Fast Facts About Hearing Loss

What are the statistics on hearing loss?

(All text taken from the Canadian Hearing Society magazine, “Vibes,” April 1998)

Accurate statistics on hearing loss are very difficult to obtain. Most of the research and statistics gathering rely on self-identification and an inconsisten use of terminology and definitions.

The problem with self-identification:

It is very common for people to deny their hearing loss. In addition, many hard of hearing people who have adapted well to their hearing loss, their hearing aids and other assistive listening devices may report that they have no difficulties hearing and are therefore excluded from the statistics.

The problem with lack of consistent definitions:

The 1991 Activity Limitation Survey from Statistics Canada defines hearing loss as: “limited ability to hear what is being said in a conversation with one or more people, even when wearing a hearing aid.” By this definition, a hearing aid user who communicates well with others would be excluded from the statistics.

Statistics

AGE/GROUPS	Canadian Population*	Estimated Incidence of Hearing Loss**	Estimated Number of Canadians w/Hearing Loss
0-99 years	28,846,761	10%	2,884,676
Culturally deaf; oral & aural deaf; deafened people		1%	288,468
Hard of hearing people; use amplification		4%	1,153,870
don’t use amplification		5%	1,442,338

* Statistics Canada, 1996

** Statistics Canada Post-Censal Survey, 1986

Statistics Canada’s 1991 Activity Limitation Survey shows a 15 per cent increase in the incidence of hearing loss in people 65 years and older compared with 1986. It is expected that the number of people with hearing loss will increase at a faster rate than the total population, as a direct result of the aging of the population.

It is estimated that three out of 10 children who have middle ear infections may cause temporary hearing loss (The Better Hearing Institute, Washington, D.C.).

The Canadian Association of the Deaf (CAD) estimates that approximately 30,000 Canadians use Sign Language as their first language.

Definitions of Groups

What is the correct term to use when referring to someone with a hearing loss?

There is a lot of confusion about how to refer to someone with a hearing loss. There are actually numerous terms used, as there are varying degrees of loss. Terms are a matter of personal preference and it’s important to respect how individuals are most comfortable identifying themselves.

hard of hearing	This term is generally used to describe individuals who use their residual hearing and speech to communicate. Many hard of hearing people can understand some speech sounds with or without a hearing aid. Generally, these individuals supplement their residual hearing with speechreading, hearing aids and technical devices.
deafened or late-deafened	These terms describe individuals who grow up hearing or hard of hearing and suddenly, or gradually, experience a profound loss of hearing. Late-deafened adults usually cannot understand speech without visual clues such as print interpretation (i.e. computerized notetaking), speechreading or Sign Language.
deaf	This term is geneerally used to describe individuals with a severe to profound hearing loss, with little or no residual hearing. Some deaf people use Sign Language to communicate. Others use speech to communicate, have learned to use their residual hearing and hearing aids, technical devices or cochlear implants, employ lipreading and speechreading.
oral deaf	This term is generally used to describe individuals who are deaf and whose preferred mode of communication is speech and speechreading.
culturally Deaf	This term refers to individuals who are deaf (deafened or hard of hearing) who identify with and participate in the language, culture and community of Deaf people, based on Sign Language.
hearing impaired	This medical/audiological term has been used primarily to describe individuals with any degree of hearing loss. Most Deaf people dislike the term “hearing impaired,” as they feel it promotes a negative image of deaf people as defective and needing to be fixed. The term “hearing impaired” also fails to distinguish between deaf, deafened and hard of hearing, each of which has distinct needs.

Deaf Culture

Why is “deaf” capitalized sometimes and not at other times?

Lowercase deaf is used when referring to the medical/audiological condition of having little or no hearing, while uppercase Deaf refers to individuals who identify themselves as Deaf and share a culture and community, not just a medical condition. Deaf people don’t want to be fixed and would not prefer to hear. Their preferred mode of communication is Sign Language.

The Canadian Association of the Deaf (CAD) writes that a culture is generally considered distinct when it has its own unique language, values, behavioral norms, art, educational institutions, organizations and “peripherals” (such as ethnic clothing, rituals, or special/unusual possessions). By this measure, Deaf people have a unique culture. Some elements of Deaf Culture include:

>	feeling of cultural solidarity and pride;
>	using Sign Language as the first language;
>	Deaf schools, including Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.;
>	Deaf theatre, poetry, jokes, paintings, etc.;
>	magazines, journals and books by and about Deaf people and devoted to Deaf interests and concerns;
>	organized groups in almost every community, as well as national organizations in roughly 100 countries;
>	values based on schools attended, skill in Sign Language, involvement in the local Deaf community, attitudes towards Deaf interests, etc.;
>	“peripherals” such as TTYs, closed caption decoders, flashing alarms, etc.

