Sloan Churman,
29, is a young woman who was born deaf. Until recently, she had never heard the sound of her
own voice. But thanks to a hearing implant, Churman was finally given
that ability. In another case, another touching video captured baby Jonathan who, after receiving a similar hearing implant was able to hear his mother’s voice for the first time as well. Follow the link below to watch these touching videos.
Monthly Archives: September 2011
Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/30/sloan-churman-deaf-woman-_n_989220.html
Cochlear implant maintence via the internet
Patients in Australia currently need to visit the ESIA centre for cochlear implant
maintenance but with the new telehealth software, patients in remote
areas would only need a computer and an internet connection to test
their implant. The Ear Science Institute of Australia (ESIA) is building
software that will allow for remote mapping and analysis of cochlear
implants. ESIA is an organisation dedicated to research and treatment of ear and hearing disorders.
Link: http://www.sciencewa.net.au/3640-mapping-and-analysis-of-cochlear-implants-via-inet.html
Passive Smoking and Hearing Loss: Are Links Building Between the Two?
Passive smoking has proved itself to be a major negative health issue
that affects millions of people worldwide and now further research is linking smoking to hearing loss. Following a detailed analysis of statistics, specialist journal
Tobacco Control revealed in November 2010 that there was a strong
pattern emerging between smoking and poor hearing and in the July 2011 issue of
Archives of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, it was revealed that exposure to
tobacco smoke nearly doubles the risk of hearing loss among
adolescents.
Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/passive-smoking-and-hearing-loss-are-links-building-between-the-two-2011-09-29
MED EL Announces U.S. Launch of New MAESTRO Cochlear Implant System
The MED-EL Corporation recently announced the U.S. launch of the new
MAESTRO(TM) Cochlear Implant System, featuring the world’s smallest,
lightest and thinnest titanium cochlear implant, the MED-EL CONCERT. The
system also encompasses enhancements to the OPUS 2 audio processor,
including a new D Coil that extends battery life by up to 50 percent. The MAESTRO Cochlear Implant System
recently received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) and the company has been preparing for rapidly-increasing global
demand. Implant centers can now begin placing orders for the new system.
Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/med-el-announces-us-launch-of-new-maestrotm-cochlear-implant-system-2011-09-13
The Deaf need equal access to education (Kenya)
Kenya on Monday joined the rest of the world in marking the
International Deaf Awareness week with a special call to the government
to facilitate access to education for the deaf. Bernard Mwongesa, an official with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, urged the government to improve the provision of sign language in local schools to facilitate learning for those who are hard of hearing. Mwongesa further noted that there were about 70 million deaf people in
the world out of whom 65 percent were from the developing world.
Link: http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2011/09/19/the-deaf-need-equal-access-to-education-kenya-told/
IDEA Part C information Update
The
U.S. Department of Education announced the release of the final
regulations for the Part C Infant and Toddler Program of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Office of Special Education
Programs (OSEP) has announced an upcoming training opportunity on
November 16th. More information about this training session can be found at http://idea.ed.gov/part-c/
Link: http://idea.ed.gov/part-c/search/new
Deafness Research Foundation Announces New Name and Reaffirms its Unwavering Dedication to the Prevention, Research, and Cure for Hearing Loss
Recently the Deafness Research Foundation Board of Directors announced a new name for the highly regarded organization that became effective immediately. The new name by which they’ll be called is the Hearing Health Foundation and to signal the foundation’s unwavering dedication to hearing research, a groundbreaking research consortium, the Hearing Restoration Project was also announced. Nearly 40 million Americans suffer from some form of hearing loss and
that number is expected to double by 2030. Since its inception in 1958,
Hearing Health Foundation has been the leading source of private
funding in the United States for research into the science of hearing and balance.
Link: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/deafness-research-foundation-announces-new-name-and-reaffirms-its-unwavering-dedication-to-the-prevention-research-and-cure-for-hearing-loss-129803073.html
AG Bell Monograph Highlights Compelling Strategic Analysis of State Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Programs
The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
(AG Bell) recently released a monograph that presents the findings of an analysis that applies a widely used business strategic
planning tool to gain new insights into the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats of statewide EHDI programs across the nation. The monograph presents the findings of a 2009 survey in which state EHDI
coordinators responded to an online survey of 12 major areas within
their EHDI systems. Each EHDI coordinator was asked to identify at least
one strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat for use in strategic
planning. The project was supported by the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM).
Link: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/9/prweb8781432.htm
AG Bell Monograph Highlights Compelling Strategic Analysis of State Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Programs
The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
(AG Bell) recently released a monograph that presents the findings of an analysis that applies a widely used business strategic
planning tool to gain new insights into the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats of statewide EHDI programs across the nation. The monograph presents the findings of a 2009 survey in which state EHDI
coordinators responded to an online survey of 12 major areas within
their EHDI systems. Each EHDI coordinator was asked to identify at least
one strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat for use in strategic
planning. The project was supported by the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM).
Link: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/9/prweb8781432.htm
NQF Releases Updated Child Quality Health Measures
Child health quality is an important, underemphasized area of measure development and endorsement. In November ’09, NQF convened a Child Health Outcomes Steering Committee to identify, evaluate, and endorse additional measures suitable for public reporting and quality improvement. Measures in key gap areas such as quality of well child care, dental
care, and acute care for children, were highlighted. This consensus
project will complement the AHRQ SNAC collaboration with the Center for
Medicaid, CHIP, and Survey and Certification. While the initial core set
of CHIPRA (Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act)
measures will be prescribed by the Secretary of Health
and Human Services, there may be other appropriate measures that may
enhance the portfolio of child health quality measures and could be used
in the future for the pediatric quality measurement program as required
by CHIPRA. Appeals are open through September 13 at 6:00pm ET.