Hearing News
May is Better Hearing and Speech Month
May is Better Hearing and Speech Month and all across the country, hearing and speech organizations are raising awareness about communication disorders. According to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, this annual event also provides opportunities to promote treatment of communication disorders that can improve the quality of life for those who experience problems with speaking, understanding or hearing.
Did you know that hearing loss is one of the most commonly unaddressed health conditions in the United States and affects over 30 million Americans? That’s roughly 1 in 10 people in the U.S. that live with varying degrees of hearing loss.
These are not all people over the age of 60 either. One in six baby boomers have hearing problems and one in 14 Generation Xers, ages 29 to 40, suffer from hearing loss. It’s also estimated that 3 in 1,000 infants are born with serious to profound hearing loss.
From the Director’s Desk
The Vision Continues
Amanda Womac
At this time last year, the Hearing and Speech Foundation was in the midst of organizational changes that poised us for growth and achieving the founding vision of becoming a world-class research and training facility.
Thanks to the support of our community, that vision has become our reality. We are excited to announce the opening of East Tennessee's first Verbotonal auditory training and therapy center right here in Maryville. Our ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place Wednesday, May 23 at 5 p.m. with a reception to follow. Anyone interested in our work is welcome to attend. We will also have an open house July 12.
Our newly-remodeled building provides us with a state-of-the-art facility to collaborate with and train hearing and speech professionals around the world. Children and adults with hearing impairments and other auditory processing difficulties will receive specialized auditory therapy to improve their listening and communication skills. Through our Foundation, these clients will gain the tools and skills they need to suceed and thrive in a hearing and speaking world.
