Hearing disorders merit early detection.

Byline: Jane Eyre McDonald For The Register-Guard

Imagine not being able to communicate simple thoughts such as "Thank you" or "I love you." For millions of Americans with speech, language or hearing disorders, this is reality. For them, words don't come easily or at all.

Eugene Mayor Jim Torrey recently declared May as Better Hearing and Speech Month at the Eugene Hearing & Speech Center.

Better Hearing and Speech Month has been observed since 1927 all over the United States.

Speech/language pathologists, audiologists and teachers of the hearing impaired hope to raise awareness of speech, language and hearing disorders that affect more than 42 million Americans.

Mayor Torrey is the honorary chair of this year's Eugene Hearing and Speech Center's preschool campaign to help the children in our area receive services they need.

As the mayor himself has noted, he also is a consumer who has needed the services of our audiologists for his hearing concerns.

These disorders are known to have an isolating effect in school, society and work. People affected by these disorders can't speak well to advocate for their needs.

Left untreated, children can have great difficulty in being ready for school, in achieving literacy and in social interaction. They can be the target of unnecessary bullying or isolation.

Three specific areas of concern are especially worth noting.

Early identification of communication problems is the greatest help for small children. Trust your instincts. Check with your physician, audiologist or speech/language pathologist.

There are specific speech, language and hearing guidelines offered to families and teachers regarding development and identification of potential concerns. All newborn infants are now required to get a routine hearing screening before leaving the hospital. This service has been provided locally for years. Early identification can allow a child to become an effective communicator and future productive citizen.

Aphasia, a language disorder caused by stroke or traumatic injury to the brain, affects approximately 1 million people in the United States. This contributes to problems with speech, language, understanding, hearing, voice, cognition, behavior, reading and swallowing. A certified speech/language pathologist is trained to work with all of these problems.

Hearing loss can be easily identified by asking yourself some questions:

Do you frequently ask people to repeat themselves? Do you often turn your ear toward a sound to hear it better? Do you understand people better when you wear your glasses or look directly at their faces? Do you lose your place in group conversations? Do you keep the volume on your radio or TV at a level that others say is too loud? Do you have pain or ringing in your ears? A licensed audiologist could help with these concerns and prescribe a hearing aid or assistive device, if needed.

Among the other communication problems that speech/language pathologists, audiologists or teachers of the hearing impaired work with include throat cancer, traumatic brain injury, literacy, voice, autism, cochlear implants, Alzheimer's disease, stuttering, dizziness and tinnitus.

Professional help is provided through hearing and speech centers, public and private schools, universities, hospitals, home health services, rehabilitation centers, private practices, nursing homes and preschool programs or classes.

If you or your family member has a concern or question about a possible communication disorder, contact a professional speech/language pathologist or audiologist immediately.

And the next time you say "I love you," remember: Not everyone can.

It's never too early to help a child. Let's be certain that no child is left behind because of a communication problem.

Jane Eyre McDonald, a certified speech/language pathologist and executive director of the Eugene Hearing & Speech Center, is the former president of the Oregon Speech/Language and Hearing Association. For more information, contact www.eugenehearing speech.org or the national organization at www.asha.org.