20 February 2019

World Hearing Day and Hearing Awareness

Week
Sunday 3 to Saturday 9 March 2019

Hearing loss and falls

83,000 people over 65 were admitted to hospital after a fall
between 2009-2010, with an average stay of two weeks. Those
with even mild hearing loss are three times likely to have a
history of falling.

Captions
Turn on the captions to help the learner reader learn new words
and to spell harder words. This is not suggesting that TV
captions are a substitute for reading actual books, but turning on
the captions is an easy way to help increase word recognition.

Libby Harricks Memorial Oration 2019

Professor Andrew Smith from the London School of Hygiene &
Tropical Medicine is the speaker at this year’s Oration. He has
conducted studies of interventions against ear and hearing
disorders using innovative methods. It will be a keynote address
at the Indigenous Hearing Health Symposium, 5 March 2019 at
the Hearing Hub, Sydney.

Catherine Sullivan Centre to close

The Sydney based centre that offered an unique, family focussed
program for young children with hearing loss will close its doors
after 50 years of service.

We acknowledge the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them
and their cultures, and to elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the challenge to overcome the high levels of ear health issues among first Australians.
New international standard aims to prevent hearing loss
among 1.1 billion young people
Nearly 50% of people aged 12-35 years - or 1.1 billion young people - are at risk of hearing loss
due to prolonged and excessive exposure to loud sounds, including music they listen to through
personal audio devices. Ahead of World Hearing Day on 3 March, the World Health Organization
(WHO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) have issued a new international
standard for the manufacture and use of these devices, which include smartphones and audio
players, to make them safer for listening.

"Given that we have the technological know-how to prevent hearing loss, it should not be the case
that so many young people continue to damage their hearing while listening to music," says Dr
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

The WHO-ITU standard recommends that personal audio devices include:

• "Sound allowance" function: software that tracks the level and duration of the user's
exposure to sound as a percentage used of a reference exposure.
• Personalised profile: an individualised listening profile, based on the user's listening
practices, which informs the user of how safely (or not) he or she has been listening and
gives cues for action based on this information.
• Volume limiting options: options to limit the volume, including automatic volume reduction
and parental volume control.
• General information on safe listening practices, both through personal audio devices and
for other leisure activities.

WHO recommends that governments and manufacturers adopt the voluntary WHO-ITU standard.
Civil society, in particular professional associations and others that promote hearing care, also has
a role to play in advocating for the standard and in raising public awareness about the importance
of safe listening practices so that consumers demand products that protect them from hearing
loss. The WHO-ITU toolkit for implementation of the global standard for safe listening devices
provides practical guidance on how to do this.
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/280085/9789241515276-eng.pdf
WHO-ITU toolkit for implementation of the global standard for safe listening devices
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/280086/9789241515283-eng.pdf
Help your learning reader by turning on TV captions
Meghan Moravcik Walbert for Lifehacker
My husband and I like having the
captions on while we’re watching a
TV show so we can keep the volume
down without missing any dialogue.
Because of that, the captions are
almost always on when my son takes
over the TV — a fact that frustrated
him for years.

In the years before he could read —

and even during the very early stages Screenshot: Disney/Pixar, YouTube
of reading — the captions were an
annoying distraction from his TV-viewing experience. But around the time that his reading skills
really started taking off, I noticed that he stopped complaining about the captions and stopped
asking me to turn them off. He was both watching and reading, reinforcing what he was learning
in school.

Of course, if you’ve ever watched TV with the captions on, you know it isn’t a perfect system. My
son says it can be annoying when the words appear before the characters have said them or if
there’s a long delay between the words being spoken and then appearing on the screen. Plus,
there was that one time he was watching SpongeBob but the captions on the screen were for
another show, and the words “I’m a wild card! I’m a wild card!” kept appearing over and over. “I
was like, ‘OK, you’re a wild card, I get it,’” my son says.

But overall, he says the captions help him learn new words and how to spell harder words. (In
particular, he watches a lot of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and how else would he know how to
spell names like “Ahsoka”?)

