All posts by nchamstaff

The Ethics of Designing a Deaf Baby

Audiologists are devoted to helping people hear better, so it will
likely come as a shock to learn that some parents prefer that their
babies be born deaf. So-called designer deafness is the idea behind
conceiving a deaf child via preimplantation genetic diagnosis or by
selecting a sperm or egg donor with a strong family history of deafness. Read this article to learn more.

Link: http://journals.lww.com/thehearingjournal/Fulltext/2012/05000/Breaking_News___The_Ethics_of_Designing_a_Deaf.2.aspx

Hear the World and Special Olympics join forces with US Olympian, former Congressman Jim Ryun

Former US Olympian Jim Ryun set the record for the mile as a high school
junior, competed in three US Olympics and held a seat in Congress from
1996-2007. Now he’s partnered with Hear the World and Special Olympics
to set another record: the overall number of people in the US who take
care of their hearing health.

Link: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/16/4493930/hear-the-world-and-special-olympics.html#storylink=cpy

Are Hearing Aid Reviews Reliable?

How do you find the best hearing aid for you? Consult your ear professional! One question we often receive here at Healthy Hearing is, “Where can I
find reliable hearing aid reviews?” The answer to this question isn’t
easy. Because hearing aids are electronic devices, many people expect to
be able to review their various features and select the best one – much
like researching a television or cell phone purchase. To learn more about the reliability of hearing aid reviews, read more.

Link: http://www.healthyhearing.com/content/faqs/Buying/Reviews/50223-Are-hearing-aid-reviews-reliable

NICHQ Highlights Infant Hearing Screening Program during Better Hearing and Speech Month

In recognition of May as Better Hearing and Speech Month, the National
Institute for Children’s Healthcare Quality (NICHQ) has developed a diagram to illustrate how infants are lost in the hearing
screening process. Every year, US hospitals test the hearing of millions
of babies, some 60,000 of whom do not pass an initial hearing test. Of
those, roughly half have no state record of receiving follow-up care or
services.

Link: http://www.nichq.org/who_we_are/in_the_news.html?id=%2077

Gene Therapy for Hearing Loss, Potential and Limitations

Regenerating sensory hair cells could form the basis for treating age-
or trauma-related hearing loss. One way to do this could be with gene
therapy that drives new sensory hair cells to grow. Researchers have
shown that introducing a gene called Atoh1 into the cochleae of young mice can induce the formation of extra sensory hair cells.

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511122322.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fhealth_medicine%2Fhearing_loss+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Health+%26+Medicine+News+--+Hearing+Loss%29

Parents of deaf baby inspire others with their story

Being told their beautiful baby is deaf plunged Paul and Ruth Neesham
into a frightening world. In Deaf Awareness Week, this Sunderland couple
are doing their utmost to inspire others. They struggled to take in the
crippling news that hit them like a
sledgehammer. It was heartbreaking and Ruth recalls how hearing a song
or a piece of music and she would break down at the thought that Jack
would never hear such beautiful sounds. Read more about what these
parents are doing to inspire others.

Link: http://www.sunderlandecho.com/lifestyle/parents-of-deaf-baby-inspire-others-with-their-story-1-4532643

Doctors work to identify and treat hearing loss in young children

Fisher Garver is just like one of the three million other children under
18 who are living with some form of hearing loss. Doctors are now
working to identify and treat hearing loss in infants. There are a number of risk factors which could
put a child’s hearing in jeopardy. Those inlcude infants born
prematurely, anyone with a family history of hearing loss or babies who
suffered a prenatal infection they shared with their mother while in the
womb. That was exactly what Fisher’s mother faced, sensing very early
on that something was wrong.

Link: http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin-doctors-work-to-identify-treat-hearing-loss-in-young-children-20120509,0,297181.column

Hospital Begins 1st Stem Cells Approved Study to Treat Hearing Loss

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Communication
Disorders (NIDCD) 1 in every 350 infants is born with a significant
hearing loss. Hearing loss occurs more often than any other medical
condition for which newborn screening is
available. To date, no treatment is available to reverse or repair an
acquired sensorineural hearing loss. Recently, the FDA approved the
first Phase I trial that will evaluate the safety of using a child’s own
cord blood stem cells to regenerate cells in the inner ear and
potentially restore a child’s hearing.

Link: http://www.emaxhealth.com/1/hospital-begins-1st-stem-cells-approved-study-treat-hearing-loss-2012#.T53vHMUOVlE.facebook