MAY:
Hearing and Speech Toolkit
The importance of communication for service members and their families cannot be understated. Several areas can affect the quality of life for those who suffer from hearing and speech disorders, such as hearing and balance, voice and swallowing,
speech and language, prosthetic devices, auditory processing, and cognitive communication. Whether in the field or in the home, the DoD wants to make sure that those who would benefit from the services of audiologists and speech pathologists
can get the help they need.
What do you need to know to effectively raise awareness about hearing and speech health?
- Approximately 36 million Americans had hearing loss (as of 2010), and an estimated 50 million Americans suffer from tinnitus.
- Prolonged exposure to noise levels above 85 decibels can cause gradual hearing loss.
- There are many signs to look for when it comes to detecting language disorder in children. Some examples include: does not smile or interact with others (birth and older), does not understand what others say (7 months to 2 years), words are not
easily understood (18 months to 2 years), has trouble playing and talking with other children (2 to 3 years).
- Some signs of speech and language disorders in adults include: struggling to say sounds or words, or repeating words or parts of words, which can result in stuttering; saying words in the wrong order or difficulty imitating speech sounds; and
slow rate of speech or slurred speech.
(Sources: hearing.health.mil; asha.org)