The Audiologist and Hearing

An audiologist is a healthcare professional who specializes in the ears and related structures of the auditory and vestibular systems, hearing and balance function, and central (brain) auditory processing. Audiologists develop and implement programs to help with hearing aids, cochlear implants, FM systems (a wireless headphone receiver and transmitter micropone that uses FM radio frequency and can be used as headphone or coupled to a hearing aid), assistive devices and aural rehabilitation.

Bilateral high frequency sensorineural hearing loss has been associated with early onset FSHD.  Often the hearing loss is severe to profound in infants and children, and may commonly be misdiagnosed as mental retardation.  In addition, many other people with FSHD have high frequency hearing loss, but it does not affect daily living as it is at the subclinical level.  

• American Speech-Language Hearing Association
• American Academy of Audiology
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
• Deafness Research Foundation