When the SLP Has Hearing Loss

When you think of hearing loss, do you think of your parents or grandparents who can’t hear well and listen to the television a bit too loudly? Or do you think of students at school who are deaf or hard of hearing that require hearing aids, FM systems, or even an ASL interpreter throughout the day? Well, what happens when the SLP has hearing loss?

My current caseload

This school year, I have more than a few students on my caseload with hearing loss, ranging from mild to profound. Some of these students spend all day in a general education setting. With the help of their hearing aids or FM system, they do well in the classroom. Other students communicate in American Sign Language (ASL) and have a Deaf/Hard of Hearing teacher or an interpreter with them throughout the day. Though I took several sign language classes in college and thoroughly enjoyed them, my signing had gotten a little rusty from lack of use. But this year, I’ve had the privilege of seeing these students for speech therapy and brushing up on my sign language skills. With the help of my students and their teachers and interpreters, of course!

My first signs…

Ironically, right about the time the school year started, I began noticing that I was having a harder time hearing than before. At first, I thought it was because my husband is a chronic mumbler. Then, I attributed it to a speaker-gone-bad on my cell phone. But just a few months later, I was watching television with subtitles and regularly talking on my cell on speaker phone.

I also began to realize that I was having an increasingly harder time doing speech articulation therapy in small groups. Children are wiggly. They move around a lot. And when they were squeaking their stools or bouncing on their balls (flexible seating, anyone?), I couldn’t make out some of the end sounds on words we were targeting. I found that I was constantly saying “shhhh!” or “you’ve got to be still so I can hear so-and-so say his words.”

Further concerns…

I noticed it at home, too. I currently have a 5 year old and a 17 month old. We also have a cat and 2 miniature schnauzers. Basically, my house is a zoo. Someone is always squealing or crying, barking or meowing, and there is almost always running going on. When the kids run, the dogs chase them. The dogs’ nails on the hardwood floors was making hearing almost impossible for me. I was startling easily because I didn’t realize someone was right behind me. Plus, I was finding myself incredibly frustrated with those around me, particularly my husband, who didn’t understand how difficult it was for me to hear.

The Realization…

The more time I spent with my hearing impaired students, the more I realized that something was really probably going on with my hearing, particularly in the presence of background noise. I worked with them on accommodations in their school environment to help them be successful. Then, I realized that I was also inadvertently making similar accommodations for myself. I sat in the front for faculty meetings. I realized I was beginning to rely heavily on reading lips. And I continued to watch television with subtitles, driving my husband crazy. I talked on the phone on speaker phone or through my car’s speaker system. And I turned my keyboard volume up on high so I could hear the softest notes better when I played the piano.

Making an Appointment

Finally, after going with our Deaf/Hard of Hearing teacher to the Audiologist to take a student to have new molds made for his hearing aids, I realized the time had come to have my hearing tested. I made an appointment with our local Audiologist, terrified as I was to know what was going on. I’m only 32 years old, and I’m a Speech Language Pathologist. Hearing is an incredibly important part of my job. What would I do if I could no longer hear well enough to discriminate speech sounds?

The Results…

The Audiologist conducted a pure-tone hearing test, which I fully expected to pass. I did not think I had any difficulty hearing in quiet environments. She also gave me a speech recognition test with background noise. I was surprised to learn that I actually did show a mild hearing loss in my right ear. But even more telling and as suspected, I showed a significant hearing loss of speech recognition when background noise was present. So significant that where most people with “normal hearing” were able to recognize 90-100% of the words, I was only able to correctly decipher 32%. The Audiologist gave me a copy of the test words, and she had written my answers beside the word list. This was very helpful to me to analyze as an SLP, as I was able to quickly pick up on patterns, such as frequently missing the final consonant sounds in words, and particularly the higher-frequency final consonants.

A Mix of Emotions…

While the results did make me feel somewhat validated to know that I wasn’t going crazy. they also terrified me. Right now, I’m still able to do my job with some simple accommodations. But what if the loss is progressive? The audiologist was incredibly understanding and kind. She talked to me about the possibility of aids; however, we both agreed that it may not be quite to that point yet for me. In my particular case, the concern would be that the aids could exacerbate the background noise, making it even harder for me to hear. But she was honest that the day may come where aids are necessary. And she recommended consistent followup to ensure that the hearing loss is not progressing.

