Hearing News and Research

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Last year over 36,000 Americans died from exposure to the flu

Another 200,000 people were hospitalized with symptoms of the illness. The flu and pneumonia (the most common complication of the flu) combined are the fifth leading cause of death among Americans age 65 and older.

29 Sep 2004

Chiron CEO to appear before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

Chiron Corporation announced that president and chief executive officer Howard Pien will appear before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging in Washington, D.C., today in a hearing titled, "Combating the Flu: Keeping Seniors Alive."

28 Sep 2004

Lack of recognition an influential factor for some women who decide not to have children

In an atmosphere of increasing public concern over Australia's falling national birthrate, a Monash University study has found lack of recognition of the contribution mothers make to society is an influential factor for some women who decide not to have children.

20 Sep 2004

Nicaraguan deaf children create a new sign language entirely their own

At a school in Managua, Nicaragua, deaf children are speaking a new language entirely their own, which nonetheless has remarkable similarities to the world's other languages. Researchers studying these similarities suggest this week in Science that, in fact, children give language its most fundamental, universal features just by the way they learn it.

18 Sep 2004

Botox injections may ease the irritation of tinnitus

A preliminary study indicates that Botox injections may ease the irritation of tinnitus, otherwise know as ringing in the ears, for some patients. Researchers say more study is needed, but initial results are promising.

18 Sep 2004

Cochlear implantation leads to a higher quality of life in elderly patients

According to health care experts, cochlear implantation in senior citizens seems to be not cost effective, due to a belief that elderly patients perform poorly in the postoperative audiological rehabilitation process due to degenerative processes in the central and peripheral auditory system.

18 Sep 2004

Study hints at antioxidants being able to prevent and restore hearing loss

In a preliminary study, researchers find that vitamin E may be effective in restoring sudden onset hearing loss of unknown origin (idiopathic sudden hearing loss). These findings suggest that further research may reveal the role of antioxidants in the prevention and restoration of hearing loss.

18 Sep 2004

Reading performance is not affected once otitis media has been cured

One year ago, study results were presented addressing the reading performance in children with otitis media in early childhood. The findings revealed that middle ear diseases during early years and the attendant hearing losses adversely affect reading performance in first and second graders.

18 Sep 2004

MRI is becoming more recognized as useful in the etiological investigation of sudden deafness

For the patient, sudden deafness can be terrifying. For the specialist, this disorder can be most challenging for the cause of sudden deafness cannot be readily determined by use of the most advanced diagnostic tests.

17 Sep 2004

New high-tech pacifier helps babies who are born prematurely

The pacifier also may reduce the incidence or severity of certain developmental disabilities that appear in early childhood and beyond as well as possibly boost IQ.

16 Sep 2004

AMA warns lawmakers about effects of what kids are watching

The American Medical Association (AMA) told a congressional field hearing today that the time is long past due for the entertainment industry to recognize its adverse contribution to the epidemic of violence in our society, and that it should exercise greater responsibility in its programming content.

14 Sep 2004

New research into stimulus-related ear differences from birth may provide improved methods for newborn hearing tests

Researchers have known since the 1950s that humans process speech and tone sounds in different sides of the brain.

10 Sep 2004

New York Judge strikes down federal abortion ban

Planned Parenthood Los Angeles (PPLA) has applauded the New York court ruling issued today in National Abortion Federation (NAF) v. Ashcroft, a lawsuit challenging the federal abortion ban passed by Congress last October and signed by President Bush. Today's ruling invalidates the ban.

26 Aug 2004

Concern that the health service could fail to learn important lessons from a crucial series of ambulance and emergency trials

University of Warwick Medical School researchers are concerned that the health service could fail to learn important lessons from a crucial series of ambulance and emergency trials that increase the skills of paramedics and help reduce unnecessary emergency hospital admissions.

26 Aug 2004

Mouse stem cells may help restore hearing loss in humans

The work is important because, in humans, inner ear sensory hair cells are a precious commodity. Humans are born with only about sixteen thousand of these sound detectors in each ear, which can be easily damaged by age, certain illnesses, exposure to loud sounds, and some medications. Once damaged, the cells do not easily grow back. And with the cell loss comes so-called irreversible hearing loss.

26 Aug 2004

Madeline Mann, the world's smallest surviving baby now 15

Medical progress of her 14-year follow up will be released in a letter published in the Aug. 19, 2004 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

18 Aug 2004

Gene variant that is a major contributor to cleft lip

An international team of researchers has identified a gene variant that is a major contributor to oral clefts and triples the risk of recurrence in affected families, it was reported today in The New England Journal of Medicine.

18 Aug 2004

"Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study" - a landmark study

The "Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study" (TADS), reported in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, is the first multi- center, randomized clinical effectiveness trial to review a combination of treatments for the types of adolescent depression likely to be treated in routine community-based practice settings.

18 Aug 2004

Judge rules in favor of Hema Metrics in patent infringement case

United States Federal Judge Paul G. Cassell granted Hema Metrics' motion for Summary Judgment on the issue of infringement for all inventions.

11 Aug 2004

New direction for research into Sly Syndrome

Findings by a Saint Louis University research team led by the scientist who discovered Sly Syndrome 32 years ago point to a new direction for research into the rare genetic disorder that can cause bone deformities, vision and hearing loss, mental retardation and death in children.

9 Aug 2004