Glossary of terms
(so you can speak with the Hudacskos and know what we are talking about)
Sensorineural Hearing Loss (Rose’s hearing loss): Hearing loss that is related to the inner ear.
Conductive Hearing Loss (NOT related to Rose’s hearing loss): Hearing loss that is related to the outer and middle ear because the sound is not “conducted” well through these parts.
Cochlea: The Cochlea is the auditory portion of the inner ear. It is shaped like a snail, and it is made up of bone, tissue, fluid, and hair cells.
Decibel: The measurement of sound.
Examples:
30 dB: Faint sounds and whispers
40- 65 dB: Normal conversation . . . leaning to 65/70 dB if you are a Hudacsko
80 dB: Alarm clock, whistle, Noisy room
90 dB: Noises above 90 can cause damage to the ear
100 dB: Lawn mower, car horn (at close proximity)
130/140: Shotgun
Rose has a 40dB loss, so she needs amplification to be able to hear normal speech and conversation.
Frequency and Hertz: The definition of frequency is so complex that this is how I have simplified it. It is pitch-- how sounds sound specifically (as opposed to the loudness of sound) . . . isn’t that helpful. For example, the sounds sh, f, th, and ch are high frequency sounds. Hertz is the measurement of frequency.
Hearing Aids: Hearing aids are amazing! They are designed to amplify the sounds that the hearing impaired person can ALREADY hear. Therefore, they are the best option for people with mild to moderate (even moderately severe) hearing loss.
Cochlear Implants: So complex and miraculous! Cochlear implants are small devices surgically implanted under the skin near the ear to provide sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. Because I am not doing a very good job describing how the implants function . . . click below for more info: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/coch.aspx#c
Logan: Logan, Utah. The home of Utah State University and the Sound Beginnings Program. This is where Dr. Elizabeth Preston practices. She is one of the audiologists we see. Marge Edwards (former and now part-time Teton Valley resident) is a speech pathologist at Sound Beginnings and she specializes in work with infants and toddlers. She has been an incredible role model as she also has two boys with hearing loss.
Idaho Falls: Idaho Falls, Idaho. Home of Regional Hearing and Balance and audiologist Dr. Kim Briggs. We will visit both audiologists for help with ear models and ABRs.
ABRs: Auditory Brainstem Response. In the hospital, infants have an ABR screener. If they fail (nicely known as “refer”) three times before discharge or within a week after birth, they must see an audiologist for a full ABR.
Auditory Brainstem Response tests the brains response to sound by pasting electrodes on the head and recording brain wave activity in response to sound. Audiologists use the results from the ABR to program the hearing aids.
Bone Conductivity Testing: Basically this test bypasses the outer and middle ear by placing the device on the bone behind the ear. Ultimately, if hearing is present then the problem is in the middle or outer ear, if hearing is NOT present or is impaired-- it confirms loss of hearing in inner ear. (This is Lyida’s VERY simplified explanation)
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