Deaf Culture also includes the strong belief that Sign Language is the best way for prelingually deaf children to acquire the first-language skills needed to learn English or French later in life; in other words, Sign Languages are the only languages learned naturally and easily by a deaf child.

Communication

Why is it that I can hear people talking, but I just can't understand them?

Most people first experience hearing loss in the high frequencies. Approximately 60 percent of speech intelligibility comes from high frequency sounds or consonants. Without the ability to hear high frequencies, speech seems mumbled and unclear.

My child is having real difficulty in school. The teacher is concerned that he/she is not hearing everything said, however, I don't feel he/she has a hearing loss, but just needs more time to process information. What should I do?	If you suspect that your child (or baby) may have a hearing loss, it is important to have his/her hearing tested. Early detection is important, as hearing loss has a significant effect on a child's acquisition of speech and language.
Is there one Sign Language for all countries?	Just as there is no one spoken language for all countries, there is no one, universal Sign Language. There are overe 100 Sign Languages used in the world today. Every Sign Language reflects its own history, culture and social values; and may have many regional variations. "Gestuno," the closest thing to a universally recognized Sign Language, was developed in the 1970s. Partly based on ASL and gestures, Gestuno is useful in international gatherings of Deaf people such as the World Federation of the Deaf and the Deaf Olympics.
What is ASL?	American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual-gestural language created by Deaf people with its own unique grammatical rules and sentence structure, and is used as the primary means of communication by approximately 500,000 Deaf Americans and Canadians. Like spoken languages, ASL includes slang, expressions and puns. ASL has evolved from a combination of Old French Sign Language, and a "dialect" used by communities in Martha's Vineyard from the 17th to the beginning of the 20th century. Martha's Vineyard had an unusually high incidence of heriditary deafness for many generations. Like any other living language, ASL continues to evolve.
Is ASL a written language?	Because ASL is a purely visual and gestural language, it has no written form in everyday usage. While ASL dictionaries use symbols that show the different parameters of each sign (hand shape, palm orientation, location, movement and repitition), the text that accompanies the illustration may depict only one possible meaning of the sign when, in fact, there are frequently multiple meanings.
How/where can I learn Sign Language?	Sign Language course are available at most CHS offices across Ontario. In other provinces/states, contact an agency in your community that provides services to Deaf individuals, your local school board or community college. Numerous Sign Language books and videotapes are also available for purchase. Although Sign Language materials give insight into the language and culture, they cannot replace the experience of associating directly with Deaf people.
How long does it take to learn ASL?	Learning any language takes a great deal of time, energy and commitment. To be able to sign is only part of the process. You must also be able to understand ASL signed by a nature user. People learn at different rates. Therefore, it is difficult to place a definite time frame on the length of time to learn ASL. Very few people, however, become fluent in less than three years.
What is a Sign Language interpreter, what do they do, and how do I book one?	Sign Language interpreter is a person who facilitates communication between Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing and hearing people. Professional Sign Language interpreters are knowledgable in the language and culture of both Deaf and hearing people. Sign Language interpreters are needed because Deaf and hearing people have a right to clear communication. In Ontario, you can book an interpreter by contacting your local CHS office. Anywhere else, contact an agency in your community that provides services to Deaf people.
How can I become a Sign Language interpreter?	Currently, there are about half a dozen colleges in Canada that train interpreters - in B.C., Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. Program criteria and length vary, ranging from one to three years, some requiring ASL proficiency as a prerequisite. For more information, please contact CHS at: voice 416-964-9595.
How do I phone someone who is deaf?	Many deaf (and hard of hearing and deafened) people don't use a regular phone. Instead, they use a teletypewriter (TTY) to phone other people. A TTY is a small, electronic device with a keyboard and a small screen which allows someone who can't use a regular phone to communicate over the telephone lines. If you want to phone someone deaf who uses a TTY, you do so through your local telephone Relay Service. The relay operator acts as a communication link over the telephone by typing what the hearing person says so that it appears on the TTY of the deaf person and voicing to the hearing person what the deaf person types in reply. In Ontario, to contact a TTY user through Bell Canada Relay Service (BCRS), call 1-800-855-0511. You may want to purchase a TTY and avoid the relay operator altogether. For more information about purchasing a TTY, contact CHS's Technical Services Store at: voice/TTY 416-928-2503 - toll free in Canada voice/TTY 1-800-465-4327.
Why do some deaf people talk and others don't?	Most deaf people's vocal apparatus is perfectly normal. Some have acquired speech, others have not. Some deaf people prefer to use their voices while others don't. See explanation of oral deaf and culturally Deaf under "Definitions of Groups."
Are deaf people visually sharper than hearing people?	That a deaf person's sight magically "stengthens" to compensate for not hearing is a common misconception. But deaf people do use their eyes as hearing people use their ears. Deaf people learn to rely on visual cues and many do become more alert about taking in and processing visual messages. Paying close attention is a survival skill for many people with a hearing loss.

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