Hearing Loss
Deafness comes with many names: hearing loss, deaf, Deaf, Hard of Hearing… These labels are not dictated by someone’s level of hearing loss, it is merely personal preference. Being deaf is not one size fits all. There are over a million different ways to be deaf, or to live with hearing loss. Some are born deaf, or born with a hearing loss. Others lose hearing gradually throughout life. Sometimes people lose their hearing suddenly through infection or trauma.
Deafness can also impact a person’s life in over a million different ways. Hearing loss can impact a person’s ability to have a conversation with a loved one, or prevent them from hearing important noises like fire alarms. Adapting to this is vital. This can be achieved through getting hearing aids, learning your local sign language, and replacing auditory cues with visual or tactile cues. Sometimes we have specific sounds that are harder to hear, like ‘S’ sounds, or ‘F’ sounds, which mean that we hear a lot of what somebody said, but not the whole thing. The worst thing you can say to a deaf person when they ask you to repeat something is “never mind”. We are your equals in conversation!
What Happening In My Hearing Aid Fitting
A brief overview of what happened in my first hearing aid appointment, from the moment I received by (rather vague) appointment letter, to leaving the audiology clinic with new ears. Getting hearing aids can be nerve wracking, but my experience was an overall positive one.
How I Knew I Was Losing My Hearing
In this video, I talked about all the subtle signs that showed me I was losing my hearing. It was a challenging time, but it was an important chapter in my life. Signs of hearing loss include asking people to repeat themselves, not noticing birds singing, and finding that you can understand people better when you can see their faces.
6 Things You Need To Know About Deafness
For Deaf Awareness Week (taking place in the first full week of May, every year), I shared 6 things that you need to know about deafness, in order to dispel some myths and misconceptions. Being deaf often means more than “just” not being able to hear, it impacts almost every facet of life.
Am I Deaf or Hard of Hearing?
A common question about deaf politics. Let’s talk about what this question actually means, and the accessibility of the phrase “hard of hearing”. Does it even matter what someone calls themselves? Terminology can be controversial sometimes, but equally it can mean access, support, and community.
Useful Websites
RNID
The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) provides resources for people living with hearing loss at any level, as well as insight for our loved ones. They also support people living with Tinnitus. They strive for a more equal society for deaf people.
Sign Health
Sign Health strives to improve health and wellbeing for deaf people. Mental health challenges don’t avoid us just because we are deaf. They provide support for deaf survivors of domestic abuse, as well as psychotherapy and social care for all deaf people who need it.
National Deaf Children’s Society
The National Deaf Children’s Society focuses its support on Deaf children, providing resources for British sign language learning, money and finance, and awareness.
Max Fisher RSci 