Better Hearing and Speech Month
May is Better Hearing and Speech Month.. and I know what you are thinking. What does that really mean? Better Hearing and Speech Month is a campaign to encourage and provided awareness for communication issues that are very common with little knowledge that they exist. Sooo.. You are wondering how can you be involved and improve your hearing/speech?
1. Spread the word
2. Get friends and family aware/involved
3. Have your hearing checked
As someone who has ALWAYS had difficulty with hearing, I encourage you to practice these strategies as well. From the age of 1.5-2 years old, I had ear Infections that impacted my ability to hear. At about 2.5 I had multiple set of tubes placed in my ears to correct these infections. To this day, I experience issues with excessive earwax production. I follow up with an audiologist yearly (sometimes 3-5 times a year) in order to clean my ears.
The most important question to ask yourself is, "When was the last time I had my hearing tested?" The biggest part to hearing loss prevention is detecting the signs early on. EVERYONE should have their hearing checked annually. This is not something you should wait until a certain age to begin. Exposure to loud noises and genetics are major factors in hearing loss at any age. What can you do to prevent hearing loss?
Limit exposure to loud noises
Wearing hearing protection, like earplugs, if you need to be near loud noises
Avoid using cotton swabs to remove earwax and have a professional remove it in office
Visit an audiologist yearly to get your hearing tested.
By spreading awareness and taking these tips into consideration daily, you too are helping to spread Better hearing and Speech awareness.