Newborn Hearing Screenings at Columbus Speech & Hearing
The Columbus Speech & Hearing Audiology department is pleased to announce the purchase of new Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) equipment. ABR equipment provides diagnostic testing, which allows our audiology team to measure the hearing sensitivity of children from newborns and older. This purchase was made possible with funding from a grant from Ohio’s Medicaid managed…
Kayla’s Story
Meet Kayla Kayla had numerous ear infections as a child, but it wasn’t until she displayed difficulties in school that led her parents to have her hearing tested. At seven years old, Kayla was diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss caused by damage to the inner ear and needed to wear hearing aids. However, the stigma…
Meet Braylon
Nine-year-old Braylon Stafa is a bright spirit that laughs and jokes, but there was a time when his family thought he would never talk. When he joined the Stafa home at 16 months old, Bryalon was nonverbal and non-ambulatory. After speaking with their case worker at Fostering Connections, the Stafa’s were referred to Columbus Speech…
Flying with Hearing Aids
The holiday season will soon be upon us. Crowds of travelers eagerly rush to John Glenn Airport in anticipation of seeing loved ones. However, for individuals with hearing loss, airplane travel can be quite difficult. It can be hard to hear overhead announcements for gate changes, boarding information, and hearing in-flight notifications when on the…
Talk Tips To Go: Mini Object Fun!
By Brooke Stoyak, M.A., CCC-SLP Mini Objects You Ask? Mini objects are such a HIT in therapy, as of recently. There are endless possibilities of therapy ideas/targets when incorporating them at home or in a therapy session. Most children LOVE to play with mini objects and they tend to hold children’s attention for long periods…
Staff Spotlight: Cara Walton
October’s staff spotlight is speech-language pathologist Cara Walton. Cara received her Bachelor of Science from Bowling Green and her Master’s degree from The Ohio State University. Drawn to the medical field, she chose Speech-Language Pathology because of the close relationships they form with people and the lack of blood. 🙂 Cara specializes in Augmentative and…
Audiologist and Hearing Aid Dispenser – What’s the Difference?
Audiologists and Hearing Aid Dispensers are very different regarding training and scope of practice. A hearing aid dispenser must have a high school diploma and be licensed by the state. A hearing aid dispenser is only allowed to test hearing for dispensing hearing aids and can only fit adult patients. They cannot treat you for…
Talk Tips To Go: Fall Activities at Home!
By: Brooke Stoyak M.A., CCC-SLP There are so many exciting activities to participate in once fall arrives during the year! Fall is the perfect season to target many different speech/language goals. Here are some ways for your family to engage in the fall fun: Fall Scavenger Hunt: Hide some of your favorite fall items inside/outside…
Staff Spotlight: Emily Kirkendall
This month we feature Audiologist, Dr. Emily Kirkendall. Dr. Emily joined Columbus Speech & Hearing 15 years ago because she liked the idea of working for a non-profit organization and having the unique ability to work with adults and children every work day. A Northeast Ohio Au.D. Consortium graduate, Dr. Emily says the best part…
Over the Counter Hearing Aids (OTCs)
By: Jennifer Thomson, Au.D, M.S. In August 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved regulations for a class of over-the-counter hearing aids in response to demands by consumers and other agencies. These devices will likely be available for purchase by mid-October 2022. Prescriptive hearing aids are very different from OTCs. Before looking into hearing…