Can't hear in public venues. Many large places have hearing assistance devices called FM Systems.
For the newly diagnosed hearing impaired individual, it's very difficult to carry on publicly. Movies are troublesome, attending church or conferences pose problems, and work can be a challenge especially in acoustically poor surroundings.
Don't fret! The FM system will become your new best friend. Many, or should I say most, public places have assisted listening devices.
Movie theaters will allow you to borrow a head set which will transmit the sound of the movie directly to your awaiting ears. Usually, you have to turn in your drivers license, and redeem the head set to retrieve them, but it is worth it to enjoy a movie. Nothing like holding hands, and cuddling in the dark theater with your spouse.
Larger public venues like churches, and conference centers have an FM system to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. Usually, early notification of the need for that accommodation is required so the system will be ready, and available at arrival. So, do some preparatory planning.
The above picture is a large sound field system like you would use in churches or conferences, but individual FM systems have two of those little boxes. One for a speaker, with a microphone that clips to the lapel, and the other as you see above, with ear buds. Theaters usually have bulky headphones.
Williams Sound is a company dedicated to providing assistive listening devices to businesses and individuals. Visit www.williamssound.com to view a product catalog, and learn more about what is available.
Other companies are also providing these devices. Google assistive listening devices or FM systems, and peruse the wide variety of products.
Vocational Rehabilitation programs may financially assist in providing these devices for you and your workplace if the goal is employment retention. Call or visit your local state rehabilitation office for more details.
Raising Deaf Kids Website
This website explains the assistive listening devises so well, I directly copied it from the website but it's not just for kids. www.raisingdeafkids.org is chock full of information, please visit it for more info.
Read this page to learn if ALDs can help your child, and how to get them.
What ALDs are
An ALD brings sounds to your child's ears so that he can hear better. Two of the most common ALDs used by children are FM systems and Sound Field Systems. Here's how ALD's help:
- They cut down on background noise.
- They make faraway sounds seem closer to your child.
- They help your child hear in a large room, like an auditorium.
How an FM system works
An FM system lets you talk into a microphone and sends the sound of your voice to your child's ear.
An FM system has three parts:- A microphone
- A transmitter
- A receiver
- You talk into a microphone.
- The microphone can be used by one person, like a parent or teacher.
- You can also set up a microphone in the middle of a small group. The mic will pick up their voices and send them to your child's ear.
- The microphone is connected to a transmitter. The transmitter sends the sounds to a receiver.
- The receiver gets the sound and plays them back into your child's ear. It can be used with or without a hearing aid.
- If your child is getting a hearing aid, make sure that it can be hooked up to an FM device.
- If your child does not use a hearing aid, get a head set that will hold the receiver close to your child's ear.
Who can use an FM system
Children of all ages can use an FM system:- Babies
- Toddlers
- Older children
- Adults
Where your child can use an FM system
- At home
- An FM system can help your child hear you better when you're talking to him.
- At school
- The FM system can help your child hear the teacher clearly.
- The FM system works even if the teacher is far away, or if there is other noise in the classroom.
- Outside the home
- You can use the FM system when shopping or on outings away from home.
- Your child may also use the microphone himself. That way he can hear his own voice better and learn how to speak more clearly.
Different kinds of microphones
There are different kinds of microphones for FM systems:- A lapel mic
- This kind of mic clips onto your shirt or jacket.
- This kind of mic is also called a lavalier mic.
- A boom mic.
- You wear a boom mic on a headset. The headset keeps the mic at a certain distance from your mouth.
- A handi mic
- A handi mic has different settings. One setting lets it pick up the voices of several people in different parts of the room. Another setting may let you pick up the sound of a speaker in one direction.
- The handi mic can also be passed around to different speakers.
How you can get an FM system
Ask your child's audiologist about getting an FM system for your child.Sound Field Systems
How a Sound Field System works
A Sound Field System is a lot like an FM system. Here's how it works:- You talk into a microphone.
- The microphone can be used by one person, like a parent or teacher.
- You can also set up a microphone in the middle of a small group. The mic will pick up their voices and send them to your child's ear.
- The microphone is connected to a transmitter. The transmitter sends the sounds to a receiver.
- The sound is sent to speakers placed all around a room.
How it can help
- A Sound Field System can help all children in the class hear the teacher's voice better.
- A Sound Field System is especially helpful for children who are hard of hearing or have mild to moderate hearing loss.
- A Sound Field System can also help children who have cochlear implants.
Where you can use a Sound Field System
Sound Field Systems are mostly used in classrooms.
How you can get a Sound Field System
Your child's school may have a sound field system. Ask your child's
teacher or the principal if the school has it. If they don't, ask for
one at your child's IEP meeting. The law says schools have to give
children with hearing loss special help like this. Read Your Child's Rights to learn more about the laws that protect your child.
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