Volume 27 Issue 3

HOH-LD-News
Vol. 27, Issue 3
April 15, 2006

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Table of Contents
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- Article 1: Tinnitus may interfere with tough mental tasks

- Article 2: Early Experience May Shape our Sensory Perceptions, New Research Shows

- Article 3: "BlackBerry Thumb" Strikes

Article 4: Button batteries pose serious injury risks

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- Advertisers in this Issue
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Third Premium Placement: IHHD Online Educational Opportunities
Classified Section: Two online stores, one captioning company, and two employment opportunities

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Contact information and disclaimers are at the end of this newsletter.
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- Article 1: Tinnitus may interfere with tough mental tasks
By Karla Gale
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Editor: Here's more evidence that tinnitus may interfere with the performance of demanding mental tasks.

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People who suffer from chronic, moderate tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, may have more trouble performing demanding cognitive tasks than individuals without tinnitus, Australian investigators report. "Our results are good news in that there is no difference between groups on everyday, familiar tasks," co-investigator Dr. Catherine Stevens told Reuters Health.

"The differences observed in this controlled experimental setting would not affect people with tinnitus in their daily lives."

In fact, "it may not be the tinnitus per se that is related to distress but negative reactions and negative thoughts associated with tinnitus," she added.

To further understand the effects of tinnitus, Stevens and colleagues at the University of Western Sydney in South Penrith, New South Wales, recruited 19 patients with chronic tinnitus and 19 controls matched according to age, education, occupation, and verbal IQ. They report their findings in the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research.

Subjects first underwent a Reading Span Test, in which 100 sentences were read in five sets of two sentences up to five sets of six sentences. Respondents were asked to recall the final words of all sentences in the set in the correct order. The reading span was calculated as the number recalled correctly on three out of the five sets.

The mean reading span of the tinnitus group was 3.00, compared with 3.61 for the control group. It thus appears that "some individuals with tinnitus have difficulties concentrating on the task and/or reduced capacity to store and retrieve information from working memory," Stevens' group suggests.

The second experiment involved a dual task divided-attention test involving visual stimuli. Subjects were to click a mouse button when a small rectangle appeared on a computer screen. In addition, a word appeared every 1.5 seconds, and subjects were to name the word. They then were asked to name the subordinate category (cooking, animal, or seascape) to which the word belonged.

The groups were similar in the reaction time and in the word-naming task, but subjects with tinnitus scored more poorly in the category-naming condition.

"The only difference in the performance of the two groups was on the most demanding conditions of two laboratory tasks. These conditions were unfamiliar and challenging," Stevens noted.

She added that there are a number of factors that might be responsible for their findings. "One possibility is that there is a loss of sleep among people with chronic tinnitus and that the difference in performance is not the result of tinnitus directly but rather sleep loss."

Other variables that are sometimes associated with tinnitus are anxiety, depression, and hearing loss, which can impact cognition.

"A final explanation may lie in the nature of the task," she continued. "There was no difference on familiar, over-learned conditions but a slight difference on novel tasks that required controlled, strategic processing. One hypothesis that we will test in the future is whether tinnitus absorbs attention, leaving fewer cognitive resources available for novel tasks that require conscious strategic processing."

Stevens commented that "practical strategies that are effective in managing tinnitus include getting involved in an absorbing activity such as work or a hobby, and making time to relax by listening to music or watching a movie. Cognitive-behavior therapy may assist people in developing new ways to think about their tinnitus and this appears effective in reducing distress and worry."

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- Article 2: Early Experience May Shape our Sensory Perceptions, New Research Shows
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Editor: New research by the folks at Wake Forest indicates that an infant's brain must learn to combine different kinds of sensory information (e.g. sight and hearing).

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Our brain's ability to combine sensory information from a single event - such as seeing an ambulance and hearing its siren - has been shown to speed our reactions, help us identify objects and heighten our awareness. New research in animals suggests that it's unlikely that we're born with this ability. Instead, its development may depend on our sensory experiences during the early months of life.

"The way in which this ability develops has profound implications for those who are born blind or deaf, or who suffer from disorders such as autism and dyslexia in which early sensory processes are altered," said Mark Wallace, Ph.D., a neuroscientist at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. "Knowing how these brain circuits mature may one day be used to tailor treatment strategies for those who have problems in basic sensory processes."

Wallace and colleagues presented the results from two related studies this week at the 35th annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Washington, D.C.

The goal of the studies was to learn more about multisensory integration, which refers to the brain's ability to combine information from our different senses. Although much is now known about how multisensory integration is carried out in "lower" brain regions such as the brainstem, little is known about multisensory integration in "higher" brain regions such as the neocortex - a region responsible for our perceptions.

The researchers studied individual neurons in the neocortex of cats to see how they respond to sight, sound and touch. Surprisingly, they found that many of the neurons could respond to stimuli in several of these senses.

