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Developing a treatment plan for an APD is a thorough process of determining what areas you are struggling in. Our audiologists are currently undergoing training to better identify these areas in order to provide a more detailed form of therapy.

Treatment plans will also be tailored to age and language development. They will be a series of exercises that have been individualized to meet your needs. Depending on the needs identified, treatment focuses on helping you to learn how to better identify the sounds of speech, listen in background noise, and increase auditory memory, among other things.

If you believe you or your child could have an auditory processing disorder, or have questions about who is eligible for testing, contact us at London Audiology Consultants.

We can see auditory processing disorders in adults in two different ways. It has either gone undiagnosed since childhood, or it can develop later on in life for a variety of reasons. What matters is that you see a specially-trained audiologist for a central auditory processing test.

A common hallmark associated with auditory processing disorder (APD) is difficulty listening in the presence of background noise or poor acoustical environments. This could also include the inability to recognize the differences and similarities between sounds, knowing where a sound is coming from, difficulty understanding speech in competing noise and/or speech signals of degraded quality. Also, recognizing auditory patterns and processing the temporal (time-based) elements of auditory signals can be impaired.

A confirmation of APD is also, in a way, a validation that there is a reason why you find yourself struggling to focus or follow along during a conversation. One of our audiologists can recommend accommodations for at home, in social situations, and in the workplace to help to reduce the impact that your hearing/processing ability has on your work performance. And again, there are always specialized treatment plans available.

If any of the information provided in this post resonated with you and are curious about how central auditory processing testing works, contact us at London Audiology Consultants.

With the shift to online learning last year, we noticed a significant increase in parents bringing their children in to be tested for central auditory processing disorder (CAPD). This often comes from recommendations of the child’s teachers or physicians (though a doctor referral is not required to make an appointment).

If someone has CAPD it means their brain has difficulty understanding what their ears are hearing. If the brain is not processing words properly, it may appear as though the child is not hearing the speaker, which is why hearing loss must first be ruled out. It also may appear as though the child is not paying attention, which is why CAPD is often diagnosed in school-aged children.

Testing for CAPD with a specially-trained audiologist is important because there are many accommodations that can be made at school and at home to help the child focus if there is a processing issue. There are also ways that we can work with children using unique lesson plans to help children better understand the sounds they are hearing.

We can start testing children for CAPD at 6 years of age, but we are widening our parameters to start screening for CAPD at a younger age. Contact us at London Audiology Consultants if you have any questions about central auditory processing testing.

“When a family member has a hearing loss, the whole family has a hearing problem” -Mark Ross.

Hearing loss does not occur in a vacuum. Studies show that untreated hearing loss can negatively impact our relationships with family and friends and particularly with those closest to us, such as our romantic partners.

Living with someone who can’t hear can be frustrating, especially when they are unaware of the problem. If they constantly ask you to repeat yourself, turn up the volume on the television to an uncomfortable level, or have trouble hearing the telephone, microwave or doorbell chime, it might be time to have a heart-to-heart chat. Pick a quiet time when the two of you are in a good mood and you can talk uninterrupted. Use a firm, caring tone that is not judgmental or condescending.

Regardless of who is on the receiving end of this serious health conversation, try to also have a sense of humour. Being able to laugh together can help diffuse the situation and put both of you at ease.

One of the most obvious effects of hearing loss is the difficulty with communicating effectively with others and enjoying typical sounds of everyday life, like birds singing and children laughing. But did you know that any type of hearing — from mild to severe — can have an impact on your physical health, too?

Studies show that hearing loss in some cases may also indicate other very serious underlying health issues such as diabetes and cardiac disease.

The research also suggests that allowing hearing loss to go untreated can significantly increase any of these impacts on your overall health.

It all starts with a hearing test. If you or someone you know is concerned they may have hearing loss, contact us today.

This week we’ll be talking about how hearing loss impacts mental health. This is always an important topic for discussion because we don’t always know what someone else is going through. We’re not trying to say that those who experience hearing loss are going to feel these negative emotions all the time, it’s just a reminder that persons with hearing loss are more likely to experience mental health and emotional issues, due to the feeling of being disconnected from others.

If you or someone you know are experiencing some, or all, of these symptoms, or if you would like to talk to us about managing your hearing loss, contact us today.

