SPARKLE

Hearing Glossary

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A Back to Top Acoustic Reflexes: Contraction of middle ear muscles because of loud sounds that stimulate the ear; measured with tympanometry.
Air Conduction: Passing of sound to the inner ear through the outer ear and the middle ear.
Amplify: Increase the loudness of a sound.
Anoxia/ Asphyxia: Lack of oxygen at birth.
Assistive Listening Device (ALD): Composed of a microphone, transmitter component, receiver, and an earmold; amplifies only the sound source picked up by the microphone.
Atresia: Absence or closure of a natural passage of the body (e.g., ear canal).
Audiogram: Graph used to record the hearing responses of an individual at different frequencies and intensities.
Audiologist: Professional trained in the science of audiology who may assess hearing, determine auditory capacity for processing sound, etc. An individual with a masters or doctorate degree who specializes in hearing assessment and habilitation and rehabilitation of people with hearing disorders.
Audiology: The study of hearing, which involves identification, evaluation, habilitation, and rehabilitation of hearing loss.
Audiometry: Any kind of testing that involves hearing.
Audition: The power or sense of hearing.
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR): Hearing test that measures electrical activity at the brainstem in response to sounds; reveals basic information about whether sounds are getting to the brainstem and if the ear is working properly.
Auditory Canal: Structure that leads from the outer ear (auricle/ pinna) to the eardrum (tympanic membrane).
Auditory Cortex: Area where neural impulses are processed into meaningful bits of auditory information.
Auditory Nerve: Eighth cranial nerve that carries auditory impulses/ messages from the inner ear to the brainstem and brain. This nerve is the 8th cranial nerve which carries auditory messages from the inner ear to the brainstem and brain. Problems may include auditory nerve tumors, damage, or problems in development.
Auditory Processing Problem: Hearing loss that results from damage to the auditory nerve, brainstem, or auditory cortex.
Aural: Pertaining to the ear or hearing.
Auricle: (see Outer Ear)
Back to Top B Back to Top Basilar Membrane: Membrane extending the length of the cochlea in the inner ear that contains hair cells or nerve cells for hearing. Different sections of the basilar membrane respond better to different sound frequencies, which are perceived by the brain as pitches.
Behavioral Observation Audiometry (BOA): Hearing test. A professional presents sounds to an individual and watches for the individual's responses to the sounds.
Bilateral Hearing Loss: Hearing loss in both ears.
Body Aid: Type of hearing aid that has a receiver inside a small box worn on the body.
Bone Conduction:: Passing of sound to the inner ear through vibration applied to the bones in the skull, instead of through the outer and middle ear.
Brainstem: Portion of the brain between the cerebrum and the spinal cord that controls the functions of breathing, swallowing, seeing, and hearing.
Brainstem Evoked Response (BSER): See Auditory Brainstem Response.
C Back to Top Captioning: Process of providing printed subtitles for auditory information.
Central Auditory Processing Disorder: Hearing may be inconsistent and vary from day to day, because the ability of the brain to process sound is affected.
Cerumen: Ear wax. The glands that make cerumen are located in the ear canal.
Cochlea: Snail-shaped structure in the inner ear containing the organ of hearing.
Cochlear Implant: Prosthetic for hearing that must be surgically implanted.
Computer Assisted Real Time Translation (CART): Produces a caption; used in live situations where a written script is not available for captioning in advance.
Conductive Hearing Loss: Hearing loss that results from a blockage or malfunction of the outer or middle ear (e.g., otitis media or ear infection).
Congenital: Originating from birth.
Cued Speech: Educational tool designed for parents of deaf children that corresponds exactly to the spoken language of the parent. There are eight different handshapes, each representing a group of consonant sounds, four positions around the mouth, each of which represent different vowel sounds and non-manual information found on the mouth.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV): Herpes type of virus which occurs continuously in the population. Manifestations of this disease may be minimal (e.g., rash and fever) or severe (e.g., microcephaly, mental retardation, and profound sensorineural hearing loss).
