It’s Back to School Time - Don’t Forget Hearing Tests!

School starts soon and there’s lots to do to prepare for the upcoming year.  Clothes, supplies and books to be bought.  As preparations are made, more often than not, hearing screenings are overlooked.

Did you know that approximately five out of every 1,000 children have some sort of hearing impairment, with some cases being diagnosed between the ages of three and 17?*  A child’s ability to hear is important and plays a key role in the development of speech and language skills as they grow. 

When was your child’s hearing last tested?

While newborn hearing screening is the norm today, it’s just as important to monitor your child’s hearing as they mature.  In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (https://www.aap.org/), suggests children be screened:

• At school entry
• At least once at ages 6, 8 and 10
• At least once during middle school
• At least once during high school
• For any student entering a new school system without evidence of previous hearing screening

Something else to keep in mind is that as our use of technology increases, how our kids use that technology is a factor.  Monitor their use of headphones!  If you can hear it; it’s too loud.  “Listening through headphones at a high volume for extended periods of time can result in a lifelong hearing loss for children and teens,” according to James E. Foy, D.O.  Oftentimes, young people just want to turn up the volume!

Let’s help your young scholar be successful in the classroom this year!  Call Better Hearing Systems to schedule a consultation and screening today.

*CDC’s National Health Interview Survey, 1997-2005

TIME TO SPRING CLEAN…YOUR HEARING AIDS

Ah spring time! All things are renewed. The cold and dreary winter has subsided and all the trees and plants are in full bloom. As we come out of our hibernation, it’s time to clean, clean, CLEAN.

Most everyone will take the house, yard and car head on, digging into all the nooks and crannies and dispatching of the clutter and dirt that’s accumulated over the winter months. But what about those tiny handy devices you wear in your ears every day? Here are 3 steps to take your cleaning routine to the next level:

1.       REMOVE ALL WAX AND DIRT BUILDUP –

Daily maintenance consists of a simple soft cloth for a quick wipe down, but now is the time to make good use of that cleaning kit we supplied you with when you purchased your hearing aids. Use your brush or pick to clean every tiny opening in your device such as the microphone and vents.  If earwax is a chronic problem, you may want to ask me about wax guards.

2.       DRY THEM OUT –

My guess would be that you normally just take them out and lay them on a cloth for air drying, but this is SPRING CLEANING, so we need to take it up a notch. Using a dehumidifier made to treat hearing aids can significantly extend the life of your device and is much more effective than air drying. You can find a multitude of choices from several local store or on the internet.

3.       SCHEDULE A SERVICE CALL –

Spring is a great time to schedule a service call with me. We can look over your hearing aids and identify any maintenance needs you may have beyond your ability to take care of at home. Hearing aids that are properly cared for will last considerably longer than those that are neglected.

Just as your home, yard and car need a good SPRING CLEANING, so do your hearing aids. Please allow me to continue to provide you with our top notch service here at BETTER HEARING SYSTEMS of NORTHWEST LOUISIANA. 

Protect Your Hearing During The Summer Months

Summer brings lots of celebrations--and with celebrations, come noise! Whether it’s Fourth of July fireworks, live music concerts, street parades with fire engines showing off their horns and sirens, motorcycling, or even simply using a power mower and leaf-blower in the yard, the sounds of summer can be loud. There is a connection between noise exposure and hearing loss, so please take a few simple steps to protect your hearing this summer.


The link between noise and hearing loss: 

Sound travels down the ear canal in waves. Loud noises can cause waves so forceful that they dislodge the tiny bones in the middle ear. If the waves pass through the middle ear and reach the inner ear, they can damage the tiny hair cells that carry sound all the way to the brain, where the sounds are interpreted. Unfortunately, once destroyed, these hair cells can’t repair themselves, and can no longer pass sounds along to the brain--resulting in permanent damage.

Noise levels are measured in decibels. Any sound over 85 decibels can result in hearing loss. For example, a passing motorcycle is roughly 90 decibels, and a firework exploding at close range is around 150 decibels. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) can result from how loud the noise is, as well as the length of a person’s exposure to noise.

Noise-induced hearing loss can affect anyone, at any age. Children have a lower threshold for noise than adults, so it is even more important to protect their hearing during summer activities like watching fireworks or attending a festival with loud music.  

Types of hearing loss due to noise exposure:

There are three types of hearing loss that may result from noise exposure.

• Tinnitus: a temporary ringing or buzzing in the ears after exposure. Tinnitus sometimes, but not always, goes away by itself.
• Temporary changes in threshold: A small decrease in hearing that disappears, usually approximately 24-48 hours after the exposure occurs. Although the hearing distortion goes away, evidence suggests there may be long-term hearing damage.
• Permanent hearing damage: Unfortunately, the most severe noise damage can result in irreversible hearing loss, often from a ruptured eardrum or trauma to the delicate bones of the middle ear.

Tips to protect hearing:

• Stand as far away as possible from the source of the noise. For example, the further away you stand from exploding fireworks, the less trauma to the ears.
• If standing far away isn’t practical, or if the noise is loud even from afar, use earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones to muffle the sound. 
• Shorten the length of time exposed to loud noise. 
• Keep children away from loud noise caused by lawn mowers, fireworks, firearms, lawn and farm machinery, stereo speakers, and concerts. 

If you or a loved one has experienced hearing loss after noise exposure, it is a good idea to schedule a hearing test with a qualified audiologist. The audiologist will help determine if the change in hearing is temporary or permanent.

At Better Hearing Systems of Northwest Louisiana, we offer comprehensive hearing tests for adults and school-aged children, as well as video otoscopy for detailed viewing of the ear canal. Visit our website to learn more, or call (318) 309-4727 to schedule your free hearing consultation.