Viewpoints and Opinions
Letters to the Editor -
By Barbara Bavido
The Viewpoints and Opinions column is to encourage the free exchange of ideas, knowledge and support within the community. As such, we have gathered some replies to the last edition and will always post those first.
As humans, we are inherently controversial; our background, educational level, and personal experiences, are as diverse as the color of our hair. Let's learn from one another.
If you have a comment regarding a particular piece found within our Newsletter, simply click on the editor link at the bottom of the page.
**Please note--the editorial staff reserves the right to choose pieces as fitting per publication, and timing** All views posted do not necessarily reflect the view of the SayWhatClub, but rather that of the author. All opinions expressed herein are explicitly those of the individual author. The opinions do not substitute advice from your medical doctor.
Responses to the Viewpoints and Opinions can be sent to newsletter@saywhatclub.com and they'll be put on a page within two weeks.
From the Editor
It is well understood there is, was, and always will be this ongoing controversy about the different opinions surrounding the Deaf culture, late-deafened, to implant or not, oral mainstream vs. ASL, to use modern medicine or organic alternatives etc. We as individuals are each gifted with the chance to make personal decisions for ourselves. It is here, that we can share those differing opinions, experiences and educational opportunities. What a gift we can be to one another in openly sharing those differences.
Barbara Bavido
Online Voices Editor
Editorial comments can be submitted to:
Barb Bavido
CaptivatingProse@cfl.rr.com
Editor's comment: We have had some ongoing debate over implantation precautions, suggestions and experiences. To view the last two remarks click these links: http://www.saywhatclub.com/newsletter/dec03/letters.html
http://www.saywhatclub.com/newsletter/mar04/viewpoints.html
Along with our implant thread, Linda Knight a deaf/blind member of SWC had been denied a dual implantation as a comfort item. To view her previous denial letters follow the following links:
Linda C. Knight, running out of places to go for help- sent a letter to the Governor himself and to us at SWC. To view the printed letter from our last issue:
http://www.saywhatclub.com/newsletter/mar04/viewpoints.html
Upon publication, she received the following reply from the Agency for HealthCare Administration:
Editor’s Comment: Linda, I hope somehow, someway you do not give up hope, and that our united voices can foster change for all. I encourage anyone with suggestions, comments or the ability to help to contact us here.
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News and Views on Disposable Hearing Aids:
There is nothing wrong with disposable hearing aids or any aid that helps our hearing. I don't think any hearing aid we use will cause harm because we simply do not wear hearing aids that don't help or hurt us. But it is, my opinion, the Hearing Aid Industry that hurts us the most.
The statistics of unsatisfied hearing aid wearers and the statistics of those people who need hearing aids, but don't have them demonstrates this point.
When we consider how many people need hearing aids and don't have them I'd say the hearing aid dispensing protocol has caused irrevocable harm.
I think that the horrendous statistic of unsatisfied hearing aid wearers proves audiologists do not and cannot be considered the only people able to determine the best program or hearing aid for our loss.
They are simply selling us something that may or may not satisfy us.
Knowing this, how can they rationalize passing laws in 2/3 of our United States, which allows them to keep $600 just for returning a hearing aid after we try it? Do we return hearing aids because we like them? No! Of course not!
I believe that my success with self-programming and the success of others who have done self-programming proves that we must have the option of self-programming available to those able to benefit from them.
Yet the Audiologists fight that with all their might! As one Audiology graduate student accused a Ph.D. Audiologist who wanted to legalize the sale of Over-the-counter hearing aids,
“Why do you want to take away our jobs?”
Hmmm. Since when did audiologists become sales people? I thought they were educated in Audiology—not hearing aids?
If they want to sell hearing aids they ought to work with the manufacturers so they'd have a minimum understanding of hearing aids.
I think those audiologists who fought against their brave brethren-[those
who legislated against the FDA to allow Over-the-Counter hearing aids] may
have done more harm then any fly-by-night salesman who stole our money
Stealing money is a consumer-protection issue, not a "proof-we-need-an-audiologist protection." (Seems to me, oftentimes audiologists are wolves in sheep’s clothing).
I believe the laws passed by the audiologists to legally steal our money has put them on a rung lower then any fly-by-night because these audiologists are flaunting their robberies by making it legal.
I sell a cheap Chinese hearing aid for $16. It is the famous MagniEar. I get no complaints in fact I get "Thank-you!" notes. I sell so many of those that in my opinion, it proves not everyone needs an audiologist to dispense their hearing aid. The same for the Whisper 2000, a $10 amplifier that was bought by 100’s of thousands of consumers. The audiologist circled their wagons around their industry and forced the ignorant FDA to ban the sale of these useful devices.
I believe everyone, including SHHH National, who is publicly against mail-order hearing aids is causing potential harm to those with a mild to moderate loss who can benefit from and need inexpensive simple amplification hearing aids.
I believe getting rid of analog hearing aids is causing potential harm to all those who need a good solid hearing aid and but can't afford the over-priced digital ones.
I believe that once our hearing loss has been diagnosed as unrepairable via medical treatment the only recourse we have is amplification.
From that, I believe the market should be free of all regulation of hearing aids. It is ironic that though the hearing aid dispensing protocol is highly unregulated amongst those who control the sale of hearing aids. It is firmly anti-consumer in that we have no options in the selection, purchasing and fitting of hearing aids--we are forced to buy through a third party.
It is a disgrace and, in my opinion, a national disgrace disguised as a medical concern--there is no medical necessity involved after the initial diagnoses of hearing loss. We don't all have severe enough losses to require an audiologist to purchase hearing aids. We need an open, free and competitive market.
Let us open up the hearing aid market to those who need them--the hard of hearing consumer.
American Hears offers a beginning to self-programming which includes the programming equipment, etc. with a full refund if not happy.
www.americahears.com
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Here you will find information on the unsatisfied hearing aid wearers --of 40%, 20% of working hearing aids sit unused in dresser drawers
http://www.hohadvocates.org/
In the March 2002 issue of The Hearing Review (Vol 9. No3) , you will find the following quote:
“Unfortunately, we lost sight of our mission. And we, along with our patients, have been the poorer for it. We have created a promise that we did not fulfill….We stop treating our patients before we finish. There have been claims that audiologists could do a better job then the Hearing instrument specialist. But if we look at the instrument (hearing aids) return rate we might question how much better we are doing (not at all). “We have abandoned the rehabilitative aspects of the dispensing process—to the detriment of our goals and to the embarrassment of the profession”
--Curtis Dickenson
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Television Captioning:
Many posts have flown through our lists regarding captioning and the reduction/restriction of it.
The FCC wants to hear how you think TV captioning is going. This is a good opportunity for you to let the FCC know how the law regarding captioning is working. To send comments via email to the FCC go to www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs Click on "Submit a Filing" on the column on the right hand side of the page. Type in the docket number, 04-227, in the space for "Proceeding."and fill in the other applicable spaces. Either attach a file from your documents or if your message is brief, scroll down and type in your comment in the space provided.
Deadline for comments is July 23. (Don't feel you have to respond to all the questions they ask. Just comment on what you know and what is important for you.)
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