Custom hearing protection is another way you can protect your ears with the reassurance that these molds are made to fit your unique ear shape.

Anyone exposed to noise above 85 dB should be wearing hearing protection. But there are many other situations where custom ear molds can be beneficial. As mentioned with the standard hearing protection, hearing protection can also help with sleep and relaxation. Our two most common requests for hearing protection are musician molds and custom swim plugs.

Musician molds are perfect for anyone who works in the music industry or enjoys live music because it reduces the noise levels evenly ensuring that the sounds are clear and natural while still protecting the ears. You can control the amount of sound reduction so that it remains at a safe and enjoyable level.

Custom swim molds are important for anyone prone to ear infections or other ear problems, but still enjoy being in the water. One ear infection may not seem like a big deal, but recurring ear infections can harm your hearing in the long run.

The theme for this week was “damage or joy?” from the motto of Phonak’ Serenity Choice hearing protection line, because it really is that simple. We want you to enjoy the things you love most, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of your hearing and hearing health!

When we refer to “standard hearing protection” we are talking about items that our clinic will often have in stock or can easily be ordered for you. Standard hearing protection comes in multiple sizes and will be designed for different purposes. These are more beneficial in the long run when compared to those small foam plugs, which are only designed as a single-use form of hearing protection.

One of our favourite items to recommend is the Phonak Serenity Choice. Pictured here is our own stockpile. As you can see, there are six different types:

Comfort– improves concentration, reduces stress, and reduces background noise.

Motorsport– reduces engine noise, reduces wind and air turbulence noise.

Music– helps prevent hearing damage at concerts, clubs, bars, etc.

Hunting and Shooting– protects users from the peak sound pressure level of gun shots, explosives, fireworks, etc. Permits voice and background noise to be heard and has minimum occlusion.

Sleep– reduces noise from lifts, revellers, kitchen noise, street noise, etc. Reduces the effects of partner snoring.

Work– reduces heavy equipment, machinery and tooling noise, and is suitable for do-it-yourself work, gardening, and cleaning.

For more details about these products, contact us at London Audiology or check out the website:

Phonak Serenity Choice™ | Phonak

Another product we recommend is the E-A-R Hi Fi standard hearing protection. They have an acoustical design that reduces noise levels across all frequencies without distorting or muffling the sound. These earplugs provide lower attenuation than standard pre-molded earplugs, allowing workers to hear conversation and warning sounds more easily.

If you or anyone you know feels they could benefit from using standard hearing protection, call or email us and we can guide you in the right direction!

Hearing loss is the fastest growing, and one of the most prevalent, chronic conditions facing Canadians today. While hearing loss has many causes, age-related (presbycusis) and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) are the two most common types.

While some forms of hearing loss cannot be prevented, noise-induced hearing loss is preventable.

Noise-induced hearing loss is caused by overexposure to loud sounds. In some cases, the damage is only temporary. But repeated exposure to excessive noise for long periods of time can cause permanent damage.

Until recently, noise-induced hearing loss was linked mainly to excessive noise in the workplace. Some newer studies suggest that many teenagers and young adults have experienced permanent hearing loss caused by over-exposure to loud noise from a variety of everyday activities.

Scientists measure the levels of different sounds with a unit called the A-weighted decibel (dBA). Sounds with levels below 70 dBA pose no known risk of hearing loss, no matter how long you listen. This is roughly what you would hear if you were driving alone at highway speeds in a family car, with the windows up and the radio off. When sound levels increase, the daily listening time becomes an important risk factor for hearing loss. In general, the louder the sound, the less time it takes to pose risks to your hearing.

There are everyday activities that can pose a potential risk of a gradual, noise-induced hearing loss if you are not wearing proper hearing protection. This depends on factors such as the actual sound levels you are exposed to, and how long you are exposed for.

Our next posts will cover the different styles of hearing protection that will best suit your hearing needs.

While tinnitus is most often not curable, there are several ways we can approach a treatment plan. Determining the cause of the tinnitus is the first step in creating a treatment plan that works best for you. If the cause cannot be determined, we can still treat the symptoms.

We have been updating our tinnitus protocols and all audiologists here at London Audiology are trained in assessing and managing tinnitus.

If you or someone you know is dealing with tinnitus, call or email us to book a hearing test or tinnitus assessment.