Enjoy Life... for Even Longer!

by Marie-Josée Taillefer

Who are you? That’s an interesting question! You can talk about the colour of your hair and eyes, describe your facial features, give your height, and even describe your sense of fashion. On the surface, that’s you.

But if you look deeper, what are you made of? What makes you unique? What makes you different? What are your values, interests, preferences? What’s important to you, what makes you happy, what gives you a reason to get up in the morning and start the day with a smile?

The meaning you give your life comes from many factors that allow you to enjoy it fully. At the top of that list: your health, which is essential to a fulfilling life.

Healthy hearing allows you to interact with people and enjoy the moment. That’s all the reason you need to talk about it with your loved ones.

A Compassionate Listening Ear

Hearing loss is often a sensitive subject. Openly addressing the issue can be uncomfortable, and the person you’re talking to may become anxious if they aren’t ready to discuss their health.

Even when you try to make your loved ones aware of their hearing health, it’s still up to them to decide what to do. It’s important to remember that you are a co-pilot and therefore do not have your hands on the wheel.

Trying to find the right wording or reasons can be tough, but love and kindness can work wonders. Be patient and considerate and understand when the person is open to talking about it, as well as when to back off and leave the discussion for a better time.

Motivation is usually a fantastic driver, but it can sometimes be difficult to get the ball rolling. That’s especially true when the other person’s energy is being lowered by exhaustion, stress, and isolation, making it harder to face life and health issues.

You need to be prepared to lend a sympathetic ear while understanding their concerns and hesitations about seeing a hearing health professional. Simply reach out, and, without rushing or contradicting them, let them know that you’ll be with them every step of the way.

The Bright Side of Things

Rather than broaching the subject by emphasizing what’s wrong, why not start the discussion in a positive way by talking about the things that make life so interesting and beautiful?

You’re lucky to have such good friends you can talk to. You really enjoy going to the movies, don’t you? The people in your walking club really love spending time with you.

Starting a conversation with “I” statements can also help put things into perspective for a loved one who is concerned about their hearing.

I enjoy chatting with you. I love seeing you spend special moments with your granddaughter. It’s a pleasure to listen to music with you. I hope we get to share great moments like this for many more years.

It’s usually only once you realize what’s precious to you that you cling to life and enjoy everything it brings. Taking a step back and looking to the future helps you think about what you want to protect and what you’d like to change or try next.

Some people get the ball rolling and seek help to please their loved ones, who seem worried or affected by the situation. They make a rational decision for the good of those around them. However, what starts out as a seemingly “selfless” decision will turn into a wonderful gift to themselves.

Take your time, listen, and simply have a conversation about life. Reminisce and talk about fond memories and the good times ahead. This dialogue will help you both reflect on the importance of healthy hearing and everything that should be cherished, now and for many years to come.

Marie-Josée Taillefer Ambassador of Lobe Clinics and Hearing Health

Auditory Processing Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder How Can You Tell the Difference?

When a child is struggling in school, you may wonder whether they are grasping the concepts being taught in class. When the child is indeed not understanding the concepts, it can sometimes be difficult to discern whether the problem is caused by an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or an auditory processing disorder (APD).

Start at the Beginning

The first step in identifying an APD is to ensure that the child has healthy peripheral hearing. This means that the sound signal is correctly transmitted from the outer ear to the first neurons of the auditory nerve. We therefore recommend having a complete hearing assessment (audiogram) done before beginning a series of additional tests.

Complete hearing assessment

What Is an Auditory Processing Disorder?

Someone with an APD hears perfectly well, but is not sure "what to do" with what they hear. It's as if the brain gathers information but doesn't know how to sort it and prioritize it. As a result, the brain quickly becomes overloaded.

Although the causes are not well known, APD can sometimes be acquired following a head injury or chronic ear infections. It should be noted that only 2 to 3% of children have this disorder.

Varied and Adapted Tests

APD assessments take place over several appointments. The tests are numerous but short (a few minutes long). All the tests consist of audio recordings to avoid presenter variability. The minimum age for taking these tests is 7 years old.

Through these tests, several skills are analyzed. Mainly, the tests verify whether the child can: detect speech among noise; detect which word has been produced in the right and left ear; direct their attention to the most important sound signal; correctly perceive or retain melodies; merge or separate sounds produced closely together; recognize the wrong word in a sentence; and find the sentence that doesn't fit the story.

Know How to Read the Results

When analyzing the results, you must, of course, consider the maturity of the child’s auditory system, since it can improve over the years.

The analysis is mainly based on variations in performance. If the variations are too great and the tests show "irregular" results, an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be suspected. However, an audiologist will not give a diagnosis of ADHD. If the APD tests are inconclusive, they will suggest that the child see a neuropsychologist or psychologist to complete the tests for ADHD.

If the child has an auditory processing disorder, several strategies can be put in place to help them in their daily life. For example, they can be moved closer to the teacher in the classroom, surrounding noise can be mitigated to improve speech comprehension (e.g., tennis balls on the chair legs), or written materials can be provided to help them understand oral instructions.

You will also need to use strategies at home during conversations with family members.

• Be sure to face the child when talking to them.

• Wait your turn to speak.

• Limit background noise.

All of these tips will improve their ability to absorb information.

In addition, as they become accustomed to using these various strategies, the child will be able to take control of any listening situation and recognize what needs to be done to optimize their comprehension.

If you have any concerns about your child's listening and comprehension skills, consult an audiologist.

Martin Fortin Audiologist practicing in Québec City and Beauce