Audiology Facts at Your Fingertips
Did You Know . . .?*
Three out of every 1000 babies are born with hearing loss.
Children with mild to moderate hearing losses, onaverage, achieve one to four grade levels lower than their peers with normal hearing, unless appropriate management occurs.
There is a higher prevalence (2:1) of permanent hearing loss in people with diabetes than those without the disease regardless of age.
Hearing loss changes the brain.
While the exact cause of tinnitus (ringing in the ear) is unknown, it may be a symptom of other problems such as hearing loss, exposure to loud noise, exposure to ototoxic medicine or allergies.
There is a strong statistical connection between the appearance and degree of hearing loss and all-cause dementia.
Hearing loss is the third most prevalent chronic condition (behind arthritis and hypertension).
HALF of all cases of hearing loss are preventable (e.g., ototoxic medications, chronic otitis media, infectious disease, head trauma and noise).
Hearing loss causes difficulties with auditory attention, memory and comprehension.
The opportunity to communicate is a basic human right. Read more about the International Communication Project (ICP) at
May is Speech and Hearing Month –
One in six Canadians has a speech, language or hearing problem.
For communication fact sheets and more information regarding the
professionals who provide help and support, contact:
References
American Academy of Audiology. (2011, September).American Academy of Audiology clinical practice guidelines: Childhood hearing screening. Retrieved from delines.pdf
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2014). Effects of hearing loss on development. Retrieved from
Horikawa, C., Kodama, S., Tanaka, S., Fujihara, K., Hirasawa, R., Yachi, Y., . . . Sone, H. (2013, January). Diabetes and risk of hearing impairment in adults: A meta-analysis.TheJournal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 98(1),5158.doi:10.1210/jc.2012-2119
Peelle, J.E., Troiani, V., Grossman,M. Wingfield,A. (2011, August).Hearing loss in older adults affects neural systems supporting speech comprehension.TheJournal of Neuroscience, 31(35), 12638–12643.doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2559-11.2011
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2008). Incidence and prevalence of hearing loss and hearing aid use in the United States – 2008 Edition.Retrieved from
Lin, F.R. (2011, October). Hearing loss and cognition among older adults in the United States. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 66A(10),1131–1136.doi:10.1093/gerona/glr115
Li-Korotky,H.S. (2012, April). Age-related hearing loss: Quality of care for quality of life. The Gerontologist, 52(2), 26571.doi:10.1093/geront/gnr159
World Health Organization. (2013, February). Deafness and hearing loss.Fact sheet N°300. Retrieved from
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2014).Effects of hearing loss on development. Retrieved from
International Communication Project. (2014). Retrieved from