Central Hearing Impairments

Jessica Schleif
What is Central Hearing Impairment?

Occurs when there are problems within the brain that interfere with the ability to interpret
or understand sounds. This is the rarest type of hearing impairment and the hardest to
treat.

Who it affects:
This disorder can effect almost anyone at any time in there life if they were to develop it
over time, or have a traumatic brain injury.
Some can also be born with damage already done.
Causes of Central Hearing Loss:

Damage to the central nervous system.

Damage to the brainstem structures .
Severe head trauma.
Damage to the auditory nerves of the pathways that lead to them.
Brain tumors.
Symptoms & Characteristics

Symptoms:
Word deafness
Inability to hear certain sounds
Problems studying or reading with the radio, television, air conditioning or a vacuum on.
generally missing the first sentence from people talking to them.

Characteristics:
May have reaction to environmental sounds, despite absence of reaction to load noises.
May consider themselves deaf in spite of having reactions to sounds in the room.
Stigmas & Stereotypes

Frequently leads people to think that they have hearing loss when their hearing is actually
normal.
All deaf people sigh.
The ability & desire to sign is different for each person.
Hearing aids make you hear normally.
They can help but it depends on the type & severity of the hearing loss.
A cochlear implant restores hearing.
They can help but it depends on the type & severity of the hearing loss.
All deaf people lipread.
Some people are able to, but many are not. (only about 30% of spoken English is visible on the
lips.
Treatments & Support

Testing for this condition can be a challenge as there are often on obvious signs inside the
ear of any issues.
Educating the persons family and friends about helping to control the environment.
Surgery for tumors/growths
Educational therapy
Adaptive techniques
Specific medication (the hearing loss pill)
Activities:

How Does it Sound for People with a Hearing Loss?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQbuqcRVNg4
Can You Read My Lips?
http://www.goodshortfilms.it/en/time/0-5/can-you-read-my-lips

25 Basic ASL Signs For Beginners

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Raa0vBXA8OQ
Sources:

http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-hearing-impairment-definition-causes-
treatment.html
http://yourmedicalsource.com/content/different-types-hearing-loss
http://www.tchain.com/otoneurology/disorders/hearing/cent_hearing.html
https://signsoflifeasl.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/audism/