Yard Sale

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May is Better Speech and Hearing

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Notes from the Administrative Director
by Mary Poulin

For over 75 years May has been designated as Better Hearing and Speech Month – a time to raise public awareness, knowledge, and understanding of the various forms of communication impairments to include those of hearing, speech, language, and voice. Communication impairments affect the most vulnerable in our society – the young, the aged, the disabled, and the poor.
Speech and language disorders can take many forms and can limit academic achievement, social adjustment, and career advancement. An individual may be born with a speech or language disorder, or it may be caused by accidental injury or illness.
Here at the Warren Center we are celebrating Better Hearing and Speech Month through speech screenings at area preschools. This effort is to help identify students with needs before they start kindergarten. A speech and language screening involves quick tests to assess general adequacy of various skills. Results are presented in terms of “student tested within normal range” or “student tested below normal range” and “recommendations” for the individual. Identifying speech and language needs early and providing remediation can help prevent issues later in the classroom.
Helen Keller once noted that of all her impairments, she was perhaps troubled most by her lack of speech and hearing. She elaborated that while blindness separated from her things, her lack of speech and hearing separated her from people – the human connection of communication. Help us continue to provide services to those in need by donating to the center.

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A Mom's Voice

Hello! My name is Deb Pinkham, and I became acquainted with the Warren Center almost seven years ago when both of my sons were diagnosed with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Diagnosed at 4 years old and 15 months old, my sons have made many trips to the center for hearing tests and speech and language classes. In addition to being a mom I'm also a teacher. My fourteen years as an elementary classroom teacher have both influenced and been influenced by my children and their hearing needs.
Over time I hope to become a resource for you, the parent, grandparent, or friend of a deaf or hard of hearing child. By sharing experiences my husband and I have had with our boys (both the heartwarming and the frustrating) perhaps I can provide a few tips as well as some insight for you as you guide the children in your life.

Deb Pinkham serves on the Warren Center’s Board of Directors.

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Ask the Audiologists

How can I tell if a noisy situation is to loud?

Most people know that a rock concert or jet engine are loud and can cause damage ;but there are a number of sounds that fall in the “gray area” between a whisper and an explosion. A good rule of thumb is if you have to raise your voice to be heard above the noise it is potentially damaging. That includes your lawn mower and weed whacker, as well as your blow dryer and even your vacuum cleaner. Remember, that noise induced hearing loss is 100% preventable and people of all ages are susceptible. Earplugs can be purchased at any drugstore and are a quick, inexpensive solution to help with those potentially damaging situations. Many people find earmuffs more comfortable and they are a good match for those jobs that only have loud bursts of noise as they can be slipped on and off with ease.

By Warren Center Audiologists
Dr. Amanda Samoluk, CCC-A and Dr. Kimberly Starkey, CCC-A

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Summer Camps

Photo Gallery

To the rescue… Royce Wheeler saw that we needed new coat racks. He brought his tools, a new coat rack and went to work. Thanks Royce!

The Warren Center’s Program Director MaryBeth Richards, screened participants hearing, as part of the activities at the DASH Fair.
Health fairs are a great way to see what’s new. The Warren Center had the opportunity to participate in two during the month of March. The PENQUIS Senior Expo and the DASH fair.

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