Interesting Research…

All of this really got me thinking and researching. Did you know that according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, nearly 30 million Americans could benefit from wearing hearing aids? Additionally, of the adults over 70 with hearing loss who could benefit from hearing aids, fewer than 30 percent have ever used them. And only 16 percent of adults aged 20 to 69 (the majority of the US work force) who could benefit from hearing aids have ever used them either! According to the Better Hearing Institute, many Americans wait 15 years from the time they suspect their hearing loss to the time they get hearing aids. Why?!?! Why is there such a stigma surrounding hearing loss? We don’t make judgments about a person’s cognitive abilities who wears glasses or uses a wheelchair. So why do so many people, especially those who are younger or middle aged, avoid wearing hearing aids? Is it because they “don’t want to be viewed as old” or “don’t want to be judged”?

Fighting the Stigma…

Whether you’re a Speech Language Pathologist, teacher, professional, or parent, if you are struggling with hearing loss, you CAN do something about it. You may need hearing aids or you may not. And if you do, it’s ok. Hearing aids have come so far, and many are virtually undetectable. If you suspect you have hearing loss, or if you’re struggling with admitting you have hearing loss due to the stimga you feel surrounding hearing loss, here is what you can do:

What You Can Do:

1. Get your hearing tested. You can do this as a screening at your yearly health exam. If you need additional testing, it’s quick and painless. And it will give you the information you need to make an informed decision.

2. If you have hearing loss, treat it. Follow the advice from your Audiologist and doctor and keep your follow-up appointments.

3. If you need hearing aids, wear them proudly. Hearing loss does not define you or mean that you are less than capable any more than wearing glasses does.

4. Tell others about your hearing loss. Not only will this help people in your environment understand what they can do to help accommodate you, but it will also help to decrease any stigma surrounding hearing loss.

5. Protect your hearing and encourage others to do the same. Don’t listen to loud music. Wear hearing protection when you’re around large machinery, a shooting range, or other loud noises. This is especially important as a parent with your younger children. Even sound machines have been linked with Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in babies when turned up too loudly for long periods of time!

Living My Best Life…

Since the discovery of my hearing loss, I have gradually become outspoken about my hearing loss. For one thing, it was necessary for those who care about me to make some adjustments. My family needed to understand that they couldn’t speak to me from the next room while the dogs were clip clopping on the floor and expect me to hear them. They are learning to face me when they talk, to mute the television or speak a little clearer when there is background noise in order for me to hear them easier. My husband even found these amazing wireless headphones (affiliate link) that connect with the television. They filter out background noise and allow me to hear much better without using the subtitles (which is completely fine to do, by the way.)

Empathy and Understanding…

Secondly, it has helped to share my hearing loss with some of my students. It’s comforting to them to know that I now know first hand some of what they are going through, and it has been great to talk to them about how I’ve needed to speak out about things I need to help with my hearing loss and encourage them to advocate for themselves when needed. It has also made me even more aware of how difficult some tasks can be for someone with hearing loss when no accommodations are available (hello, instastories!).

The Bottom Line…

Bottom line: if you know or suspect you have hearing loss, don’t continue to wonder or struggle in silence. You’re not alone. Get tested. Get help. Reaching out to other professionals does not make you less of one. In fact, setting an example to your students or staff that you’ll do whatever it takes to continue doing quality work is as professional as it gets, and it’s a beautiful thing.

Update: I cannot tell you how genuinely surprised, touched, and encouraged I have felt since this blog on When the SLP Has Hearing Loss was published. I have received countless messages, comments, and emails from other SLPs and professionals who also have hearing loss. Some have been open about their hearing loss, while others told me they are still hiding it from others in their workplace. But every single message was encouraging. If you’re one of those SLPs (I figured there were others, but never dreamed how many), I’m so thankful this post made an impact in your lives. Your comments and sharing your stories with me has certainly made a positive impact on me.