Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Tuesday, April 21, 2009 5:30 – 7:30 PM
(Socializing at 5:30; program begins at 6:00.)
Editor’s Corner – Elizabeth Stump
New Developments in Hearing Aids
Welcome to the April 2009 issue of
SPEAKER: Dr. Joseph Montano, Chief of the HLAA‐Manhattan News & Views!
Audiology and Speech Language Pathology at April is my favorite month of the year. There’s an
New York Presbyterian Hospital‐Weill Cornell energizing buzz in the city as the winter that keeps
Medical Center. people at home transforms into a springtime
enabling us to spend more time outdoors and to
MEETING LEADER: Anne Pope appreciate what’s going on around us. Spring fever is
at its highest pitch, and that signals that summer is
around the corner.
Location
MUHLENBERG LIBRARY BRANCH In addition to the arrival of spring, there are several
cheering pieces of news this month. For one, at our
209 West 23rd St.
Chapter meeting on April 21st, Dr. Joseph Montano
(between 7th and 8th Ave., closer to 7th)
will be speaking to us about the latest developments
3rd floor—elevator available in hearing aids. Dr. Montano, Chief of Audiology
and Speech Language Pathology at New York
*Taxi looping experiment after the meeting! See Presbyterian Hospital‐Weill Cornell Medical Center,
page 7 for details! is a Chapter advisor, serves on the New York State
Licensure Board, and is a member of the ASHA
Legislative Council.
NOTE: Assistive listening help is provided at our
meetings through live CART captioning and a room Another date you should mark in your calendar is
loop for those whose hearing aids have a T‐coil. April 29th, the 14th Annual International Noise
Headsets are also available. Awareness Day. Read the article on page 4 to learn
more about this day and noise pollution. Perhaps it
will inspire you to spread the word about too much
noise exposure and help others adopt healthier habits
such as turning down the volume on equipment.
New this month in N&V is the debut of “Ask the
Expert!” See page 4 for the question and Dr. Paul E.
Hammerschlag’s response. Dr. Hammerschlag is an
associate clinical professor of otolaryngology at the
NYU School of Medicine, as well as a team captain in
last year’s NYC Walk and among the top fundraisers
Next Month’s Meeting: Tues., May 19, 5:30 PM
in the country. But please note that in order for this
Title: Assistive Listening Devices
to become a regular column, we need you to submit
Speaker: Josh Gendel
questions! Please send your queries about hearing
loss to me at ElizabethMStump@gmail.com.
2
And last but not least, check out page 6 for the brand‐ CHAPTER PLANNING COMMITTEE
new Advocacy Column. Led by Toni Iacolucci, the Join us on the first Tuesday of each month to help plan
Chapter has formed a new Advocacy Committee. All programs & events.
members who want to make a difference are invited
to join. N&V will feature a regular update on the HLAA Manhattan Chapter Phone Number: (voice)
Advocacy Committee’s goals, current projects, and (212) 769‐HEAR (4327)
the results gained.
Barbara Bryan
barbarabryan@usa.net
See you at the chapter meeting on April 21st!
Barbara Dagen, Newsletter Committee
bdagen1@verizon.net
Mary Fredericks, Secretary
(212) 674‐9128 maryfreder@aol.com
Joe Gordon
NYJGordon@aol.com
Toni Iacolucci, NYC Walk4Hearing Co‐chair
LHH College Planning Workshop giantoni@nyc.rr.com
Calling all high school sophomores and juniors with
Shera Katz, Web Site Coordinator
hearing loss! The League for the Hard of Hearing
sherakatz@verizon.net
(LHH) is offering a free workshop to help you select
the right college, polish your application, obtain Anne Pope, Immediate Past President, HLAA Board
financial aid, and advocate for your accommodation of Trustees; NYC Walk4Hearing Co‐chair
needs. Pre‐registration for this event on May 27 (5:30‐ atpop24@aol.com
8:30 PM) is mandatory. For more information and to
register, contact Astrid at aflores@lhh.org or 917‐305‐ Ellen Semel
7820. (212) 989‐0624 ellen13@rcn.com
Susan Shapiro, Treasurer
sdshappy@aol.com
Help the Chapter Go Green!
