Hearing is a critical component of experiencing our everyday lives and fostering meaningful connections. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), about “15% of American adults (37.5 million) aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing.”

There are three main types of hearing loss that affect different areas of the hearing system. Conductive hearing loss affects the outer and middle ear, sensorineural hearing loss affects the inner ear, and mixed hearing loss is a mixture of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. The type of hearing loss a person has is very important, as the frequencies affected and the severity of loss significantly impacts their communication abilities and understanding of speech sounds.

Here are several tips to help maintain your hearing health:

• Don’t put sharp, small, or dirty objects in your ears
• Use hearing protection in loud environments
• Be aware that some medications can cause hearing loss
• Be careful when changing altitudes quicky (like when in an airplane). Swallow and yawn to equalize the pressure in your ears.

Photo credit: pexels.com

For those working around the speech, hearing, and swallowing fields, correctly using your voice is very important. Not only is it relevant to everyone, but it also gives others a model to imitate. But what is good vocal hygiene, and how can we practice it regularly?

Vocal hygiene is properly caring for your voice through healthy vocal habits. Our vocal folds are composed of sensitive layers and muscles that vibrate to form our speech. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), abusing your voice can cause unhealthy vocal folds, resulting in:

• Overused, strained or raspy speech
• Working harder to speak
• A more limited range of singing
• Clearing your throat excessively

There are many more symptoms for vocal disorders, and causes of voice disorders range in severity.

In terms of informal treatment, there are several general habits that can help improve better vocal health:

• Keep your vocal folds hydrated – drink water!
• Avoid breathing dry or polluted air
• Try to speak in your comfortable range. Speaking lower or louder than comfortable forces your vocal folds to work sub optimally. Whispering is also not a healthy habit
• Use your diaphragm to keep your voice supported when you speak
• Speaking excessively can lead to overuse, so dedicate time to let your voice rest

As you may know, the realm of speech and hearing is constantly changing, especially when it comes to technology and the new applications possible.

In the field of Audiology, hearing difficulties can be eased with hearing aids or other assistive devices, like the Roger microphone. But another company is releasing a different product that uses reading, not amplification, as an assistive device.

The company Vuzix Corporation is developing a new version of glasses that transcribes speech from a conversation onto the lenses. The product, called Ultralite Smart Glasses, uses live captioning abilities and is designed to be an accessory for many smartphones. The glasses hold significant charge and have become lighter than previous versions made by Vuzix. Several competitors are exploring this field to visually assist those with hearing loss through live captioning glasses.

Read the full articles here and here.

Last Tuesday, we held a graduate school application Q&A for NSSLHA! Graduate students from the Audiology and Speech Pathology departments gave advice and tips on applications!

General themes:

• Every person is different, and the experiences and application you bring to a school should be unique to you
• If you have a grade in a class that is not the best reflection of your work ethic, you should find a way to showcase that you are a strong student

Logistics:

• How many grad schools should you apply to? It depends. A general range is 3-8 schools
• If you don’t have all your prerequisite classes for the grad schools, you can take them over the summer or through a community college. Utah State University has some online class options. ASHA EdFind is also a great resource

Personal statement:

• Be sure to explain why you’re interested in SLP or Audiology
• Expand on the program’s strengths that you are applying to
• Tailor your narrative to their program with specifics
• Dig deeper than that you “just want to help people.” What is unique about you and your background?

Letters of recommendation:

• Find 2-3 professors
• Examples:
  • Employer from your university you worked for during an academic year
  • Faculty members

Essays:

• Include school-specific language if possible
• Schools can tell if you had someone else heavily edit your essays. Keep it you.

GRE Resources:

• Greg Mat videos online are unanimously the best
• Magoosh resources
• Some schools like UNC do not require the GRE. Check on their website or through ASHA EdFind to find out

Where can speech pathologists and audiologists choose to work? Speech, language, and hearing disorders encompass a broad field of communication difficulties. Speech pathologists and audiologists are needed for patients of all demographics and have opportunities to specialize on specific disorders. As a result, there are multiple settings that both professions can choose from.

Common Speech Pathology Settings:

• Private/public schools
• Colleges/universities as a teacher or clinician
• Nursing homes and rehab settings
• Private practice
• Patients’ homes
• Research labs
• And don’t forget hospitals!

Common Audiology Settings:

• Physicians’ offices
• Audiology clinics
• Hospitals
• Schools

Gaining a strong background with research, classes related to speech and hearing, and patient-centered experiences is a great way to prepare for these professions.

We know that the deadline for the SPHS minor is coming up! September 30, in fact! Here are a few tips to consider during the submission process:

• There’s an emphasis on your UNC GPA. It’s pretty common not to be accepted into the minor if this is your first semester at UNC and don’t have an official GPA from the university yet. Don’t freak out! Apply again next year if you need to.
• Entry in the minor guarantees that you can enroll into the five minor classes. If you aren’t accepted yet, you can still take the classes if there are enough seats available in the class.
• Show your drive! What commitment do you have to speech and hearing sciences? Let your authentic voice (so to speak) shine in your essay(s)!
• On a side note, remember that there is some flexibility in the order of the minor classes (if the need every arises). However, UNC does have a recommended order to take the classes, and it’s best that you take phonetics before speech science.

Remember not to stress too hard! Give it your best! We wish you luck!

Hi All!  The Triangle Aphasia Project is searching for 3 volunteers to help clean up/decorate for fall at their practice site! If you’re interested in aphasia, this is a great way to connect and help out with TAP.

 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e4ba5a923a64-tapproject1

The HLAA Walk4Hearing is a national program that reaches out to the more than 48 million people with hearing loss, their families, friends, and hearing health professionals to raise awareness about hearing loss, good hearing health, and communication access. The event will take place in-person on October 9th, 2022, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC. There are a range of opportunities throughout walk day that include registration table, selling raffle tickets, activity booths, snack station and more!

 

The event starts at 11AM, but we will need volunteers before, during and after. The form below has information about each if you would like to sign up. Thank you for considering helping us out! It will be a great day and an awesome way to build connections within the community and to learn more about other health professions and resources!

Please note once you sign up, we are eagerly looking forward to your help. If your commitment plans change, please let me know as soon as possible so I can find coverage!

Form to sign-up: https://forms.gle/uZvH4iU9HTKd6dPZ8

https://www.pedtherapy.com/about/volunteer-form

 

 

Volunteer with a variety of services including speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, social groups, developmental therapy, constraint-induced movement therapy, and music therapy

 

The Ronald McDonald Family Room is located in the North Carolina Children’s Hospital in Chapel Hill. Volunteers are needed to help provide a warm, friendly, and supportive atmosphere for families of hospitalized children. The room provides a “home away from home” inside the hospital walls where family members of seriously ill inpatient children can take a respite from patient care while remaining only steps away from their child’s bedside. Visit their website to see a full list of requirements.