• Diagnoses and treats individuals with hearing loss or balance problems
• Has a Master's or Doctoral degree from an accredited university graduate program
• Presents a variety of treatment options based on auditory and vestibular assessments
• Dispenses and fits hearing aids and assistive listening devices with New York State licensure
• Educates and trains patients to ensure optimum benefit

What is a Hearing Instrument Specialist

• New York State board certified and licensed
• Dispenses and fits hearing aids and assistive listening devices
• performs hearing aid evaluations
• selects and fits hearing aids
• counsels on affects of hearing loss and benefits of hearing aids

How You Can Help a Relative or Friend with a Hearing Loss

Why are emotional problems such a big issue for people with hearing loss?

• Frustration – they do not understand much of what is being said, and have to ask people to repeat themselves.
• Low self-esteem/confidence – they can no longer do what others can do or what they used to do.
• Fear of embarrassment – they make inappropriate responses during conversation or no response at all when one is expected.
• Tension – they must constantly be alert, so as not to miss something important, or a someone change in topic
• Exhaustion – listening is not a passive activity. It requires that they actively attempt to fill in what they miss and predict what will be said.

If you suspect a spouse, parent or friend has a hearing loss, look for these signs:

• Repetition – asking you to repeat and still appearing to have difficulty understanding what was said
• Withdrawal – not participating in conversations or leaving the room to avoid conversation
• Disorientation – getting confused or not following a conversation with multiple people
• Louder volume – raising the volume of TV or radio louder than appropriate
• Inappropriate responses – responding entirely differently to a question or conversation
• Anger/irritable – getting upset when you raise your voice so you can be heard
• Denial – denying they have a problem hearing when you question them

How to better communicate with a person with a hearing loss:

• get the persons attention before talking to them
• speak clearly and articulate well, but do not over exaggerate your mouth and lip movements
• face the person when you talk, do not perform other tasks or talk from another room
• inform the person of the topic that you are talking about
• rephrase if the person asks you to repeat, try not to say the same thing over and over again
• reduce distractions, such as a TV or background noise

Schedule a comprehensive hearing evaluation performed by a Doctor of Audiology that includes a:

• Case History –detailed history of a person's hearing, such as tinnitus (ringing in the ears), balance problems, and a description of how hearing is affecting the person's ability to communicate
• Visual Otoscopy – examination of the ear canal visible on a TV monitor that looks for ear wax , possible signs of infection, or punctured ear drum
• Diagnostic hearing evaluation – a series of tests to determine the type and severity of hearing loss. Rules out medical problems, such as wax, tumors, or ear infections, etc.

Professional standards and Code of Ethics of the American Academy of Audiology
www.audiology.org

Hearing loss, correction and qualifications of audiologists
www.audiologist.org
www.betterhearing.org

International Hearing Society
www.ihsinfo.org

American Tinnitus Association
www.ata.org

Causes of hearing loss in children:
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/causes

Causes of hearing loss in adults:
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/causes/adults

Manufacturers of Hearing Instruments:
www.starkey.com
www.unitron.com
www.oticon.com
www.widexusa.com
www.phonak.com
www.gnresound.com
www.rexton.com

How hearing aids help - choosing a hearing aid:
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) - one of the National Institutes of Health
www.nicdc.nih.gov