Cochlear implants have restored basic hearing to some 220,000 deaf
people, yet a microphone and related electronics must be worn outside
the head, raising reliability issues, preventing patients from swimming
and creating social stigma. Now, engineers have developed a tiny
prototype microphone that can be implanted in the middle ear to avoid
such problems.

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430101038.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

The department of ENT, Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH),
Chandigarh recently performed a cochlear implant surgery on a three-year
old profoundly deaf child using a high-tech, safe cochlear implant
system from France. And the result has
been encouraging. The child suffered hearing loss after birth. The child is getting speech therapy and help for
cognitive development from the audiologist-cum-speech therapists at the
hospital.

Link: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-16/chandigarh/31348994_1_implant-surgery-cochlear-implant-hearing-loss

Deaf children at California School for the Deaf in Riverside recently
received the first-ever signing doll for the deaf as a gift from the
local Lions Club. The dolls have hearing aids and fingers that can be
manipulated for sign language.

Link: http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-education-headlines/20120423-riverside-deaf-students-get-sign-language-dolls.ece

In a little less than three weeks on May 12, hundreds of Chattanooga
residents, visitors from surrounding cities and states, as well as
sponsor representatives from across the country will meet at Chattanooga
State Community College for the 4th
annual Walk4Hearing along the Chattanooga Riverwalk in support of the
more than 36 million Americans with hearing loss. Walk monies totaling
more than $18,000 have funded community ventures that support programs
and services for people with hearing loss including live theater,
college scholarships, emergency/disaster funds, children’s camp,
deaf-blind camp, looping, convention scholarships and captioning of
local events. The Chattanooga Walk4Hearing ceremony opens at 10 a.m. on
May 12. Help raise funds and awareness of hearing loss issues. All are
welcome.

Link: http://www.chattanoogan.com/2012/4/26/224760/36-Million-Reasons-To-Walk4Hearing.aspx

The genetics responsible for frequency-specific hearing loss have
remained elusive until recently, when genetic loci were found that
affected high-frequency hearing. Now, a study reports, for the first
time, genetic loci with effects that are limited to specific portions of
the hearing frequency map.

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120427095957.htm

Hearing loss affects millions of Americans of all ages. It can be caused
by a genetic defect, an injury or illness, or result from repetitive
exposure to loud noises or age. But what really causes hearing loss? Tiny hair cells convert all sound
information (a whistle, the wind rustling tree leaves or even a loved
one’s laugh) into electrical signals that are sent to the brain. These
hair cells look like regular hairs growing on your head, but are
situated in the inner ear. Hearing loss is increasing in younger Americans, now affecting one in
five teenagers, according to the Journal of the American Medical
Association – an increase of 15 percent in the last 10 years.

Link: http://www.jsonline.com/sponsoredarticles/senior-living/149230795.html

When
children and teens are exposed to lead, it can lead to hearing
disabilities at a young age. Experts suggest that the limit of lead
exposure be lowered.

Link: http://www.hear-it.org/index.dsp?page=19536

Cochlear implantation provides an effective and safe way of restoring
hearing in patients with far advanced otosclerosis, a hereditary
condition that can lead to severe hearing loss. Read more at ScienceDaily!

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120421203911.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

The hair cells of the inner ear have a previously unknown “root”
extension that may allow them to communicate with nerve cells and the
brain to regulate sensitivity to sound vibrations and head position,
researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
have discovered.

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308174651.htm

Yale scientists have discovered the molecular pathway by which
maternally inherited deafness appears to occur: Mitochondrial DNA
mutations trigger a signaling cascade, resulting in programmed cell
death.

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120217115611.htm