What makes you different? What sets you apart?

[autismadvocate]

Oops. I think I figured it out, sensorineural hearing loss. My mind was still on the Caribbean and I was trying to figure out what island or country there had initials corresponding to SN HL...and, unsurprisingly, I was coming up with nothing. Oops! lol

[Persis]

1. I LOVE your username!

2. I hate to betray my ignorance, but what's a cookie bite SN HL mean?

autismadvocate, Cookie bite Sensorineural Hearing Losss:  Imagine the shape of a cookie after someone has taken a bite from it.  It is a type of sensorineural hearing loss.  It describes how the curve looks in an audiogram.  The person has problems hearing mid frequency sounds

[deci:belle]

Thanks! that took all the wittiness I had left in my being. 

 

And yeah, cookie bit configuration, sensorineural loss - sorry to confuse, it's a weird combo! 

[DeafAudi]

I love your name too, deciBELLE! Thanks to Asemoooooo for the education on cookie bite configuration/sensorineural hearing loss. That's something I haven't come across yet!

Which school are you currently attending, if you don't mind? I'm always so interested to hear about other hearing impaired audiologists!

Edited February 21, 2014 by DeafAudi

[deci:belle]

@DeafAudi - it's one of the rarer ones to come across because it's not by noise, aging or any of the common causes. It's genetic in nature. And I went to The Ohio State University. The 4th year there with the CI was the one to assure me that if he could do it, then I should be able to as well. Prior to that, I didn't know audiologists could have HL!

Edited February 21, 2014 by deciBELLE

[DeafAudi]

That's so neat! I know we will be just fine as audiologists . No one understands our future patients better than we do! 

[autismadvocate]

I was just wondering, do you guys ever get pushback about becoming audiologists because of your hearing loss? I've noticed people with disabilities can often get a lot of pushback when going into fields (eg, my sister was told she could never become a nurse, several autistic people were told they couldn't be speech paths, etc), and it seemed to me that audiology could go one of two ways, either more welcoming than usual, because you're completely right, DeafAudi, you guys truly to understand it better than anyone else, or more pushback than usual, because people like excuses to discriminate. Thoughts?

[DeafAudi]

I was just wondering, do you guys ever get pushback about becoming audiologists because of your hearing loss? I've noticed people with disabilities can often get a lot of pushback when going into fields (eg, my sister was told she could never become a nurse, several autistic people were told they couldn't be speech paths, etc), and it seemed to me that audiology could go one of two ways, either more welcoming than usual, because you're completely right, DeafAudi, you guys truly to understand it better than anyone else, or more pushback than usual, because people like excuses to discriminate. Thoughts?

 

Thanks for asking!  I have always known that I wanted to be an audiologist and didn't think twice about my hearing loss being a factor. Although I haven't experienced it personally, I have heard that sometimes there is pushback even within the field, which is unfortunate, as you would think that CSD people would be the most understanding. I have been asked by average laypersons won't my hearing loss affect my job? But I usually find that these people don't know the difference between SL-P and audiology! Hearing loss would be more of a factor in SL-P, although I did have a hard of hearing SL-P (she wore HAs) and she was fantastic .

 

I would assume that Deaf audiologists without CIs or HAs would experience more pushback. Myself and deciBELLE (I'm making an assumption here ) are fairly high functioning in terms of hearing and unfortunately, I think this would be deemed more "acceptable" in the profession. It would be interesting to speak with a Deaf person working in the field.

[deci:belle]

Yea, basically what @DeafAudi said. I am highly functioning and most people wouldn't really notice because I don't wear a device. 

The only thing is that I will need to get a HA soon because my loss is getting worse. I would feel like a hypocrite if I told others they should wear aids and I don't. Something like not practicing what I preach. 

 

Also, for me, if my audiologist had a HL I would feel way more comfortable because I feel like that person would understand me more and it would be less of a "us, normal hearing people" vs. "You, HL person" feeling. For me personally, it made me feel inadequate. But, if they were like me it would be a different dynamic. More supportive, I suppose.  

 

And then for those who might discriminate, it's really dumb. If I was able of going through all those years of school and clinic, obviously I'm capable! 

[autismadvocate]

People are dumb. But there is no reason whatsoever that they should be and I wish you both the best of luck!!!!!! :)