It turns out that, beyond my own anecdotal experience, there is some research that suggests that
reading subtitles can improve early childhood literacy. I looked into the matter further, finding that
same-language subtitling can actually support literacy. In other words, rather than being simply
annoying, listening to English and reading English subtitles helps in decoding words and reading
better. In fact, the linguist and researcher Martine Danan calls captioning an “undervalued
language-learning strategy.”

I’m not suggesting that TV captions are a substitute for reading actual books, but turning on the
captions is an easy way to help increase word recognition.

https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2019/02/help-your-learning-reader-by-turning-on-tv-captions/
Advertisement

Are you up for a challenge?

Because Australian Hearing would like you to be part of
something BIG!
Good hearing is an important part of life, it helps you stay connected to the people you love and
the things you love to do. But research shows most Aussies take an average of 7 years to take
action on hearing loss.^ And Australian Hearing thinks that’s 7 years too long!

So for this World Hearing Day and Hearing Awareness Week from 3 March 2019, Australian
Hearing is calling on all Australians take part in our Big Aussie Hearing Check.

Often the first step to rediscovering the joy of sound is getting a hearing check and finding out
the best hearing solution to meet your needs. Australian Hearing wants to help as many people
as possible take that first step.

Healthy hearing is a big part of your life. From work and socialising to enjoying entertainment and
time with your family. If you’d like to take part in the Big Aussie Hearing Check just go to
bigaussiehearingcheck.com, call 131 797 or drop into one of our over 600 locations for a hearing
health check.

^Acceptability, benefit, and costs of early screening for hearing disability (2007): a study of potential screening tests and models. Davis A1,
Smith P, Ferguson M, Stephens D, Gianopoulos I, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17927921
Hearing loss and falls: the vital steps for preventing injury
It’s common knowledge – especially to those of us with ageing parents – that falls are a very real
danger to older Australians.

Our sense of balance will inevitably weaken over time if left unchecked. Rather than serving as a
natural instinct, it becomes a skill that needs to be practiced and put into regular use to stay
strong.

This decline is an enormous worry to our ageing population. According to the Australian Institute
of Health and Welfare, more than 83,000 people over 65 were admitted to hospital after a fall
between 2009-2010, with an average stay of two weeks.

This risk can frequently prove fatal. Falls are a major cause of injury-related death, which claims
more lives than traffic accidents, and almost as much as skin cancer.

Poor hearing or vision, nutritional deficiencies and certain medications can all potentially increase
the risk. Yet one of the biggest contributing factors could – in many cases – be preventable.

The link between hearing and falls

Our sense of hearing declines with age just as naturally as our sense of balance. It can happen
just as gradually over the years, often without being noticed – but the consequences of ignoring it
can be devastating.

A 2012 study revealed that those with even mild hearing loss are three times likely to have a
history of falling.
Dr. Frank Lin, Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, who led the
study, said that hearing loss causes not only a lack of environmental awareness, but also an
overworked, more easily distracted mind.

“Gait are balance are things most people take for granted,” said Professor Lin, “but they are
actually very cognitively demanding”.

“If hearing loss imposes a cognitive load, there may be fewer cognitive resources to help with
maintaining balance and gait.

This study serves as a powerful wake-up call to

anybody who suspects their sense of hearing
may be declining. Not only could inaction
potentially increase the risk of cognitive illnesses
and depression; it’s placing many Australians in
real physical danger.

How to minimise risk of falls

To those eager to take proactive, preventative action – or those concerned for a loved one at risk
– the following four steps could prove vital:
1. Exercise regularly, with a particular focus on balance-based activities such as:
The Heel-to-Toe Walk: Imagine yourself walking on a tightrope. Place one foot directly in
front of the other, so the toes of one foot are touching the heel of the other. Continue
taking tiny steps until you reach 20. Hold out your arms for further balance if required. Fix
your attention on one location and walk there in as straight a line as possible.
One-Foot Stands: Hold your hand on a stable surface if needed. Keep this position for 10
seconds. Repeat the process 10-15 times, then switch to the other leg.
The Balance Walk: Raise both arms outward like a bird, outstretched at shoulder height.
Focus on one location ahead of you and keep as straight a line as possible. Walk slowly and
deliberately, lifting your back leg and bringing it forward in an exaggerated motion. Walk
for 20 steps.
2. Review your medicines with your doctor to ensure nothing is contributing to dizziness or
tiredness
3. Get a vision check-up
4. Get a hearing check-up

