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If you have to pull the ear buds out to hear someone talk, it’s too loud,”
Zeigler said. A consultant at the Luzerne Intermediate Unit hearing
center, Zeigler was one of many professionals giving presentations
during the LIU’s “Hear Now and Forever” conference at Genetti Hotel &
Convention Center on Monday.
But the highlight of the conference, which attracted some 140
professionals, was Justin Osmond, son of the lead singer of the
Osmond family and a staunch advocate for the hearing impaired. Justin
was born with profound hearing loss.
Osmond gave the keynote speech following a luncheon and Mayor Tom
Leighton proclaimed May as “Better Hearing and Speech Month.”
Osmond sported the trademark toothy grin of his famed family, but also
had the tell-tale speech patterns of those who learned to talk in silence,
particularly the struggle pronouncing the letter R. He peppered his
presentation with inspirational observations like “reach for the stars, and
at least you won’t get a handful of mud,” and “You can get bitter, or you
can get better.”
Osmond said the family music business began in an effort to raise
money for hearing aids for the two oldest brothers. He conceded he was
bitter as a child, at one point flushing his hearing aids down the toilet.
But he adopted the slogan “I may have a hearing loss, but that hearing
loss doesn’t have me,” and devoted himself to helping others.
“Kindness is the language deaf people can hear and blind people can
see.” Now he works with the Starkey Hearing Foundation, providing free
hearing aids to children.
Osmond urged those present never to give up on the children they serve.
Zeigler certainly shouldn’t; his presentation had a real impact. Asked if
she would heed his advice and turn down the volume, Meyers High
School student Kingston Kurutz said “Definitely. I don’t want to be deaf
by the age of 26!”
To see additional photos and video, visit www.timesleader.com
Zeigler said. A consultant at the Luzerne Intermediate Unit hearing
center, Zeigler was one of many professionals giving presentations
during the LIU’s “Hear Now and Forever” conference at Genetti Hotel &
Convention Center on Monday.
But the highlight of the conference, which attracted some 140
professionals, was Justin Osmond, son of the lead singer of the
Osmond family and a staunch advocate for the hearing impaired. Justin
was born with profound hearing loss.
Osmond gave the keynote speech following a luncheon and Mayor Tom
Leighton proclaimed May as “Better Hearing and Speech Month.”
Osmond sported the trademark toothy grin of his famed family, but also
had the tell-tale speech patterns of those who learned to talk in silence,
particularly the struggle pronouncing the letter R. He peppered his
presentation with inspirational observations like “reach for the stars, and
at least you won’t get a handful of mud,” and “You can get bitter, or you
can get better.”
Osmond said the family music business began in an effort to raise
money for hearing aids for the two oldest brothers. He conceded he was
bitter as a child, at one point flushing his hearing aids down the toilet.
But he adopted the slogan “I may have a hearing loss, but that hearing
loss doesn’t have me,” and devoted himself to helping others.
“Kindness is the language deaf people can hear and blind people can
see.” Now he works with the Starkey Hearing Foundation, providing free
hearing aids to children.
Osmond urged those present never to give up on the children they serve.
Zeigler certainly shouldn’t; his presentation had a real impact. Asked if
she would heed his advice and turn down the volume, Meyers High
School student Kingston Kurutz said “Definitely. I don’t want to be deaf
by the age of 26!”
To see additional photos and video, visit www.timesleader.com
| May 13 Listen for a lifetime Forum deals with hearing loss, prevention By Mark Guydish mguydish@timesleader.com Education Reporter WILKES-BARRE – Hearing loss |
WILKES-BARRE – Hearing loss is like shaking uncooked spaghetti with
a marshmallow stuck to the end. No, really, this isn’t some cryptic Zen
phrase to make you think abstractly (example: what’s the sound of one
hand clapping?). Hearing loss is like marshmallows and spaghetti.
Audiologist Jim Zeigler may have had a room full of middle school
students giggling as they shook the pasta and watched it break,
marshmallows flinging across tables. But the message was serious.
Listen to music for more than an hour turned up higher than 85 decibels
(just above the volume mid-point on most iPods) and the tiny hairs in
your ear that help you hear suffer irreparable damage, much like said
spaghetti.
a marshmallow stuck to the end. No, really, this isn’t some cryptic Zen
phrase to make you think abstractly (example: what’s the sound of one
hand clapping?). Hearing loss is like marshmallows and spaghetti.
Audiologist Jim Zeigler may have had a room full of middle school
students giggling as they shook the pasta and watched it break,
marshmallows flinging across tables. But the message was serious.
Listen to music for more than an hour turned up higher than 85 decibels
(just above the volume mid-point on most iPods) and the tiny hairs in
your ear that help you hear suffer irreparable damage, much like said
spaghetti.
| Justin Osmond at the Luzerne Intermediate Unit’s “Hear Now and Forever” conference Monday Times Leader Photo Store |
| Alex Protheroe a student at Dallas Middle School learns about hearing during an experiment at the "Hear Now and Forever" conference held at Gennettis. Aimee Dilger Photos/The Times Leader 5/12/2008 |
| Jess Adams and Robbie Feher, of Dallas Middle School, listen as Dr. James Zeigler uses a tuning fork and ping pong ball attached to a string to show how sound waves travel. AIMEE DILGER/THE TIMES LEADER |