News and Stories
For 16-year-old Lucy, there was much to reminisce about when coming back to participate in the STAR Group Social Skills program during recent school holidays. “My mum first heard of Hear and Say in a news article before she even knew I had a hearing loss,” recalled Lucy. “I have been profoundly deaf since birth, and got my first cochlear implant when I was around two years old. I had speech therapy lessons with Hear and Say to help with my talking skills, where I learnt to listen to different sounds and determine what they were and where each sound came from.” Lucy got a ...
Hearing loss can happen at any time, at any age. Your hearing can change gradually, without you noticing, or the signs can be apparent and sudden – that’s why knowing what to look out for is key. Check out some of the common signs of hearing loss below. Conversations are harder Do you find yourself saying, “Pardon?” a lot during conversations, or having to ask others to repeat themselves or speak more slowly? Do people sound like they’re always mumbling? Not being able to fully understand and engage in conversations can make socialising tiring and you may begin to avoid it. The ...
With people waiting on average seven years before seeking support for issues with hearing loss (Davis et al., 2007), it’s not surprising that misconceptions potentially put off many people when they are considering booking a hearing test. Check out these six common myths about hearing aids, to see if you may be letting the stigma of hearing loss hold you back in seeking treatment. Myth: My hearing loss isn’t bad enough for hearing aids Hearing loss can occur at any time and slowly impacts the way you interact with the world. Often, it’s family and friends who notice – and get ...
If you don’t currently use hearing technology but fall into the group of one in six Australians now living with hearing loss, your brain is at risk of auditory deprivation. This somewhat daunting term refers to the process of the brain losing its ability to process incoming sound, due to a continued lack of auditory stimulation – based on a principle that Hear and Say audiologist, Georgia Cambridge concisely summarised as “use it or lose it”. “The longer the duration of time your brain goes without auditory input, the more you may begin to permanently lose your ability to ...
G’day, my name is Dylan and I am 22 years old. I love basketball, swimming and anything sports related. I currently work as a sports assistant teaching students how to play volleyball and basketball, and as a casual cook at The Coffee Club. I was around six months old when my parents began to suspect that I wasn’t responding to sounds. I was initially referred to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist by Australian Hearing (now Hearing Australia), who booked me in for grommet surgery for glue ear. However, even after that issue cleared, my responses to sound still weren’t ...
As a senior finance manager and mum of two girls, Jackie Taylor knows all about juggling the many demands of a busy work and home life. However, when it came to doing something about a hearing loss which was leaving her increasingly frustrated, Jackie knew she needed to act. “At the end of the day, taking charge of my hearing loss was a quality of life choice. I am a very happy-go-lucky type of person and one who loves to have a chat, but at the age of only 41 I was already finding it harder to understand people,” Jackie said. “I was struggling particularly at work, and with ...
The beginning of the school year is fast approaching, and with it comes an exciting milestone for many children as they step into the classroom for the first time. With so many new experiences and changes to routines ahead, preparation is key to success – particularly for families preparing a child who is deaf or hard of hearing to take this big leap. Former teacher and Hear and Say Listening and Spoken Language Specialist, Jayne Simpson Allen said that it was natural for children to experience some first-day jitters. However, there were many steps parents and carers could put in place ...
While Jo Kek-Pamenter’s career as a graphic designer has spanned countless fields, the work closest to her heart is when she can apply her talents to help those with disabilities – inspired by her own life-changing experience as a teen. “I suffered sudden hearing loss in both ears at age 16, after an adverse reaction to a routine immunisation,” recalled Jo. “My brother also lost his hearing the same way many years prior, so whilst this was a shock to me, I knew based on watching him thrive that I would also cope and be supported by our family.” Having worn hearing aids for ...
It may be that you’ve noticed your child responding to questions with “Huh?” more frequently, or they always seem to want the TV volume up louder, or that their teacher has raised a concern about their concentration in the classroom. There are many reasons why families may be worried about their child’s hearing, and look to book a hearing test. For young children especially, it is important that a hearing test is conducted by experienced paediatric audiologists. Children of all ages – even newborn babies – can have their hearing tested at Hear and Say. While not necessary, ...
Despite being a preventable condition, noise-induced hearing loss impacts many Australians. Particularly common in the construction and manufacturing industries, noise-induced hearing loss occurs after harmful exposure to noises that are too loud. It permanently damages sensitive structures in the inner ear and can potentially cause a range of issues from tinnitus to significant deafness. Being aware of how you engage in other everyday activities – such as listening to music through headphones, mowing the lawn or going to a live concert – is also critical. “Just like your ...
Maia’s Story
At 9.10pm on 24 October 2013 our beautiful daughter Maia was born.
The moment of elation was short-lived as we immediately noticed her left ear was missing. I frantically looked to the medical team around me for answers but received none.
Panic set in as we waited 4 days in hospital for an ENT to explain her condition, by which point we already had all the answers from Simone, who runs the Microtia and Atresia Program at Hear and Say.
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