As you might be aware, I am Hard of Hearing (HoH). I suffer from something called sensorineural hearing loss, which basically means the nerve that connects my ear to my brain is damaged, and hearing loss shows as a result. I do have hearing aids, but they cannot make my hearing perfect, or even close to a normal person. I also have Tinnitus, which is the ringing in the ears noise that you may have experienced yourself. Some people's Tinnitus come and go, while others, like mine, are constantly buzzing. Click below to read more on sensorineural hearing loss and Tinnitus respectively. Naturally, my hearing loss has put me into some awkward situations when I mishear or completely miss the main idea of what the speaking person is trying to say. With the creation of my website, I would like to give some tips and resources to help communicate with Deaf or HoH people.
Communicating with HoH and Deaf people can be confusing, challenging, or even frustrating. Here are some tips on how to better communicate with us.
Don't be afraid to ask the person what you can do to help them understand you.
Use written communication when possible.
Use gestures and facial expressions to help convey your meaning.
Be aware of your body language. Make eye contact and avoid fidgeting or crossing your arms, as this can give the impression that you are not interested in communicating.
Be respectful of the person's communication preferences. If they ask you to do something differently, such as speak louder or slower, be sure to comply.
Face the person you are speaking to so that they can see your lips.
Speak clearly and at a moderate pace.
Be willing to repeat yourself or rephrase what you have said if necessary. Some words can sound very similar to others, rephrasing what you said can help combat this.
Get the person's attention before you start speaking. You can do this by tapping them on the shoulder, waving, or saying their name.
Face the person you are speaking to. This will help them to see your lips and facial expressions.
Speak clearly and at a moderate pace. Avoid shouting, as this can distort your speech.
Avoid covering your mouth with your hands or other objects. This can make it difficult for the person to see your lips.
If you are in a noisy environment, try to find a quieter place to talk.
Don't shout. Shouting distorts your speech and can make it difficult for the person to understand you.
Don't mumble. Mumbling can make it even more difficult for the person to hear you.
Don't turn away from the person when you are speaking to them. This can make it difficult for them to see your lips and facial expressions. Many HoH or Deaf rely on lip reading and facial expressions.
Don't cover your mouth with your hands or other objects when you are speaking. This can make it difficult for the person to see your lips.
Don't get impatient or frustrated. It may take the person longer to process what you are saying.
Don't assume that the person knows what you are saying if they don't respond. If you are not sure if they understood you, ask them.
Q: What type of hearing loss do you have?
A: I have Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Tinnitus.
Q: How long have you been hard of hearing?
A: Honestly, we're not quite sure! My parents took note of me 'ignoring them' when I was around 11, and when I said I didn't hear them, they promptly took me to an audiologist where I was diagnosed with mild hearing loss. Needless to say, my stepmother felt horrible for calling me a liar.
Q: What are some of the challenges you face in your daily life due to your hearing loss?
A: Well going through fast food drive-throughs pretty much isn't an option for me, speaking to anyone in public can be difficult, especially if I am in a loud environment, where the noise around me can distort the sounds I can hear.
Q: What are some of the things you appreciate about your hearing loss?
A: I am able to mute the world around me if I am getting overwhelmed, or don't feel like listening to my girlfriend sing lol. Another plus is that my hearing aids are Bluetooth, so I can stream music and videos to my hearing aids from my phone, which is nice.