Infant Screening

• Founded in 1925, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has acted as a guardian for professionals in the speech-language pathology, audiology and hearing scientist fields ever since. The Early Hearing Detect and Intervention (EHDI) program within ASHA refers to the practice of evaluating newborns for hearing loss before hospital discharge. In 2000, only about 40 percent of newborns in the U.S. were screened, but modest grants from EHDI have since increased that to 95 percent. Now, about 33 babies born each day in the country are diagnosed deaf or hard of hearing and subsequently receive treatment.
  
  

School Services

• Many school systems conduct regular vision and hearing screenings of students during school hours. Using early detection of hearing impairments, schools hope to prevent students from unnecessarily falling behind in classes. In addition to hearing evaluations, some schools and districts also offer custom swim plugs, hearing protection devices for hunters and musicians, aural rehabilitation programs and hearing aid evaluations and fittings.
  
  

Occupations with Hearing Hazards

• Loud noise that causes hearing loss constitutes one of the most common occupational illnesses in the U.S. Approximately 30 million Americans receive exposure to dangerous noise levels regularly, which can damage delicate hair cells within the inner ear. People working jobs with hearing hazards should wear ear protection, such as silicone or form plugs, or ear muffs. Some dangerous occupations include those that deal with fire crackers, music concerts, video arcades, shooting a gun, movie theatres, motorcycles and sporting events.
  
  

Hearing Aid Technology

• Detection of hearing loss leads to further intervention in the form of hearing aids. Originally, hearing aid technology involved heavy, unwieldy designs with vacuum tubes. Modern solutions include digitally programmable microchips and computerization. Conventional analog devices get programmed by a manufacturer for a particular frequency response designated by an audiologist and amplify all sound the same way. Analog programmable devices allow the audiologist to program the aid for a variety of listening environments, but are more expensive.