May Is Better Hearing and Speech Month
Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center wants to remind Jacksonville residents that communication disorders are treatable by raising awareness that May is Better Hearing and Speech Month. Founded in 1949, Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center provides speech pathology and audiology evaluations and treatments including hearing aid fittings for children, adults and seniors from its office at 1128 N. Laura St.
Better Hearing and Speech Month
“Our staff of seasoned professionals has decades of experience in the areas of speech pathology and audiology,” said Mike Howland, President and CEO of Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center. “We work with everyone whether they have insurance or not to provide quality, affordable care.”
Hearing loss can affect children and adults.
Signs for parents to watch for with a child’s hearing loss is:
- lack of attention to sounds,
- does not follow simple directions,
- delays in speech and language development,
- and pulls or scratches his/her ears.
In adults, hearing loss signs can include:
- buzzing or ringing in ears,
- muffled hearing,
- increasing the volume on the television or radio,
- constant frustration hearing speech and other sounds.
Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center offers a variety of hearing aids including in the canal and behind the ear. Unlike many hearing aid centers, Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center works with a number of hearing aid manufacturers including Widex, Oticon, Siemens, Resound, Phonax and Unitron. This feature insures that the patient receives the type of hearing aid that will best help their particular hearing loss.
“Over 40 million Americans experience some kind of hearing loss,” said Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center audiologist Dr. Fenja Mattson. “Research has shown that addressing hearing loss can positively impact all aspects of a person’s life – personally, professionally and financially. I know we make it possible for people to continue to participate in the work force by wearing hearing aids.”
On the speech pathology side of the Center’s work, speech pathologists work with children and adults evaluating and treating language skills. Failure to assist children who have trouble with developing vocabulary or auditory processing can lead to problems in school. Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center can also work with children who are on the autism spectrum to help them improve their speech and adults who may have suffered speech impairment due to stroke.
“We have identified through pre-kindergarten screenings several preschoolers who have difficulty with articulation or stuttering disorders,” said Dorothy Train-Marsh, Speech Pathologist at Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center. “These youngsters have now successfully exited the program with age appropriate skills that will give them a solid foundation for school.”
As part of its celebration of Better Hearing and Speech Month, Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center hosts the annual FinFest event at Timaquana Country Club. This event uses an island/beach theme to raise funds and awareness for patients of the Center who cannot afford treatment.
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