Hearing Health

When a toddler doesn’t reach the developmental milestone of speech, his or her hearing is tested first. When prisoners are punished by being put in isolation, they are at risk for developing mental illness. Both of these examples underscore that stimulation of our sense of hearing is critical to our health and development. Even though you think you are hearing sound, what’s really happening is that your ear is transmitting the vibration of particles and your brain is translating them into electrical signals that you can recognize as sound.

Many conditions can affect the ear. One of the most common is infection, especially in childhood. Because the ear is still developing, children are prone to ear infections when moisture is trapped, as viruses and bacteria thrive in a moist environment. At the other end of the age spectrum, older people often experience a decreased ability to hear, which can lead to depression, withdrawal from society, and threaten their overall health. Hearing aids can make a big difference. Watch more video about hearing here or share your story or experience on video with icyou.