In today’s society, we like our labels. It helps us to understand who and what we are. It helps us to understand how to communicate with someone when we know their label. Imagine, if we knew what “Deaf” meant, we would not ask that individual to attend the local symphony’s performance showcasing a selection of Mozart’s music.

“Hearing Impaired” describes someone with some degree of hearing loss. This is a term used as a medical description of someone who has less than normal hearing. Traditionally, there are five levels of hearing loss:

• “Mild” loss (25-40 dB);

• “Moderate” loss (41-55 dB);

• “Moderate-Severe” loss (56-70 dB);

• “Severe” loss (71-90 dB); and

• “Profound” loss (91 dB or higher).

Someone who is “Deaf” would fall under this “label”. People who have had a “cochlear implant’ would fall into this category too. So you can see that it is an umbrella term covering all aspects of hearing loss.

“Hard of Hearing” describes someone with a degree of hearing as identified above who uses amplification to assist them in hearing i.e. hearing aids, assistive listening devices such as amplified telephones. The primary means of communication is by speech (oral) although a small number do learn sign language. By using hearing aids, assistive listening devices and speechreading they are able to function very well in doing everyday things that hearing people do.

“Deaf” describes someone who has no hearing or a severe/profound hearing loss. Their primary means of communication is by sign language. By using some assistive listening devices and speechreading, they too are able to function very well in doing everyday things.

“Deaf” describes someone who has little or no hearing and still uses oral communication to communicate with others.

So you can see that while the terms seem similar, they are in fact quite distinct in their definition. As I had a severe hearing loss growing up, I was orally proficient and thus was able to function with my hearing loss reasonably well. I was able to use the telephone and work in offices doing all the tasks required. Later in life, my hearing loss became a profound hearing loss but I still function well using my hearing aids, speechreading and assistive listening devices for the telephone and the television. Since childhood, I have always described myself as “hard of hearing”.

Val Bedard has a profound hearing loss since birth. She owns her own business Hear Well Services Ltd. (http://www.hearwell.ca), sells assistive listening devices for the hearing impaired, can be reached via email at info@hearwell.ca or by telephone at 1-888-549-2092. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Val_Bedard