According to ASHA, the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association, over 15,000 audiologists and 157,000 speech pathologists are celebrating in May across the nation. Why? It’s Better Hearing and Speech Month!
All ages are affected by speech and hearing disorders. May is a special time to focus on the communication challenges of people with hearing and speech issues, and it’s also a time to thank the members of the professions that provide diagnosis, treatment and support for individuals with hearing loss and balance disorders, as well as others who have speech, language and swallowing disorders.
Hearing loss is the THIRD most common health issue in the U.S.
It’s a little known fact that hearing loss is the third most common health issue in the United States, right behind heart disease and arthritis. According to the National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders, one in six adults ages 18 and older report difficulty hearing, or approximately 37.5 million people. Since these are the adults who “report” having a problem, the actual estimate of hearing loss could be well over 50 million people.
Communication is the key to connection.
Speech therapy is considered to be one of the fastest growing professions according to the Department of Labor, and is listed in the top 25 professions. Those of us dedicated to supporting individuals with hearing and speech disorders want to emphasize to everyone how important connecting with others is to overall health and wellness, and connections require both speech and hearing!
So, if you know an audiologist or speech therapist, wish them a Happy Better Hearing and Speech Month! You’d be surprised at how much that recognition is appreciated.
Thanks for reading!
Debra Trees, Au.D.
Debra Trees is a licensed audiologist with over 30 years experience. She lives and practices in New York.
Want to learn more about hearing loss? You might be interested in our Focus on Hearing Loss online course series. Click here for more information and to enroll.
