Support Groups for People with Hearing Loss in Los Angeles: A Comprehensive Guide

Counseling and Referral Agency for the Deaf (DCARA) is a non-profit organization supported by the Office of Access for the Deaf of the California Department of Social Services. The chapter held its first in-person support meeting on HOPE (Hearing Other People's Experiences), which provided an opportunity for participants to share their experience with hearing loss, its challenges, and to receive words of encouragement and support from others. It was a truly rewarding experience for everyone who attended. The attendees would like to meet again soon, so plans are already underway for the next HOPE meeting.

During this meeting, they had an interesting and wonderful conversation with audiologist Jeff Grama, M, A. With 48 years of experience, Jeff provided them with important information on the latest developments in hearing aids, his personal observations on over-the-counter hearing aids, and Q&A, answering many questions they may have had. Sandy Blake, a member of the chapter, participates in Here, My Voice. If you use cochlear implants or hearing aids and are interested in receiving personalized voice classes with a professional vocal artist, mark your calendar for the afternoon of Sunday, March 26th for this event.

Invite your family and friends and share this news with others. More information will be emailed to you after confirming your attendance.

Additional Events

In addition, Sunday June 11 is Long Beach Walk4Hearing. This event is a great way to raise awareness about hearing loss and to show support for those affected by it.

Diagnosis of Hearing Loss

Some mild hearing losses, hearing losses limited to specific frequency ranges, and auditory neuropathy may not be identified by newborn hearing screening tests due to the limitations of the testing equipment or testing methodology used. The accurate diagnosis of hearing loss depends on the audiologist's interpretation of a battery of tests in the context of the child's medical history and development.

Alternative terminology such as “reduced hearing” or “decreased levels of hearing” can be used to describe people who are born without the ability to hear. Observational behavioral audiometry (BOA) techniques can be used in conjunction with electrophysiological evaluations to assess or predict hearing ability in infants up to 6 months of age or in those who cannot complete pure tone tests.

Roles of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists

The roles of audiologists and speech-language pathologists (SLP) in providing (re) rehabilitation services for deaf and hard of hearing children can be complementary, interrelated, and sometimes overlapping. The impact of the degree of hearing loss on predictions of auditory brainstem response and behavioral thresholds should also be taken into consideration.

Causes of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss in children can be attributed to a variety of etiologies, and sometimes the cause is unknown.

Support Groups

HLAA-CA has many wonderful chapters spread across the state that provide the support, information, and guidance needed to help you through your hearing loss process.

Medical Professionals Involved in Caring for a Child's Hearing Health

A pediatrician or family doctor may be the first medical professional involved in caring for a child's hearing health. DPOAE are recorded in response to pairs of pure-tone stimuli that have a close frequency and vary in intensity. While OAEs can be used to infer hearing status, they cannot be used as a diagnostic measure of hearing ability.

Establishing a Medical Home for Children

There are a number of factors that influence the establishment of a medical home for children in relation to hearing health care.