Auditory processing disorder (APD), also known as central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), is a hearing problem that affects about 5% of school-aged children. Kids with this condition can’t process what they hear in the same way other kids do because their ears and brain don’t fully coordinate. Something interferes with …
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Balance Disorders
When you think about balance, the role that ears play might not come to mind. But ears are crucial to maintaining balance thanks to their vestibulocochlear nerve. This nerve sends signals to the brain that control hearing (auditory function) and help with balance (vestibular function). But the ears aren’t the …
Chronic Hoarseness
All kids strain their voices every now and then: cheering for the home team at a ballgame; belting out a favorite song in the shower; calling out to friends on the playground. Most of the time, this doesn’t do any real harm to the vocal cords, the delicate bands of …
Cleft Lip and Palate
An orofacial (or-oh-FAY-shul) cleft is when a baby is born with an opening in the lip and/or roof of the mouth (palate). Cleft lip and cleft palate happen in about 1 or 2 of every 1,000 babies born in the United States each year, making it one of the most …
Cochlear Implants
Sometimes called a “bionic ear,” the cochlear implant offers the hope of gaining or restoring the ability to sense sound for some people with significant hearing loss. What Is a Cochlear Implant? A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted device that helps overcome problems in the cochlea (KO-klee-uh). The cochlea are snail-shaped, …
Ear Injuries
Falls, blows to the head, sports injuries, and even listening to loud music can cause ear damage, which can affect hearing and balance. That’s because the ear not only helps us hear, but also keeps us steady on our feet. Kids need to hear well to develop and use their …
Eardrum Injuries
A ruptured or perforated eardrum is exactly what you might imagine: a tear or hole in the eardrum — the part of the ear that vibrates in response to sound waves. Eardrum injuries can be extremely painful and, in the worst cases, might lead to infections and hearing loss. Fortunately, …
Ears
Listen. Whatever you’re hearing — the hum of a computer, your kids playing, a car going by — is thanks to your ears. Hearing is their main job, but it’s not all our ears do. These delicate organs also need care and protection, so let’s take a look at how …
Enlarged Adenoids
Enlarged Adenoids Adenoids are a patch of tissue that sits at the very back of the nasal passage. Like tonsils, adenoids help keep the body healthy by trapping harmful bacteria and viruses that you breathe in or swallow. Although you can see the tonsils at the back of the throat, adenoids aren’t …
Helping Sam Hear: A Family’s Journey
At just three months old, a blue-eyed boy named Sam was diagnosed with profound hearing loss. His parents, Chris and Teresa, found comfort and hope as they learned that a cochlear implant could one day help Sam to hear. Cochlear implants are devices that can restore the ability to sense …