Dana Simon
Would you like to receive N&V by e‐mail only dana2cat@gmail.com
rather than receive a mailed version to help us cut
Elizabeth Stump, Newsletter Editor
down on paper consumption and save money? It
ElizabethMStump@gmail.com
costs about $8 a year to provide one member with
10 issues — that’s more than half of one’s annual
Diane Sussman
dues. Please notify HLAANYC@aol.com if you’d dlsuss@optonline.net
like to make this change. The Chapter thanks you!
Advisory Members
Amy McCarthy
From Barbara Bryan: “To those who read the paper
Lois O’Neill
version of N&V: A paper version is handy to carry
Robin Sacharoff
around with you and read while traveling, I find.
However, I think nothing beats the colored Professional Advisors:
images in the e‐mailed N&V which help to create Josh Gendel, Technical Director, League for the Hard
an overall very uplifting and fun spirit. My of Hearing (LHH)
solution: I wouldnʹt miss those color images in the
e‐mailed version for anything and if Iʹm tired of Laurie Hanin, PhD, CCC‐A Exec. Director, LHH
sitting in front of my computer, I print out what I
Joseph Montano, Ed.D., Director, Hearing & Speech,
want to read.”
Weill Cornell Medical College
3
WHAT YOU MISSED IN MARCH could do so. To be able to continue to watch your old
DVDs, make sure before you buy it that your new TV
will decode captions from media players that use the
Usually we have “outside” guest speakers, but this older type of cables.
month we were happy to welcome our own Joseph
Gordon and Shera Katz who spoke about Captions: There are different types of cables to use in
Past, Present and Future. Here are some excerpts: connecting a TV to a STB or a DVD player.
HDMI, a relatively new type of cable, will not pass
Join the Theatre Development Fundʹs Accessibility through CC data. Consider using component cables
Programs (TAP) — once a member you will learn instead which will provide a high definition
when a Broadway show has an open captioned experience.
performance. It’s a wonderful experience to be able
to see, hear and read a play all at the same time. The Coalition of Organizations for Accessible
Technology (COAT) was formed to help make sure
Joe’s advocacy work resulted in nine movie chains, that people with disabilities are not left behind as
38 theatres, agreeing to show captioned movies in technology changes. COAT has a petition to support
NYS. Joe talked about two types of captioned movies. the 21st Century Communications and Video Act
One is open captions, where the captions are right on that will help federal laws catch up with technology
the movie film just like subtitles for foreign movies. changes: www.coataccess.org/node/add/petition.
The second is called Rear Window Captions, in
which an acrylic panel is used. Joe brought one in for
all of us to see. It attaches to the cup holder on your
Our condolences to the
seat and allows you to personally view the captions families of Paula Brown
while others in the audience can view the movie as
Glick (long‐time
usual. The panel catches the reflection of the captions
member); and Harry
shown on the back wall.
Sussman (father of
member Diane Sussman).
Go to the movies when the theatres are offering
captioned movies. Because we have a right to
captions on TV, make sure you complain to your
cable provider about TV CC problems. It’s important
to be an active advocate when things are going well
and when things are not going so well. Being active
is the key to our being able to have access to Metropolitan Calendar
technology.
Shera spoke about three common causes of CC
Tuesday, April 21: HLAA Chapter Meeting
problems: poor set top box (STB) design, poor TV
Wednesday, April 29: 14th Annual International
design and cable design.
Noise Awareness Day
Some STBs have hidden menus for CC. For some Thursday, April 30: LHH Comedy Night at Comix
models, one way to find them is to turn the STB off Comedy Club (7:30 show, $60 admission; contact
while leaving it plugged in and the TV turned on. sking@lhh.org or 917‐305‐7804 to RSVP)
Press the menu button and the hidden menus will Tuesday, May 19: HLAA Chapter Meeting
appear. Thursday, May 28: LHH Cochlear Implant Support
Group at the League for the Hard of Hearing
The FCC requires all TVs to decode CC from 50 Broadway, 2nd Floor; 5:30pm to 7pm
television transmissions, but does not require them to *For more information, call 917‐305‐7751
decode CC passed through by media players. Some or e‐mail audiology@lhh.org.
new TVs are not decoding CC passed through by
analog (older) media players, even though they have *Register for the annual national convention — and
both the digital and analog TV tuners built in and HLAA’s 30th birthday — occurring June 18‐21, 2009,
4
in Nashville, Tennessee. Go to (Google) with the name of the medication crossed
www.hearingloss.org/convention. referenced with “ototoxicity.” Your physician can
*The workshop and event schedule is now online! help you determine if your online information about
the ototoxic potential for a given medication is
pertinent to your hearing loss.