This post is sponsored by Connect Hearing.

https://silentgrapevine.com/2016/05/hearing-loss-and-falls-the-vital-steps-for-preventing-injury.html
Libby Harricks Memorial Oration
A keynote address at the Indigenous Hearing Health symposium
Tuesday 5 March 2019
The Hearing Hub @ Macquarie University, Sydney

The Libby Harricks Memorial Oration will be a keynote

address at the 'Indigenous Hearing Health symposium'.
Admission is free.

The one-day symposium will begin at 9.00am. The Libby

Harricks Memorial Oration will be the first session and be
given by Professor Andrew Smith from the London School of
Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Andrew Smith has conducted
studies of interventions against ear and hearing disorders in
using innovative methods:
https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/aboutus/people/smith.andrew Professor Andrew Smith

Join us for the Oration and if you like, stay on for the rest of the program. Contact us with
inquiries about communication access at hello@deafnessforum.org.au

About the symposium

The Indigenous Hearing Health symposium will feature presentations by Professor Amanda Leach
(Menzies School of Health Research), Dr Liesa Clague (Macquarie University) and Samantha
Harkus (Australian Hearing).

The symposium will present perspectives on current issues in public health planning and
implementation, Indigenous hearing health research, education and service delivery. Bringing
together policy makers, researchers, clinicians, educators and service providers to build knowledge
and awareness, we aim to identify the challenges and work towards potential solutions that can
lead to better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Admission is free but numbers are limited so be sure to register to attend at

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/indigenous-hearing-health-symposium-registration-55265878731

Deafness Forum of Australia and Audiology Australia present the annual Libby
Harricks Memorial Oration. Since 1999, the Oration series raises awareness of issues
of hearing health, deafness and ear and balance disorders.

The series honours the memory of the late Libby Harricks AO, the first President of
Deafness Forum of Australia. For her work on behalf of hearing-impaired people,
Libby was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1990.
https://www.deafnessforum.org.au/events/libby-harricks-memorial-oration/
Libby Harricks AO
Misconceptions parents make when assuming their child
does not need speech therapy
By Brooke Evans-Butler for The West Australian

Telethon Speech and Hearing's head of hearing services Philippa Hatch with Benjamin Go, who was having
a hearing test. Picture: Iain Gillespie

As a parent, you are often told not to compare your child to other children. However, if your child
is a late talker or you have other concerns regarding their communication, it can be worthwhile
seeking the opinion of a speech pathologist.

Natalie Willacy, speech pathologist and deputy principal of the Talkabout program at Telethon
Speech and Hearing, says when considering if your child should see a speech pathologist, there
are some signs to look for including if your child’s speech is difficult to understand.

“Typically, between three and four years of age, others should be able to understand close to 100
per cent of what they have to say,” she says.

Another sign is if they are using less words or shorter sentences than their peers.

“By two years of age, children typically use more than 50 single words and are beginning to
combine two words together,” she explains.

Other indicators include if your kindergarten or school-aged child has difficulty sharing stories and
personal experiences; if you notice your child is repeating the start of their sentences, repeating
words or repeating sounds in words, such as stuttering; or if your school-aged child is finding
reading and spelling difficult at school.

Gains to be had
Ms Willacy says a child can benefit from speech pathology intervention for a variety of reasons.
“Their language may be developing more slowly than other children the same age or they may
have difficulty producing speech sounds, which can impact on the clarity and sound of their
speech,” she says. “Speech and language difficulties can occur alone as a primary delay or
disorder or be secondary if a child has another difficulty, for example, hearing loss or global
developmental delay.”

