Hearing loss can have many meanings and definitions. It refers to an inability to hear sounds within a typical range without assistance. Hearing loss is measured by intensity and frequency of sounds a person can hear. There are different types of hearing loss including conductive, sensory, and mixed. Degrees range from mild to profound. Causes include ear infections, genetic conditions, aging, and loud noise exposure. Hearing loss impacts language development and academic performance in children. While many with hearing loss can speak, sign language is the primary language for some. Technologies like hearing aids and cochlear implants can help but do not restore normal hearing. Communication methods include lip reading, sign language, and assistive devices.

1. What does Hearing Loss mean?

2. Is it the…
• Inability to hear the ‘normal’ range of sounds?
• Ability to process language visually manually?
• Inadequacy of a biological ability which is measured in
terms of intensity and frequency?
• Type of hearing status which .1 % people have?
• Threshold above 60 dB in better ear?
• Hearing level that put the child at risk for limited
language and speech?
• A challenge for which family members are totally
unprepared in 95% of the cases?
• An opportunity to have one additional identity – the
Deaf identity?

3. Or is it…
• A communication and academic concern which
needs earliest attention?
• An ability to do everything else but to hear
without technological support?
• A condition which makes one, hearing aid
dependent?
• A problem with multiple solutions?
• A type of state listed disability which is managed
better in developed societies?
• A condition that makes success and happiness
depend on several environmental factors?

4. YES.......ALL responses are correct
and hence add a bit to the holistic
understanding of Deafness.

5. Does it sound a little too complicated?

6. Then, Let’s Simplify
Rather than running behind academic
definitions or fancy one liners, let us get down
to some Frequently Asked Questions.

7. What does hearing loss mean?
Majority of the human beings are able to hear
sounds from a particular range.
An individual is said to have hearing loss when
he/she is unable to hear that commonly
known range of sounds without any aid.

8. How is hearing loss measured?

9. What are the common types of Hearing
Loss?
• Conductive: When hearing loss is due to problems with
the ear canal, ear drum, or middle ear and its little
bones.
• Sensory Neural: When hearing loss is due to problems
of the inner ear, also known
as nerve-related hearing loss.
• Mixed: In this type of hearing loss,
there may be damage in the outer
or middle ear and in the inner ear
(cochlea) or auditory nerve.

10. What are the degrees of Hearing Loss?
• Mild hearing loss: With a mild hearing loss difficulty will occur for
soft speech and listening in background noise.
• Moderate hearing loss: With a moderate hearing loss one
experiences difficulty hearing conversations, especially while in
background noise. The TV or radio may be turned to higher levels
also in order to be heard clearly.
• Moderately severe hearing loss: For a person with a moderately-
severe hearing loss, clarity of speech is significantly reduced and
the most difficulty will occur in groups.
• Severe hearing loss: Loud speech is also difficult to hear or
understand. At this point people with severe hearing loss will only
hear if speech is shouted or amplified for them.
• Profound hearing loss: At this level, people with profound hearing
loss may have difficulty understanding even amplified speech.

11. What are the causes of Hearing Loss?
• Malformation of outer ear, ear canal, or middle ear
structures
• Fluid in the middle ear from colds
• Ear infections
• Allergies
• Poor Eustachian tube function
• Perforated eardrum
• Benign tumors
• Impacted earwax
• Infection in the ear canal
• Foreign body in the ear
• Otosclerosis

12. What is the incidence of Hearing Loss?
According to the survey conducted by
NSSO(2002), 291 persons per one Lakh have a
hearing disability in India.

13. What is the impact of Hearing Loss on the
functioning of the child?
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has
organized them into these four categories:
• Speech/Language: Delays in the development of receptive and
expressive language.
• Academics: Language difficulties and reduced hearing in the
classroom can contribute to reduced academic achievement.
• Social functioning: Communication difficulties on the other hand,
can lead to isolation and poor self-concept.
• Vocational choices: The above categories may
a persons limit career path.

14. Do people with Hearing Loss talk?
In most of the persons with hearing loss, speech
and language appear to have been impacted.
But biologically speech inadequacies are not
linked with hearing loss.
Thus, many persons with hearing loss are able to
speak. The clarity of speech depends on the age
at which hearing loss occurred.

15. What is Sign Language?
• Sign language is the mother tongue of many persons
with hearing impairment.
• Sign language is a language which uses manual
communication and body language to convey
meaning, as opposed to acoustically conveyed sound
patterns.
This can involve simultaneously
combining certain standard hand
shapes, orientation and movement of
the hands, arms or body, and facial
expressions, to fluidly express a
speaker's thoughts.

