Speech and Hearing Awareness Month

May 1st to May 31st.

Many of us take our ability to communicate and hear for granted, including our abilities to speak, hear and be heard, which is more socially vital to our everyday lives than most of us realize. For those who have difficulty communicating (due to speech impediment, hearing loss, learning disability, etc), everyday social interactions can pose significant challenges. A communication disorder may prevent an individual from performing well at work, asking for help, hearing instructions at school/work or even saying ‘I love you’.

Each year, Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC) dedicates the month of May to raising public awareness across Canada about communication health and hearing health. They work to highlight the importance of early detection and intervention in the treatment of communication disorders and hearing loss. They promote the phrase: "Speak well. Hear well. Live well."

Our ability to speak, hear and be heard is much more vital to our everyday lives than most of us realize. For those Canadians who have difficulty communicating or hearing there are services available to help improve their ability to communicate and hear, but spotting it is very important.

Early Identification and Intervention is Key

One in six people in Canada has a communication disorder. Communication disorders include speech disorders, language barriers and hearing loss, including auditory, swallowing and balance disorders (your sense of balance is governed by your ears). Known collectively as communication health professionals, speech-language pathologists, audiologists and communication health assistants treat a range of communication disorders.

For example if a person has difficulty hearing or has tinnitus they really should get their hearing tested. Many audiologists offer free hearing tests and there are also websites which offer a free online hearing test for those people looking to test their hearing on their own before making the commitment of finding an audiologist to test their hearing properly.

Communication disorders can significantly impact on an individual’s physical, emotional, social, vocational and financial well being, which is why it’s important to identify problems early on. No matter how old you are, the earlier that a disorder is identified, the better the chances are for improvement. It doesn't mean you will end up wearing hearing aids, as there are other treatment methods available if the damage is caught early.

What Do Communication Health Professionals Do?

Speech-language pathologists and audiologists work with people of all ages to identify, assess and treat a wide range of communication disorders. Speech-language pathologists help to manage speech, language, voice, swallowing and feeding disorders. Audiologists work with individuals with hearing loss, auditory processing disorders, tinnitus and other auditory disorders, as well as balance disorders.

In addition to working in clinical settings, speech-language pathologists and audiologists work in research, education, advocacy, policy development and health administration. Communication health assistants assist speech-language pathologists and audiologists in treating patients and clients.

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Why You Should Get Your Hearing Tested

Learn more about how to protect your hearing by visiting your local audiologist. Visit Omni Hearing in Woodbridge for a free hearing test, or you can take a free online hearing test right now.