"The neurons responses to combinations of sensory stimuli were often much greater than we predicted," said Wallace. "This suggests that these neurons have the capacity to greatly amplify their signals when confronted with stimuli from multiple senses."

He said this finding may explain how multisensory stimuli can lead to improvements in our perceptions - such as how seeing a friend speaking across a crowded and noisy room can help us better "hear" what he or she is saying.

In addition to studying these neurons in adult cats, the researchers also examined how multisensory neurons mature in the developing brain. They found that immediately after birth, multisensory neurons were not present in the neocortex. Only after several months of development did these neurons first appear, and they were strikingly immature, lacking the ability to amplify their signals. Several weeks later, these neurons began to acquire this multisensory capability.

Next, the researchers examined development in animals raised in an abnormal sensory environment in which lights and sounds were always presented at the same time, but from different locations. Wallace said this arrangement is at odds with the normal world, where sensory cues from a single event typically occur at the same time and place.

"Intriguingly, the neurons in animals raised in this strange sensory world tailored their integration to fit their environment," he said. "The neurons were able to amplify their signals only when visual and auditory stimuli were presented at different locations - locations that were very similar to those experienced during early life."

Wallace said the results show that multisensory processes in brain circuits mature slowly, a finding that dovetails with studies showing that perceptual processes are similarly immature early in human life. He said findings also suggest that the multisensory circuitry is highly malleable and reflects the sensory world of the newborn.

"This implies that changes in our early sensory experiences resulting from disease or environmental factors will likely have a substantial impact on brain development," he said.

The research was funded by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Wallace's co-researchers were Brian Carriere, B.S., Thomas Perrault, Ph.D., Jenna Schuster, B.S., Barry Stein, Ph.D., and William Vaughan, Ph.D., all from Wake Forest.

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- Article 3: "BlackBerry Thumb" Strikes
By Leonard Hall
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Editor: It makes a lot of sense if you think about it. Overuse of any part of your body can cause injury. I bet you'll quickly understand the phrase "Blackberry thumb". Here's Leonard Hall with the story. This article is republished with Leonard's kind permission.

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Eight years ago at the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) conference, a new technology device was discovered and used by hundreds of deaf people that changed the way deaf people communicate: The T-Mobile Sidekick.

Before 1998, hearing people used telephone and deaf people were limited to home TTYS to call other deaf people. Cell phone became popular for hearing people in the late 1990s, but deaf and hard of hearing people could not use cell phones.

With the introduction of Sidekick, BlackBerry, and Treo devices known as PDAs or personal digital assistant devices, hearing and deaf people can send out text messages to other people.

Many deaf people cannot live without their PDAs. They use them often during the day to keep in touch with their work, family, and friends.

Several deaf friends told me they averaged over 50 text messages a day. They typed a lot of short and long messages on their PDAs.

Eight years later after the NAD Conference, some people using these PDAs are now suffering from "BlackBerry Thumb" a term some use to describe injuries to the thumbs caused by pressing the keypad on the PAD repeatedly with your thumbs.

The PDAs are like your cell phones which have very small keypads that requires the use of your thumb in a repetitive motion that can cause muscle spasms and soreness in the thumb and hand.

As you place your hand on a flat surface, you will see that the fingers are grouped together and somewhat separated from your thumb. By nature, the thumb was never intended to work as hard as it does on text messaging or video games.

According to one doctor, the tendons and muscles in your thumbs are very short. Using the small keypads on the PDAs and cell phone can cause 10 times the stress than if the someone uses all of his fingers and thumb on a full-sized keyboard similar to the one used on your computer.

Doctors said this is not a new problem. In the early 1990s, many users of the Nintendo video games were complaining of thumb, hand and wrist soreness. As I watched my 10-year old son played for an hour or more on his Nintendo Game Cube, he is constantly using his two thumbs during the entire hour.

The use of any small handheld devices can put a lot of strain on your hands and place you at risk of muscle spasms and soreness. For some deaf people, it can impact their sign language.

In the worst cases for older people, there are reports of tendon-tearing which cause permanent disability in the thumb and hands.

Experts urged people to limit their typing on the PDAs. Type long message on a computer. You can use the PDA with the special pen to type your messages.

Moderation and limited amount of typing on the PDAs is the key to a healthy thumb and hand.

(Leonard Hall writes a weekly column for the deaf community. He can be reached at Legalnetwk@aol.com)

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Article 4: Button batteries pose serious injury risks
By Danielle Tousinau
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Editor: You may not think the batteries that power your hearing aid are dangerous, but they can be! It seems kids and pets like to swallow them! This story is reprinted with the permission of the Kingsport (Tenn.) Times-News.

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Button or disc batteries power a variety of products including hearing aids, watches, calculators and key chains. Button batteries range in diameter from 6mm to 23mm, with most being less than 15mm. Because of their small size they can easily be mistaken for pills or candy. They are easy to swallow or lodge in an ear or nose. Many adults may find this surprising or amusing.