While we are aware that the more commonly
administered platinum compounds, cisplatin and
carboplatin, are ototoxic, there are other
chemotherapuetic agents that are potentially
ototoxic. Currently, in the U.S., the only other
marketed ototoxic chemotherapy drugs are nitrogen
mustard, alpha‐difluoromethyl ornithine (DFMO),
vincristine, and vinblastine sulfate; for these groups,
animal ototoxicity data is sparse, and audiovestibular
Book Corner: records (hearing and balance tests) of human
ototoxicity are not available from most clinical trials.
This month promises a new release of Hearing
Aids: The First 30 Days, by Jess Dancer, EdD,
Current and future clinical trials of ʺexperimentalʺ
professor emeritus of audiology at the University
chemotherapy agents should include audiovestibular
of Arkansas at Little Rock. The instructional book
monitoring. If you’re being treated with known
offers new hearing aid wearers insights and
ototoxic drugs, speak to your doctor and have your
guidance to make it through the first 30 days of
hearing tested regularly.
wearing their hearing aid. (From Auricle Ink
Publishers) —Paul E. Hammerschlag, MD
Also being released in April is the third edition of
The Consumer Handbook on Hearing Loss and
Hearing Aids: A Bridge to Healing, edited by
Richard E. Carmen, AuD. Some of the book’s
chapters have been retired and others have been
revised and updated as a result of technological
advances since the last edition’s publication in
2004. New chapters cover telecoils, wireless
assistive listening devices, and tinnitus. View
excerpts at www.hearingproblems.com. Discounts
14th International Noise Awareness Day –
are available by calling (928) 284‐0860 for a catalog
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
or more information.
By Susan Immergut
Ask the Expert! Is noise the new tobacco? Remember in the not‐so‐
Q.: Iʹm concerned every time I read something about distant past when everyone smoked and no one
ototoxic drugs. Could chemotherapy drugs I took in thought that it might cause a health problem? Later
the past have caused or contributed to my hearing we learned that there was a direct connection
loss? between smoking and lung cancer and other
diseases.
A. Ototoxicity generically refers to toxic effects on the
auditory and/or vestibular system. The only way to Today as the world gets louder, we need to educate
investigate the possibility of chemotherapeutic agents people about the damaging effects of noise —
contributing to your hearing loss is to ask your because noise is everywhere! Did you know that
physician the names of these medications and if noise is the number one complaint on NYCʹs 311
ototoxicity is associated with their use. Ototoxicity of citizenʹs hotline? Or that riding the NYC subway will
specific medications frequently can be found online cause hearing loss over time? Since hearing loss is
5
painless and the early stages of hearing loss are Hearing Loss Facts from the Sight & Hearing
difficult to detect, most people don’t realize they’re Association (www.sightandhearing.org):
damaging their hearing until it’s too late.
*The higher frequencies are the first frequencies to be
Noise‐induced hearing loss can be caused from a affected in hearing loss — soft speech sounds such as
short exposure to a very loud sound and/or to P, F, T, and TH.
exposure to a moderate level noise over a long period *To know if a sound is loud enough to cause damage
of time. The louder the noise, the less time it takes for to your ears, it is important to know the length of
permanent damage to occur. Loud noise is a major exposure and the level of intensity (measured in
cause of hearing loss and is widespread among baby decibels). These are signs that a noise is too loud:
boomers, who were the first generation exposed to 1. Your ears ring or feel dull.
rock & roll music. Although aging is another major 2. You need to raise your voice to be heard. The
cause of hearing loss, many experts attribute much of background sound is too loud if you can’t speak in a
the hearing deficit in baby boomers and the elderly to normal voice to someone at arm’s length.
the cumulative effect of loud noise. 3. You can hear music from another person’s
headphones.
Also worrisome is the growing incidence of noise‐
induced hearing loss in children and teenagers,
caused by iPods, video games, and loud music Hearing and Eye Disorders
exposure, among other sources. (One good step According to a report in the February issue of
toward mitigating damage is the parental control on Archives of Otolaryngology‐Head & Neck Surgery, an
iPods that locks the sound to a maximum decibel, estimated 20% of children with sensorineural hearing
thereby protecting hearing.) loss also have ocular (eye) disorders. 21.7% of the
children with sensorineural hearing loss in the study
Remember: Once hearing is lost, it is lost forever! by Arun Sharma, M.D., of the University of
Washington, Seattle, had an ophthalmologic
In addition to being deleterious to hearing, loud abnormality (including nearsightedness,
noise reduces quality of life and has adverse effects farsightedness, and astigmatism).
on learning and physical and mental health.
Between one and three out of every 1,000 children
For those of you who already have noise‐related have some degree of sensorineural hearing loss
hearing loss, attention should be given to conserving (resulting from damage to the inner ear or auditory
residual hearing by wearing ear protection (earplugs, nerves). Half of these cases come from environmental
ear muffs) and avoiding harmful noise (don’t attend causes, while half result from genetic causes.
rock concerts).
Sensorineural hearing loss is linked to delays in
International Noise Awareness Day was started by cognitive, speech, language, and social development,
the League for the Hard of Hearing (LHH) in 1995. particularly early in life, according to the study.
As in the past, this year LHH will have its Mobile Children with hearing loss are dependent on
Audiology Unit at City Hall and offer free hearing alternative means (other than auditory) of acquiring
screenings, distribute hearing protection, and information, so children with both hearing and vision
disseminate limitations are particularly at risk for abnormal
information on ways development. All children with hearing loss should
to protect your hearing be evaluated by hearing and vision experts while they
and live a quieter life. are young in order to get appropriate treatment.
For more information on the detrimental effects of
noise and International Noise Awareness Day, visit CI Surgery Deemed Safe for the Elderly
the Noise Center on the LHH Web site A new study published in the February issue of The
(www.lhh.org/noise/index.html). Laryngoscope shows that healthy, elderly patients who
undergo the surgical procedure to receive cochlear
implants (CIs) generally tolerate the anesthesia well,
6
and do not face long‐term risks related to the Does Your Doll Wear Hearing Aids?
anesthesia or surgery. The fact that elderly patients
undergoing cochlear implantation are not too fragile It’s no secret that most young girls enjoy playing
for the surgery or implantation disproves with dolls. Even better when the doll looks like the
conventional medical wisdom, said study co‐author owner! For years American Girl has capitalized on
Anil Lalwani, M.D., and his NYU Langone Medical this trend by offering 14‐ to 18‐inch tall dolls of
Center colleagues. (Dr. Lalwani was the speaker at young girls from various historical periods as well as
our Chapter’s January meeting.) Many hearing‐ “personalized dolls” that resemble your child from
impaired elderly people do not receive CIs, which our modern era. (Here in NYC, with the American
could greatly improve hearing and quality of life, Girl store on 5th Ave., you’ve probably noticed an 8‐
because of concerns regarding anesthesia effects. year‐old carrying around her “mini‐me” more than
once.) Yet among all the accessories the company
The researchers concluded that any pre‐existing sells, hearing aids don’t make the list — a
medical condition is a better predictor of disappointment for young girls who wear them.
intraoperative (during surgery) and postoperative
(after surgery) complication than age alone. As a The good news is that a handful of other doll/toy
result of the study, they said, seniors with hearing companies do sell dolls with these devices. Visit:
loss who qualify for a CI should consult with their www.thingamababy.com/baby/2007/07/disability.ht
doctor and give serious consideration to the ml; www.listen‐up.org/haid/dolls.htm;
procedure. www.mytwinn.com/genProduct.html/PID/4835528/c
tid/17; www.flaghouse.com/Just‐Like‐Me‐Doll‐
Accessories‐Hearing‐Aids‐item‐
Codeine and Ototoxicity
39563&srccode=117242;
Individuals who use codeine
www.justbekuz.com/Mr_BTE_hearing_aid_doll.ht
regularly are at risk for
m; www.lakeshorelearning.com/home/home.jsp.
partial or total deafness,
according to a 2008 Your child just may be more accepting of her hearing
Australian study. Only a loss and her need to wear hearing aids if her doll has
small minority are affected, one too.
but the deafness happens
Advocacy Committee
suddenly and permanently.
