Last Updated - November 1, 2023
Hearing impairment, deafness, or hearing loss refers to the total or partial inability to hear sounds.
Symptoms may be mild, moderate, severe, or profound. A patient with a mild hearing impairment may have problems understanding speech, especially if there is a lot of noise around, while those with moderate deafness may need a hearing aid.
Some people are severely deaf and rely on lip-reading to communicate with others. People who are profoundly deaf can hear nothing at all and can find themselves totally reliant on lip-reading or sign language.
There are Two main physical Types of Hearing Loss:
It is also possible to have a combination of both these types of hearing loss.
The following resources have been created and provided by the Torbay Hearing Support Service:
Sensorineural hearing loss is when a problem occurs in either the cochlea (which transforms sound into signals that get sent to the brain) or the hearing nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain. Things like illness, noise exposure, genetics, and head trauma can all deteriorate these parts’ ability to function. Unfortunately, it is not reversible.
People with sensorineural hearing loss have difficulty with sound volume and clarity, especially when it comes to understanding speech. Sounds may seem muffled, and people may seem to mumble.
Although sensorineural hearing loss cannot be cured it can be effectively treated with hearing aids, which amplify and process the sounds around you so you can both hear and understand. However, if someone has severe to profound hearing loss that can’t be helped through hearing aids, they may be a candidate for cochlear implants, which provide direct electrical stimulation to the auditory nerve.
It is also possible to have a combination of both these types of hearing loss.
For further information on the development of hearing and hearing loss in children under the age of 5 you may find Physical & Sensory needs (SEND Early Years Resources) useful.
Auditory Processing Disorders do not impact on the pysical ability to hear. Auditory Processing Disorders occur when the brain has problems processing the information contained in sound, such as understanding speech and working out where sounds are coming from. It is important to note that Children with auditory processing disorders may also experience difficulties in hearing and understanding conversations over background noise or have trouble locating certain sounds and can experience difficulty learning in a classroom environment. Auditory processing can be related to lots of other communication and interaction difficulties. For suggestions to help with auditory processing please see:
The following resources have been created and provided by the Torbay Hearing Support Service:
The following resources have been created and provided by the Torbay Hearing Support Service:
The following resources have been created and provided by the Torbay Hearing Support Service:
