Regarding the documentary on Rose Ayling-Ellis (TV review, 26 June), I am delighted that the issues facing deaf people are getting such eloquent advocacy. It is important to remember that while it is difficult to be born with little or no hearing, and therefore be dependent on sign language, the one in six people with hearing difficulties includes huge numbers of those who had normal hearing and learned their native language.
These people will have lost their hearing for a variety of medical reasons, industrial noise exposure or, in some cases, through exposure to high-volume music. Hearing aids only augment the retained hearing – they cannot restore lost hearing. The isolation and loss of confidence from hearing loss often causes devastating problems. The sufferers are assumed to be unintelligent and are often shouted at.
There are simple things we can all do to become deaf aware. Speak directly to people and ensure that the light falls on your face. Be tolerant and understanding. There is limited provision for lip-reading and programmes on coping strategies. When available, they are life-changing. Sign language is another language to people who have grown up without it. It is rarely the answer for those with acquired hearing loss.
Quentin Kopp
Chesterfield, Derbyshire
• Lorna Reynolds (Letters, 25 June) says that people seem ashamed of wearing hearing aids. You certainly never see politicians or celebrities using them. Deafness is kept private; alarmingly, it can be a joke, with humour that is based on incongruity. Moreover, someone who can’t hear may appear stupid when they are just at a loss. Glasses can make one appear clever or fetching; pushing dangling bits of wire into one’s ears is seen to have the opposite effect.
Wendy Ritson
Taunton, Devon
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