Page 68 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2024 - Online Magazine
P. 68

SENIOR RESOURCES                                                        SENIOR RESOURCES




           QUALITY HEARING:  Important at All Ages






               he young professional, now    in Texas each day (2%) who are       years of hearing, she is dedicated to
               37, is a graduate of Texas    hard of hearing or deaf.  Research   the prevention of that tragedy for other
         TTech University in Chemical        has shown that professionals can     parents and children. Her son did
         Engineering and a nuclear engineer.     stimulate damaged nerves from birth   not have the privilege of mandatory
         He is a husband and the father of   to six months and, thereby, grant a   newborn hearing screening. What a
         two beautiful girls. In addition, he is   child with developmentally impaired   blessing it is to give new parents the
         proficient in sign language and reads   hearing the ability to communicate. ¹  glowing report, “He/she passed both
         lips because he is severe to profoundly                                  ears!” And what a blessing it was for
         deaf in both ears. He wears two     At Grand Hearing Center, we offer    her to be able to pass along the same
         hearing aids, which allows him to hear   this service and follow-up referrals   report to her son and his wife that her
         the giggles and squeals of his precious   if necessary. We work with midwife   new granddaughters: “PASSED.”
         daughters.                          deliveries and through private
                                             appointments, using a TOAE           Come visit one of our South Plains area
         He was first diagnosed at 18 months   (Transient Otoemissions Acoustics)   offices, in Lubbock and Plainview. We
         as being a “lazy talker,” depending   system of testing. Babies with hospital   offer FREE adult screenings, discounts
         on his two older sisters to do his   deliveries are also tested in the hospital   on repairs on hearing aids, ear canal
         communicating. At the age of three,   as part of their discharge screenings.    inspections, and a cup of coffee.
         and after many months of speech     Babies who have a high-risk birth
         therapy, it was determined that he   (requiring NICU or having other     Grand Hearing Center has carried on
         had a severe to profound hearing loss   specific risk factors) may require   the Wampler legacy of serving you for
         due to a traumatic birth, and he was   additional screenings (ABR Auto Brain   48 years.
         fitted with two hearing aids. His world   Response)
         changed!  So did ours because he is our   to ensure a
         son.                                hearing loss
                                             is not going
         When you visit a Hearing Health Care   undetected.
         office, you might expect the usual ear
         canal exam, the hearing screening   Gayle Willson
         and a full evaluation of your hearing.   served as the
         You would assume there would be     manager of
         follow up adjustments to hearing aids   the newborn
         and literature about the treatment of   screening
         hearing loss, but you might not expect   programs in
         a quiet room with a rocking chair,   two hospitals
         brightly colored baby quilts and a   for many years
         sound booth. This room in our office   and continues
         is the result of Texas House Bill 714,   her passion
         passed in 1999.                     for little ones.
                                             She is the
         That year, following extensive      mother of the
         research, a mandate was decreed     young man
         that newborns need to be tested to   whose story
         determine their hearing levels. In   introduced
         2000, a law was passed to test every   this article.
         newborn to confirm their ability to   Because her
         hear common sounds and human        own son lost
         voices. Two to three babies are born   three valuable

         1 Texas Department of State Health Services, www.dshs.texas.gov/tehdi

      68   Lubbock Senior Link
   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73