Hearing News Watch

ST. LOUIS-To most people familiar with early detection of hearing loss and early intervention, these approaches to treating babies born deaf or hard-of-hearing are like motherhood and apple pie. After all, in less than 20 years, the movement to address hearing loss as young as possible has made it routine that babies born in the U.S. with hearing loss receive

CAMP PENDLETON, CA—Nearly half of all U.S. Marines have some degree of hearing loss when they leave the corps, according to Mike Tianen, an industrial hygienist at Base Camp Pendleton. Therefore, the official U.S. Marine Corps web site, www.Marines.mil, reported this week, the corps is stepping up efforts to prevent “the few and the proud” from becoming the hard of

NEW ORLEANS–The National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) has presented the Michael Beall Threadgill Award to Laurie Wells, AuD, manager of audiology for Associates in Acoustics, Inc., in Westminster, CO. The award was presented during NHCA’s 2012 conference held two weeks ago in New Orleans. Given annually since 1985, the Threadgill Award recognizes an individual whose committed leadership and insight has

WASHINGTON, DC—If you or a loved one experiences sudden hearing loss (SHL) in one or both ears, getting a prompt and accurate diagnosis—and treatment, if necessary–is important in reducing the chance that the loss will become permanent. So says the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HSNF) in its new Clinical Practice Guideline on Sudden Hearing Loss (SHL)

BALTIMORE—People with even a mild hearing loss are nearly three times as likely to report having fallen in the preceding year than those in an otherwise comparable population who have normal hearing. And among people with more severe hearing loss the increased risk of falling appears to be even greater. So reported Frank Lin, MD, PhD, an otologist and epidemiologist

As observed here last week, recent meetings between leaders of several professional hearing healthcare organizations and executives of United Healthcare (UHC) and its subsidiary hi HealthInnovations (UHC/HI) seem to have done little to resolve the issues that divide them. The key area of disagreement is the new hearing aid benefit being offered to consumers covered by UHC’s Medicare Advantage insurance

LARGO, FL—More than 275 million people around the world have disabling hearing loss (>40 dB HL) and another 365 million-plus have milder losses, according to the most recent estimate by the World Health Organization. Of these, an estimated 75% live in developing countries, where hearing healthcare providers and services are so scarce that only a tiny fraction of the children

NEW ORLEANS—Three of the nation’s largest companies were honored on February 23 for their exemplary record of providing a hearing-healthy environment for their employees. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced the recipients of its 2012 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards™ during the annual conference of the National Hearing Conservation Association in New Orleans. The

SMØRUM, DENMARK–The Oticon Foundation, together with the parent company of the Danish toy maker Lego, has invested 675 million Euros, about $900 million, in the construction of a giant new wind farm off the German coast in the North Sea. Within a few years, the foundation expects its stake in the wind farm to produce over five times as much

DETROIT—Do you use your right ear to listen to your cell phone? If so, you’re probably right-handed but left-brained. So says a new study conducted by researchers at the Henry Ford Hospital. According to a news report issued this week by the Henry Ford Health System, scientists found a strong correlation between people’s brain dominance and the ear they use