3 Ways to Communicate With the Hearing Impaired

Individuals who suffer from hearing loss are unable to communicate as effectively as those who do not. Often, they have to resort to other methods to relay information to those around them. Despite this, those with hearing loss still find it difficult to communicate with members of society, as most are not accustomed to alternative methods of communication. 

It is important to educate people on how those who suffer hearing loss communicate. Those who interact with people most often - like those in the medical fields, the service industry, and education - may require more information in order to communicate with those affected by hearing loss.

Lip and Gesture Reading

For those who develop partial hearing loss later in life will still be capable of talking. The challenge for them, if they are not equipped with hearing aids, is recognizing what you are trying to say to them. Therefore to make things easier for them make sure that you are visible to them when you talk to them. Stay in front where they can see you and pronounce words properly. Make sure you emphasize those pronunciations with your lips.

Gestures could also go a long way, so make some that are related to what you are trying to tell them. You may point at certain things, or act out a bit what you want to say to them.

Manually Coded English

Also known as “MCE” this is a means of sign language which visually portrays the English language to another person. This can be useful for people to spell out things like their names, as this feature is not available in other styles of sign language. Children who are born totally and permanently deaf can find this very useful since they are able to learn English even without the capability to hear any word being mentioned.

American Sign Language

Like verbal language, sign also differs per nation. This means knowing one type doesn’t necessarily mean you are able to communicate with every deaf person in the whole world. Since we are in the United States, then the American Sign Language or “ASL” is what is used by the majority. Avoid using signs of other countries as you might be misunderstood.

Thanks to the internet, learning this is easy and can be done at the convenience of the home. There are online platforms providing free classes too, though you should expect to learn better and faster for paid sessions.

Whether you are hearing impaired or not but need to communicate with one who is, it’s important to exercise patience when communicating with others. It may be frustrating at first but gradually things will get easier as you constantly socialize with these people, and you find it easier and easier to recognize what it is they are trying to say.

Avoid being overwhelmed by how irritating it may be initially because that will only make things harder for you. Learn about the common ways families with hearing impaired members communicate well by calling Beltone Skoric Hearing Aid Center at (888) 417-2130.