Hearing Aids FAQ

Q. I recently got a computer and began "surfing the net" to learn more about various products, including hearing aids. I came across your web site and was very impressed. I also came across a web site where I could actually order hearing aids. Should I buy my hearing aids "online"?
A. In a word-"No". E-commerce is the wave of the future. There is no question that selling products over the Internet is growing rapidly. So it's not surprising that hearing aids have been added to the myriad of items available online.

But while advertised as discount hearing aids, these web sites require you to go to a hearing aid office anyway to have an impression made of your ear, for the fitting / programming of the instruments, as well as all of your follow-up care.

These additional services are not covered in the price of the Internet hearing aid, so often you can incur more expense than purchasing your hearing aid directly from the dispenser.

Q. Just how important is fitting service and follow-up care?
A. It is critical to your success in adapting and benefiting from your new instruments. When you purchase a hearing aid in our office, you are buying more than a hearing device, you are paying for our professional expertise in successfully fitting and adjusting the instrument to you and your listening needs.

Also, Internet hearing aids are often limited to one style or one technology. We offer a complete line of hearing aid technology from the traditional analog to fully digital in a wide price range to fit both your lifestyle as well as your budgetary needs.

Q. Do you recommend buying anything off the net?
The Internet is a tremendous resource for learning about new hearing aid technology. Many sites have wonderful web stores where you can buy batteries, TV amplifiers, telephones, and other accessories at rock bottom prices. Feel free to buy any of these items, just avoid purchasing goods that require personalized fitting, service, and adjustment.

Speech & Language FAQ

Q. What are feeding and swallowing disorders?
A. Feeding disorders include problems gathering food and getting ready to suck, chew, or swallow it. For example, a child who cannot pick up food and get it to her mouth or cannot completely close her lips to keep food from falling out of her mouth may have a feeding disorder.
Swallowing disorders, also called dysphagia (dis-FAY-juh), can occur at different stages in the swallowing process:
• Oral phase–sucking, chewing, and moving food or liquid into the throat
• Pharyngeal phase–starting the swallow, squeezing food down the throat, and closing off the airway to prevent food or liquid from entering the airway (aspiration) or to prevent choking
• Esophageal phase–relaxing and tightening the openings at the top and bottom of the feeding tube in the throat (esophagus) and squeezing food through the esophagus into the stomach

Q. What should I do if I think that my child may have a speech, language, or hearing problem?
A. If you think your child may have a speech, language, or hearing problem, you can contact an ASHA-certified:
• Audiologist—audiologists are hearing care professionals who specialize in prevention, identification, and assessment of hearing and related disorders and provide treatment, rehabilitative services, and assistive devices.
• Speech-language pathologist—speech-language pathologists (SLPs) help people develop their communication abilities as well as treat speech, languages, swallowing, and voice disorders. Their services include prevention, identification, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation.

Q. What is autism?
A. Autism is a developmental disability that causes problems with social skills and communication. Autism can be mild or severe. It is different for every person. Autism is also known as autism spectrum disorders.

Q. What are some signs or symptoms of autism?
A. Children with autism may have problems with movement, communication, social skills, and reacting to the world around them. Not all behaviors will exist in every child. A diagnosis should be made by the child's doctor or other professional with experience in working with children with autism.

Q. What are signs and symptoms of stuttering?
A. Stuttered speech often includes repetitions of words or parts of words, as well as prolongations of speech sounds. These disfluencies occur more often in persons who stutter than they do in the general population. Some people who stutter appear very tense or "out of breath" when talking. Speech may become completely stopped or blocked. Blocked is when the mouth is positioned to say a sound, sometimes for several seconds, with little or no sound forthcoming. After some effort, the person may complete the word. Interjections such as "um" or "like" can occur, as well, particularly when they contain repeated ("u- um- um") or prolonged ("uuuum") speech sounds or when they are used intentionally to delay the initiation of a word the speaker expects to "get stuck on."

Q. What is PVFM?
A. Paradoxical vocal fold movement (PVFM) is a voice disorder. The vocal folds behave in a normal fashion almost all of the time, but, when an episode occurs, the vocal folds close when they should open, such as when breathing.

Q. What are signs and symptoms of PVFM?
A. PVFM can be mistaken for asthma as it leads to wheezing and difficulty breathing, sometimes to the point of requiring hospitalization.

Q. What are vocal fold nodules and polyps?
A. Vocal fold nodules are benign (noncancerous) growths on both vocal folds that are caused by vocal abuse. Over time, repeated abuse of the vocal folds results in soft, swollen spots on each vocal fold. These spots develop into harder, callous-like growths called nodules. The nodules will become larger and stiffer the longer the vocal abuse continues.

Q. What are signs and symptoms of vocal fold nodules or polyps?
A. Nodules and polyps cause similar symptoms:
• hoarseness
• breathiness
• a "rough" voice
• a "scratchy" voice
• harshness
• shooting pain from ear to ear
• a "lump in the throat" sensation
• neck pain
• decreased pitch range
• voice and body fatigue

Q. What is aphasia?
A. Aphasia is a disorder that results from damage to the parts of the brain that contain language. Aphasia causes problems with any or all of the following: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

Q. How do I teach my child to be bilingual?
A. There are a number of ways to teach children to speak more than one language. You can do the following:
• Use two languages from the start. Many children grow up learning two languages at the same time.
• Use only one language at home. Your child can learn the second language when he or she starts school.
• Give your child many opportunities to hear and practice using both languages in everyday situations.