I'm losing my hearing in my 30s, AMA

[SuziLikeSuziQ]

Just that. Normal hearing until my early 30s when I was diagnosed with a mild loss. It's now a moderate loss and I wear hearing aids. I'm also a Teacher of the Deaf, so I work with d/Deaf children too. Feel free to ask me about my own hearing loss or my work!

Do you work with deaf children before you started to lose your hearing? Was there any cause for your hearing loss? I'm really sorry if this is an offensive question aswell, but have you noticed a change in your own voice? Im sorry you're going through this, especially at such a young age.

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@MinnieJackson

Do you work with deaf children before you started to lose your hearing? Was there any cause for your hearing loss? I'm really sorry if this is an offensive question aswell, but have you noticed a change in your own voice? Im sorry you're going through this, especially at such a young age.

Not offensive!

I was a mainstream teacher when I started to lose my hearing. I've only been a ToD for a couple of years. I'm not sure I would have been as interested in working with d/Deaf children if I didn't have my own hearing loss.

I don't know the cause for my loss; I was told they could do exploratory surgery, but that comes with a risk of damaging my hearing more. So I decided against it.

I haven't noticed a change in my voice as such, but apparently I do talk more loudly now and have to actively remember to lower the volume.

I don't have questions about hearing loss cos I have it too

But just interested in if you've learnt sign language, considering your line of work as well?

@purpleme12

I don't have questions about hearing loss cos I have it too

But just interested in if you've learnt sign language, considering your line of work as well?

I was always interested in BSL, but yes, I only started learning when I was diagnosed. I might need it one day!

I use it at work as I work in a hearing resource base. But many ToDs don't need or use BSL as they support children in mainstream classes who don't know or use it.

Have you always had your level of hearing loss?

I only went to the hospital to get a hearing test at about age 22
However I think I probably always had some hearing loss I just didn't realise it
I know I had a hearing test in primary school cos they must have picked something up. When I asked my mum about it years later she said I didn't play ball with it

I would really like to learn sign language but I can't afford it 😞

Yes, BSL can be expensive. But you can probably find an intro course or perhaps even Level 1 that isn't too dear. I think it's definitely worth learning.

I don't know about you, but I've found the level of support for adults who develop hearing loss quite disappointing.

If you were eligible for them, would you get cochlear implants?

@nomorespaghetti

If you were eligible for them, would you get cochlear implants?

That's a good question! It's one I've thought about before, although I'm really, really hoping I'll never have to think about it for real.

The answer is probably no. Only because I had 30 years of normal levels of hearing. My hearing aids give me as much of that normal hearing back as they can. With implants, the sound is always going to sound more "robotic" and "fuzzy" and I'm not sure I'd want to hear that. Better to try and hear what I can in a way I'm more used to than suddenly start hearing again completely differently. If that makes sense.

Thanks for answering yes that makes perfect sense. My daughter has cochlear implants, she was profoundly deaf from birth though, absolutely no hearing at all. They’ve been amazing, we’re so pleased we got them for her, but I really feel for people making that decision for their child if they do still get benefit from hearing aids.

We read a book called Proud to be Deaf (or something like that), and on the page about CIs it said they can sound robotic… my daughter was highly offended!

I thought you were only eligible for cochlear implants if you don't benefit from hearing aids anyway

@nomorespaghetti

Thanks for answering yes that makes perfect sense. My daughter has cochlear implants, she was profoundly deaf from birth though, absolutely no hearing at all. They’ve been amazing, we’re so pleased we got them for her, but I really feel for people making that decision for their child if they do still get benefit from hearing aids.

We read a book called Proud to be Deaf (or something like that), and on the page about CIs it said they can sound robotic… my daughter was highly offended!

CIs are amazing for those who can have them - I work with d/Deaf kids and they make such a difference! And I appreciate the word robotic isn't great to use, which is why I used quote marks, so apologies to your DD! But I think it describes the sound pretty well! 🙈

@purpleme12

I thought you were only eligible for cochlear implants if you don't benefit from hearing aids anyway

My hearing is getting worse and they're not sure why I have early onset hearing loss (I didn't want exploratory surgery in case it made the loss worse). So it may be a sensorineural loss, in which case CIs could be offered if my levels dropped low enough and a HA wasn't effective. I just don't know at this point in time.

Yes that's what I was saying, that if hearing aids weren't effective then cochlear implants would be worth it

Hi OP, I'm in my mid 30s and overdue a hearing test (was meant to be last year but Covid) so you've reminded me I need to arrange one. I was told 3/4 years ago that I have mild hearing loss. My mum and my Nan started wearing hearing aids in their 40s/50s so I guess whatever is going on with me is hereditary.

Did you just gradually have trouble hearing people talk or did you suffer with noise sensitivity too? I struggle to hear what people say sometimes and yet the volume on the TV has to be lower than what other people seem to be happy with and the sound of my children squealing goes right through me!

@Smeds

Hi OP, I'm in my mid 30s and overdue a hearing test (was meant to be last year but Covid) so you've reminded me I need to arrange one. I was told 3/4 years ago that I have mild hearing loss. My mum and my Nan started wearing hearing aids in their 40s/50s so I guess whatever is going on with me is hereditary.

Did you just gradually have trouble hearing people talk or did you suffer with noise sensitivity too? I struggle to hear what people say sometimes and yet the volume on the TV has to be lower than what other people seem to be happy with and the sound of my children squealing goes right through me!

Glad to act as a reminder!

For me, it was suddenly realising one summer that I kept saying "what?" and asking for people to repeat themselves. I did an online audiology test (not very accurate, but interesting nonetheless) and decided to get a check.

I only have noise sensitivity for very high-pitched, metallic sounds, but not generally so. I need the TV loud without subtitles! Interesting that you suffer with loud noises as well as hearing loss!

@purpleme12

Yes that's what I was saying, that if hearing aids weren't effective then cochlear implants would be worth it

Ah, sorry, misunderstood your post! Of course, you're right, it would only be a choice with CIs if hearing aids didn't help any further.

Have you thought about how you would prefer to communicate should your hearing loss progress further? Are you learning to lip read and, if so, is it difficult?

Forgive my ignorance, but d/deaf?

@MolkosTeenageAngst

Have you thought about how you would prefer to communicate should your hearing loss progress further? Are you learning to lip read and, if so, is it difficult?

I don't know. Definitely BSL. I have no idea how hard lipreading is, but it would definitely be a useful tool if I needed it.

@sparklefarts

Forgive my ignorance, but d/deaf?

Using a capital letter for Deaf signifies you're talking about the Deaf community, which is generally people who have profound hearing loss. I wouldn't consider myself part of that community so I am deaf. A lot of publications use d/Deaf to show they are talking about profoundly deaf people in the Deaf community but also those of us who have less severe losses.