html

For when you accept and enter the DHH culture (Holland), you will find lots of empathy, support, socialization and acceptance, and eventually, smiles and laughter.

Life is fun and wonderful in DHH country. I know so, because I’m in it, and having a good time.

Which brings me to an important point. As a DHH person, you have the right to decide what kind of hearing loss device you want. And where to get it from. You have the right to decide how to communicate with others. You have the right to refuse or accept any and all DHH support given to you.

(Of course, if you are under 18, parents have the right to decide. But if  you are a savvy DHH parent, you will let them decide to the fullest extent possible what they want. For example, if your child signs and is doing well in school and communicating with others, you would be wise not to interfere, or to ban ASL completely. If the child says he or she doesn’t want a CI, don’t force it on them. If they want to sign, but not speak, let your child do so. Otherwise, you are most likely asking for trouble.)

Usually, the DHH person knows innately what he or she is good at. I’ve talked about multiple intelligences theory before. A DHH person should develop the skills he or she is best at,  and is comfortable with.

For example, some DHH people lipread better than others. Some DHH people can’t lipread at all. Some DHH people are fantastic in signing. Some are good with hearing aids, some aren’t. Some like CIs, others don’t. I like captioning, but others prefer signing for movies and news events. DHH people generally have very marked and definite preferences.

The DHH person is responsible for developing a lifestyle that is successful and comfortable. It means being able to choose DHH devices that will be helpful, such as CIs, hearing aids, CapTel, flashing bed alarms, vibrating watches, etc. And using your skills and education, to compensate for your hearing loss.

It also means knowing and understanding your type of hearing loss and working to utilize what residual hearing you may have. I am fortunate I can use the residual hearing that I have. Not all DHH people are so fortunate, so we must help other DHH people as much as we can, in as many ways as possible.

Also, DHH people should know the kind of spouse or life partner they want, communication method-wise. Many do not make good choices and so suffer from lack of real communication.

Usually, the longer and more severe the hearing loss, the more a DHH person should hook up with a life partner who has an understanding of DHH culture. Generally speaking, divorce rates are high between a DHH spouse and a hearing spouse that knows nothing about DHH culture.

These are only some of the key points in living life positively with hearing loss. I hope to expand these points in my future book.

Any questions, please email me at: ruth_6572@hotmail.com.

Number one: Everyone in the group will know and understand what you are going through. I grew up thinking that I was the only one with this kind of hearing loss, and was surprised to discover there were others just like me. I suddently didn’t feel alone anymore. We know, we understand, and we know hearing people simply will not understand, care, or will dismiss it as being a trivial thing. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Number two: Your support group becomes your DHH family. If you become exhausted dealing with hearing people, this becomes your sanctuary, your home, your “relief and joy” place. It’s almost like a religious place. You will come away feeling refreshed and at peace, before going back to the hearing world.

Number three: This is where you can find out about new DHH technologies. This is where you can see others using and wearing new hearing aids, new cochlear implants, and other fantastic technologies. You don’t have to wear hearing aids like Grandma’s anymore. There are even hearing devices that are implanted behind the ear, and you can’t see it at all.

Number four: You might meet the DHH love of your life here. Or find your DHH BFF here. Or obtain job and networking contacts, who are kind and understanding towards DHH people.

Number five: You are able to compare yourself against others, and evaluate privately (and openly if you wish) how you are doing in your life with a hearing loss.

Number six: You can party hearty with people you can actually understand. Many  DHH support groups throw parties and have events. What can be more fun than that? Besides, you get to hear hearing loss and hearing aid jokes. C’mon, sometimes life is funny with a hearing loss. I have heard some really hilarious stories from DHH people. You don’t want to miss out on those things, do you, when people share something funny about a DHH event?

Let’s face it. Hearing loss is a socializing problem. It’s a communication problem. It’s a speech problem. It’s fighting audism in a hearing world. It’s learning to use hearing aids and  hearing loss devices, and how to keep your job despite a hearing loss, and saving your sanity, and more.

Support and DHH social groups are THE WAY for those with DHH problems. Find and join one ASAP.

I will explain more in detail about structure and privacy of support groups in my next posting.

Stay “tuned”.

What do we all share in common? We all have hearing problems, so we get together, because we know that those outside our group would simply just not understand, or care that much. The problem with hearing loss is that many hearing people tend to think it’s not a major problem. But we DHH know better.

So, precisely for that reason (and there are other reasons too), that is why it’s important to join a group that shares your type of problem. Besides, it also becomes social, and also develops networking contacts.

I had a man come up after the meeting, and say he needed to hear that others had similar problems, and was so thrilled to be in our group.

Perhaps the main reason for a support group is developing an identity: we are able to describe ourselves better, when we compare ourselves against similar others.

Over the next several posts, I’m going to discuss why it’s important for DHH people to be in a group they can identify with.

Belonging to a strong support group is a good thing.