Richard A. Bird's parents were educators and administrators of the hearing impaired for a number of years. The family moved from one residential state school for the deaf and blind to another throughout the country working with the hearing impaired. Richard received his undergraduate degree in Special Education, a Master of Science in Audiology, and practiced with an ear, nose, and throat specialist for twenty-five years. In 1993 he founded Audiologic Hearing Services, Inc. in Parma Heights where he continues to work closely with the hearing impaired by providing personalized evaluations and helping them regain the gift of sound. We visited recently with Richard and Lona, his office manager, and listened as he provided this overview of the services Audiologic Hearing Services, Inc. provides;

Audiologic Hearing Services, Inc. specializes in professional hearing evaluation of a variety of children and adults in addition to hearing aid fitting and selection. I am a graduate of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., the only college in the world for the hearing impaired, and have acquired an extensive background in this field. I have taught sign language, compiled an annotative list of signs, and am adept at communicating with those visiting my office through sign language. Although treating hearing loss is very systematic, we tailor our approach to each individual's specific needs and preferences.

Each of my patients receives a thorough evaluation that includes their background history and a series of hearing tests to determine their level of impairment. I utilize a wide range of state-of-the-art equipment to evaluate hearing problems. I use a fiber optics video system to view the inside of the ear canal, and if necessary, to remove wax.

Older hearing aids were built on analog technology, although recent advancements in digital technology enable modern hearing aids to more accurately respond to each patient's hearing loss. Analog hearing aids simply amplified all sounds which could be very distracting to the listener. Digital hearing aids, on the other hand, can be tuned to specifically amplify only the tones which the wearer has difficulty hearing. The result is a sound that is much more natural and more closely resembles normal hearing. One patient, convinced they wanted an analog hearing aid, was encouraged to try a digital aid to compare the results. After installing the digital hearing aid, we went outside so they could experience the results in a real life setting. They were amazed that they could hear the hum of the elevator, and once they heard the birds outside chirping for the first time in years they quickly decided that the best solution for them was a digital hearing aid.

The biggest challenge with hearing aids is preventing the build-up of wax which effect the ability of the unit to function. Periodically the hearing aid must be serviced and the patient's ear must be checked for wax and other ear problems.

Audiologic Hearing Services, Inc. is dedicated to personally working closely with each patient to enable them to maximize their hearing potential. Call Audiologic Hearing Services, Inc. today, and don't forget to tell them The Advocate sent you!

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