One in five adults in the UK have some form of hearing loss. Terms such as ‘hearing impaired’, ‘Hard of Hearing’ and ‘Deaf’ are common ways to describe someone with hearing loss.
As an invisible disability, identifying an individual as Deaf or Hard of Hearing can be difficult, so it’s important to ensure you’re as educated as possible to avoid discrimination against your peers, colleagues and those around you in general.
There are several degrees of Deafness, with some (profoundly Deaf) not being able to hear at all, some who struggle with softer, quieter sounds, and some who are just starting to experience hearing difficulties, perhaps later in life.
However, all forms of hearing life can cause communication issues for the people who have them. Here we take a closer look at the different forms and suggest some of the ways you can improve the way you communicate with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Sensorineural hearing loss vs conductive hearing loss
There are two main types of hearing loss: sensorineural and conductive.
Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the hair cells in the inner ear. This type of hearing loss can also be caused by factors such as exposure to loud noise, ageing, and some types of medication.
Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound waves are unable to travel from the outer ear through the middle ear and into the inner ear. This type of hearing loss can be caused by an infection or injury in the outer or middle ear, or a build-up of fluid in the middle ear.
What are the different degrees of hearing loss?
There are different degrees of Deafness and hearing loss. Some people may only have trouble hearing high-pitched or softer sounds, while others may have trouble understanding speech in both noisy and quiet environments.
Those with mild hearing loss may have difficulty hearing softer or quieter sounds. Those with moderate hearing loss may struggle to hear speech or sounds at a ‘normal’ volume.
Severe hearing loss can lead to difficulty hearing any sound or speech, unless it’s at a high volume. And if hearing loss is profound, you might not be able to hear anything at all.
How can you tell if someone is Deaf?
Despite Deafness being an invisible disability, there are several ways to tell if a person is Deaf or has hearing loss. The most obvious way is by the person’s use of sign language, which is often used as a first language for many members of the Deaf or Hard of Hearing communities.
When Deaf people are communicating with hearing people, lipreading is also used to improve their understanding of speech.
The most common visual way to determine if someone is Deaf or Hard of Hearing, is by the person’s use of a cochlear implant or hearing aid. These devices, if successful both help in enhancing the hearing ability of the Deaf person by making it easier to recognise surrounding sounds.
Deafness is a spectrum. Two people may identify as being Deaf, but one may be profoundly Deaf, where the other is moderately Deaf. The different degrees of Deafness that a person can have means individuals, and businesses need to be open minded about how they communicate with everyone. When it comes to Deafness, it’s not one size fits all, and what might be the perfect communication for one person, may not be for the next. So, do not make presumptions about the needs of a Deaf or Hard of Hearing person.
At Sign Solutions we offer a range of training courses, including Deaf Awareness Training. This is a programme that allows both individuals and organisations to learn BSL, how to become more accessible, how to create a more inclusive environment and much more, which in return achieves greater employee and customer satisfaction, resulting in better outcomes for institutions and businesses.
To find out more about how we can help, contact us today on 0121 447 9620 or visit our contact page.
