Page 68 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2024 - Online Magazine

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