The newly formed Advocacy Committee (AC) needs
The World Health Organization says that codeine is your help! We already have many issues to work
one of the most commonly used drugs (taken for on—but what we really need are members who are
pain, diarrhea, and irritable bowel syndrome, among willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved. Even
other conditions), so many people are potentially at if you don’t know anything yet about advocacy,
risk for hearing loss from its regular use. Even taking don’t let that deter you from joining, because the AC
codeine at the recommended doses from one to four will be a supportive and educational group.
years could bring on total deafness, although this is Advocacy isnʹt difficult, but you do need
in extreme cases. determination and willingness to stay the course.
Weʹve set up a Gmail account (which Toni Iacolucci
The study confirms what Brian Blakely, MD, a will be managing for now), so please e‐mail if you
professor at the University of Manitoba, reported in would like to participate: advocacyfirst@gmail.com.
2005 — that a serious side effect of the common
painkiller is hearing loss. Dr. Blakely, also a
spokesman for the American Academy of
Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck Surgery, said that
hearing damage can stem from some types of
antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, and opioid
medications, including combinations of Tylenol and
codeine.
7
Access to the Arts in New York City
OPEN‐CAPTIONED THEATER ‐ Find captioned theater listings nationwide on www.c2net.org
Theater Access Project (TAP) captions Broadway and Off‐Broadway productions each month. Tickets are
discounted. For listings & application www.tdf.org/tap or 212‐221‐1103, 212‐719‐45377 (TTY)
*Upcoming OPEN‐CAPTIONED Shows: [Must register/order with TAP for tickets]
Reasons To Be Pretty (4/14, 7 PM); Exit the King (4/22, 2 PM); Impressionism (4/30, 8 PM); Mamma Mia!
(5/23, 2 PM); Accent on Youth (5/30, 2 PM)
OPEN‐CAPTIONED MOVIES –
For updated listings, go to www.insightcinema.org/links.html or www.regalcinemas.com/movies/open_cap.html
REGAL BATTERY PARK STADIUM 11,102 N. End Avenue–Vesey & West Streets (212) 945‐4370.
REGAL–UA KAUFMAN STUDIOS CINEMA 14, 35th Ave. & 38th St., Long Island City (718) 786‐1722.
REGAL–UA SHEEPSHEAD BAY‐BROOKLYN, Knapp St & Harkness Ave (718) 615‐1053.
REAR‐WINDOW CAPTIONED MOVIES ‐ For listings go to www.FOMDI.com. Ask for a special window
when buying your ticket. The window reflects the text that’s shown on the rear of the theater.
AMC Empire on 42nd Street. (212) 398‐2597, call Tues. afternoon for next week’s schedule.
Clearview Chelsea Cinemas, 260 W. 23rd St., Auditorium 4, 212‐691‐5519 www.clearviewcinemas.com/tripod.shtml
The Bronx: AMC Cinema Bay Plaza, 718‐320‐1659.
MUSEUMS WITH CAPTIONED EVENTS & ASSISTIVE DEVICES ‐
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave. 212‐879‐5500 Ext. 3561 (V), 212‐570‐3828 (TTY)
Real‐Time Captioning of lectures upon request – This service requires at least three weeks notice.
Gallery Talk with ALDs (meet at gallery talk station, Great Hall)
Mention of suppliers or devices in this newsletter does not mean HLAA‐Manhattan endorsement,
nor does exclusion suggest disapproval.
8
c/o Barbara Dagen,
141 E. 33rd St. (3B)
New York, NY 10016
Please check your address label for the date of your last dues payment and, if you are a National member, there will be
an “NM” after the date. Report any discrepancies to Mary Fredericks. Thanks!
HLAA is a volunteer association of hard of hearing people, their relatives and friends. It is a nonprofit, non-sectarian
educational organization devoted to the welfare and interests of those who cannot hear well.
Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. We are a 501(c)(3) organization.