September is Deaf Awareness Month. Deafness affects millions of people across the world, including both children and adults. Children have a very small auditory system compared to adults. Their hearing can be damaged more easily by external sounds and forces because their auditory system is so small. This means that a concert with loud music may be just fine for an adult, but a child may experience some hearing loss if they hear music at the volume played at some larger, louder concerts. When a small child experiences hearing loss, they may not be able to distinguish sounds easily and could have difficulty comprehending some words as a result.

As with most things in life, hearing loss comes in different shapes and packages. Mild hearing loss leads to difficulty with soft sounds. With moderate hearing loss, you can struggle to hear and understand words when someone is talking at a normal level. Severe hearing loss leads to the person being unable to hear some or all speech when spoken at normal levels, and they may hear only some loud sounds. Profound hearing loss leads to only being able to hear very loud sounds or no sounds at all. 

Types of Hearing Loss

There are many different conditions that can lead to deafness or partial deafness, but there are three types of hearing loss. The most common is sensorineural hearing loss which affects nine out of ten people who have loss of hearing. This type is a result of damage to the nerve pathways that lead from your inner ear to the brain or the tiny hairs inside your ear. Acquired sensorineural hearing loss is usually caused by aging, damage due to loud noises, infections, diseases, head trauma, tumors, and certain medications. 

Unlike acquired hearing loss, congenital hearing loss is with the person from when they were born. Congenital sensorineural hearing loss can be caused by a lack of oxygen during birth, maternal diabetes, prematurity, genetics, and infectious diseases. In many cases, sensorineural hearing loss can be helped with a hearing aid. 

The second type is conductive hearing loss. Unlike sensorineural hearing loss, conductive can often be cured with obstruction removal or surgery. Conductive hearing loss is usually caused by blockages in the middle or outer ear. Common blocks are tumors, ear formation, fluids, or earwax. Unlike sensorineural hearing loss which is caused by permanent damage, conductive hearing loss happens because sounds are being blocked from getting to the inner ear. 

The third type, mixed hearing loss, is extremely rare and is a combination of both sensorineural and conductive.

American Sign Language

Sign language is an integral part of the Deaf culture and has been for generations. It is one of the first forms of communication developed by people with various kinds of hearing loss. With over 5 million fluent signers, it is the most widely spoken language in the world. Some cultures even consider it a second language.

American Sign Language (ASL) is a unique natural-language-sign language system that serves as the primary sign language of many Deaf communities throughout the US and much of Canada. 

ASL uses facial expressions, hand movements, and head and body movements to make symbols and gestures that represent letters and words. This style of communication enables individuals with hearing impairments to communicate in the same way that individuals with hearing communicate. 

A number of studies have shown that signing is more effective than reading for the reason that the eyes and hands are involved in the communication process, making it a more immersive experience. If you want to learn ASL, there are several different options for you. You can enroll in an ASL class online or study it at a private signing institution. There are also many apps available on the market today that can aid you in the process. See below for a headstart on the ASL alphabet!

Whether or not you learn ASL, it is important for hearing people to understand that people with hearing loss have their own thriving culture, but they’re also just like everyone else.