16. Sign Language is thus a language whereby the
mode of communication used for transferring
message is visual and manual.
“Manual” refers to Use of Arms, hands, fingers,
eyes, eyebrows, head, neck, whole body and its
overall impact.
WE MUST REMEMBER THAT:
Signs and gestures are not the same.
Signs are linguistic whereas Gestures
are non-linguistic.

17. Must Know Facts about Sign Language
• Sign language has grammar (rule system) like any
other verbal language.
• There is no single Sign language in this world.
• A signer in India may not understand ASL (
American Sign Language or BSL ( British Sign
Language) and vice versa.
• Like any other verbal language, Sign languages
have regional varieties (dialects). However
communication takes place in spite of regional
variations.

18. More facts
• Sign languages are recognized as national
languages in many countries like the USA or
Sweden. On the other hand, there are many
countries wherein these languages are used
extensively but are not yet given the status of
national languages, for example India.
• Sign Language is different from Signed System
and Finger spelling

19. Indian Sign Language Alphabets

20. What are Hearing aids?
Hearing aids are sound-amplifying devices
designed to aid people who have a hearing
loss.

21. What does a hearing aid do?
Most hearing aids share several similar
electronic components, including
• a microphone that picks up sound
• amplifier circuitry that makes the sound
louder
• a miniature loudspeaker (receiver) that
delivers the amplified sound into the ear canal
• and batteries that power the electronic parts.

22. What does a hearing aid Not do?
Hearing aids DO NOT help a hearing impaired
person to hear like a person without hearing
impairment.

23. Some technological aids do individuals
with hearing loss use?
Body-Level
Hearing-Aid
Behind the Ear
(BTE)
Hearing-Aid
In the Ear Hearing-Aid

24. What is a COCHLEAR IMPLANT
A cochlear implant is a small, complex electronic device that
can help to provide a sense of sound to a person who is
profoundly deaf or severely hard-of-hearing.
The implant consists of an external portion that sits behind the
ear and a second portion that is surgically placed under the
skin.

25. Difference between a Hearing aid and
Cochlear Implant
• A Cochlear Implant is very different from a Hearing aid.
• Hearing aids amplify sounds so they may be detected
by damaged ears WHILE Cochlear implants bypasses
damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulates
the auditory nerve.

26. How does someone receive a Cochlear
Implant
Use of a cochlear implant requires both a surgical
procedure and significant therapy to learn or
relearn the sense of hearing. Since, not everyone
performs at the same level with this device, The
decision to receive an implant should involve
discussions with medical specialists, including an
experienced cochlear-implant surgeon.

27. What are some ways in which persons with hearing
impairment communicate?
1.NON LINGUISTIC COMMUNICATION: body language, gestures,
pictures and facial expressions can be included in this category.
2. SUPPORTIVE TO LINGUISTIC COMMUNICATION (Cannot be
used independently): lip reading , finger spelling and cued speech
can be included in this category.
3. LINGUISTIC BUT SECONDARY COMMUNICATION (Will come only
after primary communication): reading/writing can be included in
this category.
4. LINGUISTIC COMMUNICATION (A must have for all human
beings): sign system and sign language can be included in this
category.

28. What are some ways to achieve
communicative reach?
• Sign Language Educational Bilingualism
• Oral Language/Oralism
• Sign System + Oral language (Total
Communication)

29. Some Rules of Etiquette to Keep in Mind when
Communicating with Persons with Hearing Disability
• Face the person you are talking to. Speak clearly and
slowly. Do not exaggerate facial expressions.
• Do not begin a conversation with a hearing impaired
person until he or she has noticed you and is prepared
for it.
• Shouting to a person who is deaf does not help. Feel
free to use written notes.
• If the person uses sign language, remember to look at
him or her when speaking, regardless of whether or
not an interpreter is present.
• Do not pretend to understand if you do not. Repeat
what you understood and ask again.

30. We would like to thank
• Dr. Asmita Huddar, Principal of Hashu Advani College of
Special Education for providing us with the necessary
information and expertise to complete this presentation.
Our other sources were:
• Healthy Hearing (http://www.hearingloss.org/content/types-causes-and-
treatment, http://www.healthyhearing.com/content/faqs/Hearing-
loss/Test/41775-Degrees-of-hearing-loss)
• Hearing and speech centre (http://www.hearingspeech.org/main/care-
treatment/concerns/hearing-loss-effects-on-child-development/)
• Hearing Loss Association of America(http://www.hearingloss.org/content/types-
causes-and-treatment )

31. So break down the barriers of your mind and open doors to
new possibilities.