However the injury from batteries is real. Young children and pets are not able to realize the dangers of battery ingestion. Unfortunately, the incidence of battery ingestion has increased as use of button batteries in household products has also increased. In the United States, nearly 2,000 people of all ages unintentionally swallow button batteries each year.

In 1982 the National Button Battery Ingestion Hotline and Registry (NBBIHR) was created to collect data about battery ingestion. According to its data, 62 percent of ingestions occurred in children younger than 5, with most between 1 and 2 years old. The next largest number of ingestions was 14 percent which occurred in 6 to 12 years old.

Ingestion was slightly more common in boys (59 percent) than in girls (41 percent). In 52 percent of cases, the batteries were ingested immediately after removal from a product. In 41 percent of cases, the batteries were already loose, sitting out or discarded. In only 5 percent of cases were the batteries removed directly from the packaging before ingestion.

Batteries were used for hearing aids in 45 percent of cases; watches, 16 percent; toys, 14 percent; calculators, 9 percent; and camera equipment, 4 percent.

In 1996 the sale of mercury oxide batteries was banned in the United States. Most hearing aid batteries are zinc air, which are not toxic. Therefore, heavy metal poisoning is usually not a concern when these batteries are ingested. However, batteries can still cause serious injury if they become lodged in the esophagus.

Lodged batteries can cause esophageal tears and burns, which can lead to severe tissue damage. Lodged batteries also can cause difficulty swallowing and breathing, which can be life-threatening.

Many children are witnessed swallowing a battery, or they later tell a caregiver that they swallowed a battery. Anyone who is believed to have swallowed a battery, regardless of age, should seek immediate emergency medical attention. Pet owners should also seek veterinary attention if a pet is believed to have swallowed a battery. Radiographic imaging will be necessary to determine if the battery has lodged in the esophagus.

Call the NBBIRH collect at (202) 625-3333 or the Poison Control Center toll-free at 1-800-222-1222 to determine management of patients with button battery ingestion.

Because of the risk of battery ingestion, hearing aids for children should be ordered with tamper resistant battery doors. Adult caregivers should maintain a child's batteries and hearing aids until the child is old enough to care for the hearing aids himself.

Adults who own hearing aids should not change batteries or dispose of batteries in front of children. Hearing aids and batteries should be kept out of the reach of children and pets when they are not being used. Batteries should not be kept in a medicine cabinet or container in which they can become easily confused with pills. These simple precautions when using button batteries can help save a life.

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- Classifieds
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Two online stores, one captioning company, and two employment opportunities appear in this issue. (Ads appear after this brief table of contents.)

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Sawyer Court Reporting
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Employment Opportunity 1
Various Opportunities
GLAD
Various Southern California Locations

Employment Opportunity 2
Various Positions
South Dakota School for the Deaf
Sioux Falls, SD

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Employment Opportunity 1
Various Opportunities
GLAD
Various Southern California Locations
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GLAD is an Affirmative Action Employer with equal opportunity for men, women and people with disabilities. For more information on the following positions, please go to: www.gladinc.org. The status of all positions is: Regular, Full-time, Non-Exempt, Full Fringe Benefits unless otherwise noted. All positions are open until filled.

* Community Advocate- Los Angeles
* LIFESIGNS Clerk- Los Angeles
* Job Developer/Interpreter - Norwalk
* LIFESIGNS Director - Los Angeles

If interested for any of these positions then please submit resume and application to:

Jeff Fetterman
Human Resources Specialist
Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, Inc.
2222 Laverna Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90041
V/TDD: (323) 550-4207
Fax #: (323)550-4204
E-mail: jfetterman@gladinc.org

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Employment Opportunity 2
Various Positions
South Dakota School for the Deaf
Sioux Falls, SD
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The South Dakota School for the Deaf is seeking applicants for:

- Speech Language Pathologist (9-mo. position) for 2006/2007. Master's degree and ASHA CCC-SLP required.
- K-12 Permanent Substitute Teacher for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students (9-mo. position) for 2006/2007. Bachelor's Degree, South Dakota Teacher Certification and sign language skills required.
- Preschool Auditory Oral Teacher for Cochlear Implant Students (9-mo. position) for 2006/2007. Bachelor's Degree and South Dakota Teacher Certification required.
- Preschool Teacher for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students (9-mo. position) for 2006/2007. Bachelor's Degree, South Dakota Teacher Certification and fluency in American Sign Language required.

Applications will be screened as received and will continue to be accepted until position is filled. Send resume, certification, transcripts, and three (3) work references to:

Office of Human Resources
South Dakota School f/t Deaf
2001 East 8th Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57103-1899
(605) 367-5200 (Voice/TDD) or (605) 367-5209 (Fax)
EOE

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