Hearing Loss

Lesson 4: Skills For Surviving Hearing Loss

Maintaining Speech

"Can you hear yourself talking?" is a question I’m asked a lot. I can’t. Sometimes I’m not sure if I’ve even spoken out loud. I’m never sure if I’m talking too loudly, too softly, or clearly at any volume. On page 32 of Missing Words, Eve Nickerson agrees: "In many cases, they cannot hear exactly what they are saying."

We lose our ability to distinguish sounds, even those coming from us. When you lose your hearing you also worry about losing your speech. There is help available, so don’t despair.

Your audiologist and doctor can arrange for you to work with a speech therapist, which is a common way to help newly deafened people maintain their speech. Though I do trip over some words now, people tell me that I haven’t changed the way I speak.

I decided to try to prevent my speech from declining so I thought about different ways I could practice. One very effective way is to read out loud. You can read your favorite books or special practice exercises.

I went to a university bookstore and found some books on speech in their audiology section. There are many pages of practice exercises in speech, but I didn’t like doing that. I felt a little self-conscious sitting in a room by myself and reading out loud.

I came up with the idea of singing. Though I was never the greatest singer, I always loved music. Since it’s been many years since I’ve been able to hear music, I don’t know any of the more recent songs. But I do remember the oldies.

My father used to ask me why I could remember the words to every song in the top 100 but not what I learned in school that day. I still don’t have that answer, but I do still remember the words to many of those old songs. When I’m home alone with nobody to disturb, I turn on some oldies and sing, sing, sing!

Though I can’t really hear them, I can feel them and follow along in my head. It’s a little "trick" I use to fool myself into thinking I’m listening to music. Not only does it help my speech, it helps my mood. How can you be miserable while belting out, "My Boyfriend’s back and you’re gonna be in trouble?"

Strangely enough, my husband tells me that I sing better than I ever did before. He says since I lost my hearing I have perfect pitch. I’m grateful for that because sometimes I like to sing in the car.

Maybe singing isn’t your thing. That’s ok. You might want to read, practice with someone else, or even consult a speech therapist and get professional advice. Whatever you’re most comfortable doing is fine. Just remember it’s normal to have trouble with speech when you lose your hearing and it’s not hopeless. You can practice and keep it. I have.

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