Hearing Fatigue

Karina was concerned about how her 15-year-old hard of hearing son, Adam, was fairing in school. He had been struggling recently and responding less frequently to his parents calling his name around the house. Karina met with one of our Deaf and Hard of Hearing Technology Specialists, Gema, at DAC’s Fort Worth office to learn how she could support her son. Karina was happy to get information about the types of accommodations she could request for the next school year, such as interpreters, FM systems, front-row seating in the classroom, and extended time to complete class work. 

Karina was also surprised to learn about the concept of “hearing fatigue”. Gema explained that when someone is hard of hearing, their brain must work harder to make sense of the information it receives from the ear. Gema went on to discuss how hard of hearing students are often accommodated with quiet time to review lecture information independently; this gives their minds a chance to rest, recover, and process what they’ve heard. After their discussion, Adam seemed relieved. It was nice to know the he was not the only one experiencing this in the classroom. 

Karina and Adam left the Fort Worth office with a list of resources and tools to help improve their communication. They’re now looking forward to starting the next school year on the right foot!