Ditch the myths

There are many misconceptions parents make when assuming their child does not need speech
therapy.

Speech Pathology Australia national president Gaenor Dixon says the belief boys are late talkers is
a common misconception. “The favourite I hear frequently is: ‘Well, Einstein didn’t talk until he
was seven and he was OK’.”

Ms Dixon says other misconceptions include “he will grow out of it” and “their brother or sister is
doing all of the talking for them”.

The reality is, speech or language delay is not uncommon. “We know that research suggests that
by five years of age, about 20 per cent of children may have some sort of speech or language
delay,” Ms Dixon says.

Where to get help

For parents wanting to get their child assessed by a speech pathologist, Ms Dixon says go to
Speech Pathology Australia’s website (speechpathologyaustralia.org.au) and the “Find a Speech
Pathologist” section. No GP referral is required, and services can be accessed publicly or privately.

Ms Willacy adds specialised speech and language playgroups and schools, such as Telethon
Speech and Hearing’s Talkabout program, are another excellent support for children with speech
and language difficulties.

“The Talkabout program offers therapy playgroups for two and three-year-olds who might be
considered ‘late talkers’ and are experiencing language difficulties,” she says. “We also have a
language development school offering kindergarten and pre-primary classes for children with
speech and language difficulties.”

Telethon Speech and Hearing also has services for children with hearing loss, such as the
Chatterbox program for babies and young children, and the Outpost program, which supports
school-aged children with a hearing loss on site at their mainstream school.

“If a parent is concerned about their child’s speech or language development, it is important to
trust that concern,” Ms Willacy says. “Recommendations from others to ‘wait and see’ are often
not helpful. An initial consultation with a speech pathologist can help you make an informed
decision regarding the need for speech pathology intervention.”
More than speech
‘Along with speech and language delays, speech pathologists work with children to support
stuttering, social skills, listening and comprehension, and literacy development,’ says Natalie
Willacy. ‘Speech pathologists also work with parents to support babies and children experiencing
feeding difficulties.’

When is a hearing test necessary for children?

If your child is waiting to be seen for a hearing test, Telethon Speech and Hearing offers an
assessment with a typical one to two-week wait.

A full audiological assessment involves checking the various parts of the ear and looking at how
well a child responds to sounds.

Philippa Hatch, head of hearing services at Telethon Speech and Hearing, says the most common
reasons parents cite for booking an assessment is their young child is slow to talk and has very
few words; their older child has speech that is unclear or difficult to understand; or their child is
not responding to their name or instructions at home or school. She also often sees children who
have lots of ear infections and their GP or child health nurse is concerned they may be causing a
hearing loss or other complications.

“Early detection is important. Undiagnosed hearing and ear health problems can result in delays in
communication, poor speech and language development, can have negative impacts on social
relationships and in extreme cases, cause long-term damage to the ear and its functions,” Ms
Hatch says.

Still unsure if your child needs a test? Leading Telethon Speech and Hearing ENT Dr Tim Cooney
recommends going through the checklist below.
• Your child has difficulty understanding what people are saying or misunderstands
instructions
• He/she speaks differently than other children of the same age
• Hearing seems to fluctuate, being worse at some times and better at others
• He/she rotates their head while listening, or complains they have a “good” and a “bad” ear
or swaps the phone from side to side
• Says “What” frequently
• The TV is always turned up very loud, or if your child sits close to the television to hear it
• Speech and/or academic performance was good but has dropped off lately
• His/her teacher has concerns about hearing or classroom participation
• Your child watches a speaker’s face very intensely — they might be lip-reading
• A previously happy child has become quiet or withdrawn lately or become a “daydreamer”
• A previously well-behaved child has become naughty or stubborn
• You just have a feeling that “something is just not right with my child’s hearing”
https://thewest.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/finding-their-voice-ng-b881069045z
Advertisement

Opera Australia introduces a dedicated relaxed

performance for West Side Story on Sydney Harbour
22 March – 21 April 2019 | Mrs Macquaries Point | Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour 2019