D Back to Top Decibel (dB): Measurement used for intensity (loudness) of sounds.
Degree (of the hearing loss): Hearing losses are categorized according to the degree of the loss, for example, mild, moderate, severe, and profound.
Discrimination of Sounds: Ability to tell the difference between sounds and to respond appropriately.
E Back to Top Ear Canal: "Tunnel" that connects the pinna and the eardrum.
Eardrum (Tympanic Membrane): Layer of tissue shaped like a cone at the end of the ear canal; moves back and forth and causes the bones in the middle ear to move; separates the middle ear from the outer ear.
Earmold: Plastic fitting that fits into the canal or ear flap of the ear to conduct sound directly into an individual's hearing system from a hearing aid. Earmolds are also intended to remove the possibility of feedback or squealing.
Encephalitis: Inflammation of infection of the brain, usually viral in nature.
Eustachian Tube: Small tube running from the middle ear into the throat; provides fresh air to the middle ear and allows fluid to drain from the middle ear.
F Back to Top Flashing/Vibrating Alarm: Alarms that can be hooked to telephones, doorbells, and fire alarms.
FM System: Frequency modulated device; type of listening device.
Frequency: Pitch of a sound; number of cycles produced in one second; measured in Hertz (Hz).
H Back to Top Hearing: Detection of sound.
Hearing Aid: Device with a sound receiver and an earmold that fits into the ear; amplifies speech and environmental sounds.
Hearing Aid Dealer: Salesperson who specializes in the sale of hearing aids and assistive listening devices.
Hearing Threshold: Intensity at which a person can just barely hear a particular sound.
Hertz (Hz): Measurement used for the frequency (pitch) of sounds.
I Back to Top Impedance Audiometry/ Immittance Testing: Test that determines the presence of middle ear fluid, middle ear pressure, mobility of the eardrum and the middle ear bones, and Eustachian tube function.
Incus (anvil): One of the three small bones in the middle ear; shaped like an anvil, attached to the malleus and the stapes; helps to amplify the sound coming from the outer ear.
Inner Ear: Includes the semicircular canals, the cochlea, and the auditory nerve. Problems in this part of the ear may include damaged or missing nerve cells and damage to the balance mechanism.
Intensity: Volume or loudness; measured in decibels (dB).
Interpreter: Individual who is trained to provide access to information for an individual who is hearing impaired.
Interpreter Tutor: Paraprofessionals who often work one-on-one with students; usually only work in schools.
Intervener: A person who works consistently one-to-one with an individual who is deafblind, and who has training and specialized skills related to deafblindness.
M Back to Top Malleus (mallet): One of the three small bones in the middle ear; shaped like a hammer, attached to the eardrum and the incus; starts a rocking motion along the ossicles.
Middle Ear: Includes the ear drum, three tiny middle ear bones (malleus, incus, and stapes), and the Eustachian tube. Problems in this part of the ear may include infection, hole in the eardrum, broken middle ear bones, or bony growth.
Mild Hearing Loss: Hearing loss of 25 to 40 dB. Makes it difficult to understand soft-spoken speech and to pay attention, especially in noisy environments.
Mixed Hearing Loss: Results from having a conductive hearing loss and a sensorineural hearing loss at the same time.
Moderate Hearing Loss: Hearing loss of 41 to 55 dB. An individual with a 40 dB loss would need to be 3-5 feet from the sound source to hear it.
Moderately Severe Hearing Loss: Hearing loss of 56 to 70 dB. Sounds must be very loud for an individual with a 70 dB loss to hear.
O Back to Top Octave: Interval between two frequencies, one of which is twice as large as the other (for example 250 Hz and 500 Hz).
Ossicle Chain: Three small connected bones in the middle ear.
Otitis Media: Fluid or an infection in the middle ear which is alleviated by antibiotics or tubes inserted in the ear to drain the fluid.
Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE): A hearing test which measures acoustic emissions (sounds) that are generated in the cochlea and reflected back through the middle ear to the external ear. This tests the functioning of the cochlea.
Otolaryngologist: Physician who is knowledgeable in diseases of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT).
Otologist: Physician who specializes in the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the ear.
Outer Ear: Also known as the auricle or pinna; includes the ear flap and the ear canal; Gathers and enhances sound and channels it to the middle ear. Problems in this part of the ear may include wax buildup in the canal, a foreign object in the ear canal or outer ear, and/or the ear canal not forming correctly or missing.
Oval Window: Opening between the middle and the inner ear.
Oxotoxic Drugs: Drugs that can damage the cochlea of an unborn child.
P Back to Top Pinna: Visible part of the ear—the outer folds and the ear lobe; gathers sound waves in and enhances them as they move into the ear canal.
Pitch: Highness or lowness of sound.
Play Audiometry: Sounds are presented to an individual who is taught to respond by doing a fun activity.
Profound Hearing Loss: A hearing loss of 90 dB or higher. Individuals with this loss cannot use auditory receptive communication.
Pure Tone: Simple sound wave used in testing hearing.
Pure Tone Audiometry: Hearing test. Tones at specific test frequencies are presented through earphones. The individual's response to these sounds is recorded on an audiogram.
R Back to Top Residual Hearing: Any measurable hearing that a hearing-impaired individual retains.
S Back to Top Semicircular Canals: Three fluid-filled canals in the ear that help maintain balance.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Occurs as a result of damage in or a defect of the inner ear (cochlea or auditory nerve).
Sensory Integration: Organization of sensory information to enable the child to act on and interact with the environment.
Severe Hearing Loss: Hearing loss of 71 to 90 dB. An individual with this loss may understand loud speech at a distance of 1 foot in a quiet environment.
Shaken Baby Syndrome: Syndrome that results from shaking an infant.
Signal to Noise Ratio: Difference in volume between the main sound source and the surrounding sounds.
Signed Language: Alternative communication form.
Sound: Produced by vibrations that cause air molecules to move back and forth.
Sound Wave: Pressure wave set in motion by any event that generates energy. This pressure wave is detected by the hearing mechanism as sound.
Speech Perception: The ability to be aware of speech.
Speechreading: Alternative communication form.
Stapes (stirrup): Small bone, shaped like a stirrup, attached to the incus and the oval window; amplifies sound waves coming from the outer ear.
T Back to Top Tactile Sign: Communication method based on a standard manual sign system in which the receiver’s hand(s) is placed lightly upon the hand(s) of the signer to perceive the signs.
Threshold: Softest level of intensity at which a person hears a particular sound.
Tinnitus: Noises heard from within the head (e.g., ringing, pulsating, or buzzing).
Treacher-Collins: A rare inherited disorder characterized by abnormalities of the head and face, including flattened area around the cheekbones, small mandible, malformation of the external ears, dental abnormalities, and cleft palate. Affected individuals have a conductive hearing loss.
TTY/ TTD (Telecommunication Device for the Deaf): Used by deaf individuals to communicate (e.g., by telephone) with others.
Tympanic Membrane: See eardrum.
Tympanometry: Testing of the middle ear with equipment that bounces sound off the tympanic membrane under different pressure conditions.
U Back to Top Unilateral Hearing Loss: A hearing loss occurring in one ear.
Usher Syndrome: Inherited recessive genetic disorder characterized by sensorineural hearing impairment, present at birth or shortly thereafter, and a progressive loss of field due to retinitis pigmentosa. It accounts for more than 50% of all cases of deafblindness in the Unties States.
V Back to Top Vestibular Nerve: Carries information about balance.
Vestibular System: Semicircular canals and vestibular nerve.
Visually Reinforced Audiometry (VRA): Sounds are presented to an individual, and the individual looks to find the source of the sound. Also called Conditioned Orientation Reflex (COR).

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