Hearing News Watch

COTTAGE GROVE, OR–In the classic 1980 comedy Caddyshack, starring Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, and Bill Murray, the climax comes when Murray, playing the gopher-obsessed groundskeeper Carl Spackler, turns to heavy explosives to eradicate the pesky rodents. It made for a hilarious scene, but it did not look like a good idea, especially when the explosions destroyed much of the golf

NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND—Scientists at the University of Nottingham have come up with a promising new way of treating otitis media with effusion (OME), a condition estimated to affect up to 80% of all children at least once. Even when treated, OME often recurs, and it can sometimes cause serious temporary or even hearing loss in those afflicted. In an effort to

CUPERTINO, CA–Apple’s latest operating system for its mobile devices will come with a hearing aid mode designed to improve compatibility between hearing aids and iOS devices such as iPhones, iPads, and iPods, according to MacRumors, an online publication. Version 6 of the iOS 5 beta will also feature a speech-recognition feature, MacRumors says. The updated iOS is expected to launch

HOUSTON–When a child acts out in school or doesn’t pay attention in class, hyperactivity or a learning disability may not be the cause. The actual culprit may be something as simple and treatable as hearing or vision loss. According to an RSS feed from Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), doctors there advise that what appears to be a behavioral issue

By David H. Kirkwood PITTSBURGH—The dispute between the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) escalated August 2 when ADA sued ASHA in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh. The lawsuit seeks an injunction against ASHA requiring it to correct what ADA charges were “fraudulent statements” made in letters to audiologists and on its web site.

PORTLAND, OR–Anthony T. Cacace, PhD, and Jinsheng Zhang, PhD, both leading researchers on tinnitus and professors at Wayne State University, have received a $1.5-million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to study blast- and concussion-induced tinnitus. The American Tinnitus Association (ATA), which announced the grant last week, notes that tinnitus is the most common service-connected disability among military veterans

WARRENVILLE, IL–Linda Thibodeau, PhD, a University of Texas at Dallas audiology professor who has devoted much of her career to (re)habilitation of children and adults with hearing loss, received  the 2011 Cheryl DeConde Johnson Award for Outstanding Achievement in Educational and Pediatric Audiology. The award is presented annually by Phonak LLC. Cheryl DeConde Johnson, EdD, the honorary chairperson of the

  SALT LAKE CITY—The Utah Department of Health has developed an innovative system for making hearing aids available for children in need. It encourages people who have hearing aids that are no longer being used to donate them to its hearing aid recycling program. No matter what their condition, the used instruments are of value. They may be reconditioned, sold

WEST PALM BEACH, FL-Audiology Distribution, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens Hearing Instruments, was the winner in an auction held here July 30 for the assets of HearUSA, Inc. HearUSA, one of the nation’s largest providers of hearing healthcare, went up for bids under Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The bid by Audiology Distribution includes aggregate consideration of approximately $129 million

BATH, ENGLAND—There’s no doubt that motorcycle riders who wear helmets reduce their risk of skull fractures and fatal accidents. On the other hand, researchers at the University of Bath and Bath Spa University have found that helmets may actually increase the risk of hearing loss among bikers. According to their study, “Aeroacoustic Sources of Motorcycle Helmet Noise,” which has been