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By Connie Short, Arizona Relay Service
The Sounds of Summer Recognizing Hearing Loss
Ah, the sounds of summer – the splashing in the pool, the sizzle of the barbecue and the boom of fireworks. While summer is one of the most carefree times of the year, it is also perhaps the most detrimental to your hearing.
From the loud noises of outdoor celebrations, to ear infections caused by excess water in the ear canal, there are many environmental factors that can affect your ability to hear. And while the majority of problems can be avoided through proper prevention, such as ear plugs, disinfecting drops and regular check-ups with a physician, chances are you have been exposed to some levels of dangerous noise.
In fact, according to the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing( ACDHH), there are thousands of individuals in Arizona living with hearing loss and they don’ t even know it.
Not recognizing your own degree of hearing loss can be harmful for a number of reasons. It can be easy to brush off fading hearing until it interferes with day-to-day activities, but you can actually put yourself more at risk by not addressing hearing loss early on. For example, it is easy to expose yourself to further damage by being less sensitive to harmful volume levels.
Since not all sounds register the same way in the ear, hearing loss can be tricky to identify. As someone working with technology designed specifically for the deaf, hard of hearing or those who have difficult speaking, I have seen how different one’ s perception of their own abilities can vary from what is being communicated.
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202 MAGAZINE \ JULY 2013 \ 202magazine. com