DAY 4 –
Focus
handicap auditif
Reminder
of schedule
Don’t forget, today we communicate differently by putting words in our hands!
Come and learn French Sign Language (LSF) by taking part in the
certification course run by Visuel LSF Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
Rémi REIBEL will talk about the professional difficulties associated with his disability,
in association with France Rein
Meet at the Kfêt at 3pm
HEARING IMPAIRMENT
Deafness is a communication disability that cannot be seen.
Hearing impairment manifests itself in different forms, ranging from discomfort (tinnitus) to complete deafness. Currently, 5 million people in France are affected by hearing impairment. Of these, 88% are acquired during the course of their lives, compared with 12% born deaf.
Contrary to what one might think, the elderly are far from being the only people affected by this deficiency : 40% are under 55. While some people are born hard of hearing or deaf, most experience hearing loss during their lifetime.
Different degrees of hearing impairment
mild hearing loss:
speech is difficult to understand in noisy surroundings, and soft sounds are not perceived.
severe hearing loss
group conversations are laborious, and you need to speak loudly to be heard. These exchanges are a source of stress and cognitive fatigue for the hearing impaired person
moderate hearing loss
oft and moderately loud sounds are not audible, and speech is very difficult to understand in noisy surroundings
profound hearing loss
communication is impossible without hearing aids, and only a few very loud sounds are perceived by the hearing impaired person
Total deafness
no sound is perceived at all.
The causes of hearing loss
Hearing loss can occur at birth or throughout life. As a result, two classifications exist.
Congenital hearing impairment
It covers all types of disability occurring at or shortly after birth. These may be due to hereditary genetic factors, or to complications arising during pregnancy or childbirth.
Acquired hearing loss
At any age, a number of events can lead to hearing loss, including :
- infectious diseases (measles, mumps, meningitis) or chronic infections (repeated ear infections) ;
- administration of certain medications;
- ear injury or head trauma;
- repeated exposure to high noise levels: concerts, nightclubs, prolonged listening to sound content on MP3 players or cell phones, etc. ..;
- aging and degeneration of sensory cells;
STOP to preconceived ideas!
The expression “deaf-mute” is a misnomer
Deaf people are able to produce sounds, unlike a mute person whose phonatory apparatus is impaired. In the case of deafness (whatever the degree), only the hearing system is damaged.
The social consequences of hearing loss
difficulties in understanding the world around them, and in making themselves understood, due to hearing loss and poor oralisation ;
Hearing impairment: the right reflexes
Most hearing-impaired people read lips, so there’s no need to shout or speak too slowly.
On the other hand, articulate well and try to use short, simple sentences, positioning yourself in front of the person.
Prefer e-mails to phone calls
Did you know?
SMS (Short Message Service) was first invented to help the hearing impaired communicate. In the 20 years since the technology was invented, it has far surpassed its original target, and is now an integral part of the means of communication available to everyone!
FOCUS ON... FRENCH SIGN LANGUAGE (LSF)
It’s not an international language; each country has its own sign language.
In fact, as with any spoken language, sign language varies according to geographical location and country, and its construction is a function of the country’s culture and history. There are as many sign languages and dialects as there are geographical areas.
It's your turn to sign!
Quiz of the day
Do you have any questions
about the RQTH?
In-house, your disability advisor is
Barbara Jubarumleczek
barbara.Jubarumleczek@ldc.com
Question 1: False
Lip-reading does not replace hearing, and does not reproduce all messages. Only a maximum of 30 to 35% of the information is captured. Some sounds are invisible on the lips, others are identical and finally, many words have the same “lip image”: they are labial look-alikes (e.g.: “he hears this lecture” and “he’s waiting for help”).
This is quite a perilous exercise, and very tiring in the long run for the deaf person, since he or she must constantly choose between different words that have the same image. This can alter the understanding of the whole sentence, and the deaf person must constantly use mental substitution to understand as far as possible the meaning of what is being said.
Question 2: False
In everyday life, the words “deaf” and “hard of hearing” are often confused.
But in reality, it’s very important to distinguish between the two.
A person is said to be “deaf” when, before the acquisition of speech (i.e. before the age of about 3), he or she is born without hearing or loses hearing. As a result, they are not familiar with noises, sounds and speech.Oralization may then be difficult or impossible.
A person is said to be “hard of hearing” when he or she has acquired the ability to speak but, for various reasons, later suffers reduced hearing or even hearing loss. These people therefore have a “hearing” or “speaking” culture.