Hearing Topics

Helpful hearing resources online organized by topic.

Infant and Youth

• Boys Town National Research Hospital (Center for Hearing Loss in Children) Articles, Videotapes and books to help parents and children for hearing loss in young people
• Marion Downs National Center for Infant Hearing Dedicated to the early identification and intervention of hearing loss, at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
• My Baby's Hearing (Boystown National Research Hospital & NIDCD) First steps for families where young child has hearing loss or needs hearing screening. Excellent site for parents to start here.
• Beginnings - for parents of children who are hard of hearing, including issues regarding services in public schools. Another great spot to start, especially for families with school aged children.
• Hands and Voices- Nationwide non-profit dedicated to supporting families and their children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and the professionals who serve them. H&V is a parent-driven, parent/professional collaborative group that is unbiased towards communication modes and methods. With a diverse membership including those who are deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing impaired and their families, and who communicate orally, with signs, cue, and/or combined methods.
• Choices for Parents - Illinois coalition of parents and professionals providing immediate access to support, information, and resources to families of children with newly identified hearing loss. Good links page and articles about "Babies and Hearing Loss."
• American Society for Deaf Children - national nonprofit provides support, encouragement and information to families raising children who are hard of hearing or deaf.
• State by State Early Hearing Sites from InfantHearing.org (NCHAM)

Adults and Seniors

• SayWhatClub is an on-line group of folks who provide support and encouragement to each other through mailing lists and forums. They also enourage face-to-face contact through an annual conference and several mini-get-togethers throughout the year in different parts of the country. Free to join but requires an application. Choose a mailing list topic if you'd like to get feedback from others facing hearing loss.
  
• Hearing Loop.org - Loop technology allow hearing aids to become wireless transmitters. England and other European countries are doing this, and the USA is lagging behind. This would be a great help for those with hearing losses, in group settings such as churches, classrooms, theaters, and so on.
  
• Hearing Loss Organization of America - National organization to assist people with hearing loss through information, education, advocacy and support. Very nice magazine comes with paid membership.
  
• Association for Late-Deafened Adults (ALDA) - An international organization, ALDA works with other organizations around the world serving the needs of late-deafened people and extends a welcome to everyone, late deafened or not, who supports this goal. Late- deafened adults include anyone who lost hearing after they had learned speech and language skills. They may have lost their hearing suddenly or gradually as a result of inherited causes, accident, illness, medication, surgery, noise or other factors.
• Beyond Hearing is a free Yahoo group that connects people with hearing loss. Anyone interested in hearing loss can share ideas, ask (and answer) questions, or find support from other people who have a hearing loss.
• IamHearingImpaired.com-by Senthil Srinivasan to create an online community for people with hearing loss to interact.

Hearing Aids

• Hearing Aids 101 - basic information about hearing aids and hearing aid manufacturers.

Cochlear Inplants

• FDA Information about Cochlear Implants - good basic information.

Tinnitus

• American Tinnitus Association seeks to cure tinnitus through the development of resources that advance tinnitus research.The ATA provides tinnitus information, urges governmental and private organizations to support public policies impacting hearing issues, funds the nation’s brightest researchers, and facilitates self-help groups around the country.
  
• Dr. Nagler's Tinnitus site - recognized site by medical expert on tinnitus.

Bone Anchored Hearing Aid

• About.com Article-Basic description of Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA®).
• BAHA® Description - simple article from nchearingloss.com.
• Implantable Hearing Aids - Describing the "other" two types of implantable hearing aids: Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA®); and the middle-ear implants (MEI).

Statistics

 

Education

• Wright's law site - great information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities. Begin your legal search here.
• Family Village - for children and adults with disabilities, their families, and their friends and allies on a variety of topics including hearing loss. Sponsored through the University of Wisconsin, the site helps visitors to learn about assistive technology, legal rights and legislation, special education, leisure activities and much more.  
• Family Voices - national grassroots network of families and friends advocating for health care services and provides information for families with children and youth with special health care needs.

Research

• House Ear Institute - a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing hearing science through research and education. Their scientists are exploring the developing ear and ear diseases at the cell and molecular level, as well as the complex ear-brain interaction. They are also working to improve hearing aids, auditory implants, clinical treatments and intervention methods.

Tools & Techniques