Opera Australia today announced it will introduce a dedicated relaxed and

accessible performance for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour West Side Story on
Wednesday 17 April.
The event will incorporate various adaptations to ensure that people with disabilities, their friends
and families are all able to enjoy the experience together in a welcoming environment.
By modifying the sensory environment at the site, those who have been previously unable to attend
the spectacular Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour will now have the opportunity to enjoy all
elements the event has to offer.
The night will be set up as a ‘relaxed’ performance where guests will be able to come and go
from their seats during the show and will have access to a designated quiet space if a break from
the show is required. Support staff will be on hand for anyone wishing to use this area during the
performance.

Venue lights will remain on at low levels, and some lighting and sound features of the show may
be adjusted minimally, but there are no significant changes to the production.
The performance will also be audio-described and captioned on handheld devices for guests with
sight and hearing considerations.
Companion Card ticket bookings are welcome and ticket exchanges will be offered free-of-charge
to patrons who have already bought tickets for the performance on 17 April and wish to attend on
an alternative date.

Opera Australia would like to thank Vision Australia, The Captioning Studio and Autism Spectrum
Australia (Aspect) for their assistance in making this accessible performance possible.
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major
events agency Destination NSW and Dr Haruhisa Handa through the International Foundation for Arts
and Culture.

Bookings Media enquiries:

Opera Australia Box Office Madeleine Konstan | Publicist
+61 2 9318 8200 +61 2 9318 8242 | +61 413 933 544
opera.org.au/harbour madeleine.konstan@opera.org.au
Bookings for audio describing receivers can only be
made by phone via the Opera Australia Box Office.
From the Catherine Sullivan website

It is with great sadness that Catherine Sullivan Centre announced this week that the centre is to
close at the end of Term 1, April 2019.

Elizabeth Pooley, Chair of the Board of Catherine Sullivan Centre noted: “this sad decision was not
made easily and every effort has been made to explore other options to retain the Centre.
However, time and funding are not on our side.”

The introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has impacted the early
intervention sector and Catherine Sullivan Centre has not been immune.

The transition from block government funding in July 2018 has meant that the organisation has
been struggling to survive on NDIS payments, despite significant efforts by Catherine Sullivan
Centre staff and Board to cut costs and find other funding options.

As a result of this financial insecurity, the Catherine Sullivan Centre Board has now made the
difficult decision to cease operation. The term 1 timeframe aims to allow current families time to
plan a transition to other services and for them, the current staff, past parents and the broader
community of supporters time to say goodbye.

Catherine Sullivan Centre, based at Strathfield, has offered an unique, family focussed program
for young children with hearing loss and their families for nearly 50 years.

Originally a ministry of the Dominican Sisters of Eastern Australia and the Solomon Islands, since
2015 it has been under the umbrella of Dominican Education Australia.

The Board acknowledges the care and dedication of the Dominican Sisters of this ministry for
many years. The Dominican ethos of social justice and equity in education has underpinned and
enhanced Catherine Sullivan Centre practice and services. This ethos was a key reason why
Catherine Sullivan Centre was the centre of choice for many families with vulnerable children.

For further information about this announcement contact Elizabeth Pooley:

board@catherinesullivancentre.org.au
The Australian Parliament agreed this week that there will be a Royal Commission into the
violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect of people with disability.

The pressure is now on for the Government to commit to action before the election. Disability
advocates want the Government to declare when it will happen, to consult people with disability
on the terms and scope of the inquiry, and promise to implement the recommendations if it is
returned to government.

Photo: Last minute lobbying by advocates on Monday before the Australian Parliament voted on
creating a Royal Commission into the mistreatment of people with disability. At Parliament House
were Deafness Forum's Steve Williamson, Opposition leader Bill Shorten, Labor's Disability
spokesperson Carol Brown, Mary Mallet from Disability Advocacy Network Australia, and Ross
Joyce from Australian Federation of Disability Organisations.

Know someone who might like to receive it next year?

Drop us a line to hello@deafnessforum.org.au

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