Protect Your Hearing This Summer

Summertime is here and with it comes increased exposure to loud, potentially damaging noise. Typical summertime activities such as watching a fireworks display, mowing the lawn, attending a rock concert or riding a motorcycle produce dangerous noise levels that can damage your hearing.

ASHA (American Speech-Language Hearing Association) recommends protecting your hearing by avoiding excessively loud noises when possible - but when your exposure to loud noises or activities can not be avoided, take a few simple precautions:

* Alternate noisy activities with periods of quiet.
* Use earplugs or other hearing protectors.
* Limit lengthy periods of loud noise exposure.
* Be a smart consumer, when buying appliances, look for items with low noise levels.

Noise from exploding fireworks can top 130 decibels - it's been shown that exposure to 105 decibels for one hour can put you at risk of hearing damage. Cherish your hearing; take precautions all year round.

For more information on protecting hearing health, noise-induced hearing loss or for a referral to a certified audiologist or speech-language pathologist, consumers may call ASHA's HELPLINE at 1-800-638-8255 (TALK) or visit www.asha.org

Best Wishes for a Wonderful Summer :o)

Warm weather has arrived, and it’s time again to enjoy some of your favorite outdoor activities! From baseball to biking to swimming, there are a lot of fun things you can do. While having fun outside, don’t forget to take steps to protect yourself and your family from sunburn, injuries, and other problems that can happen.

For Summer Safety Tips, visit to following helpful links to the American Academy of Pediatrics:

http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/summertips.cfm

http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/summertips-p2.cfm

Have a happy, healthy, safe summer :o)

Theresa A. Gabler, M.S. CCC-SLP

Hello from Communication Nation

Welcome to Communication Nation

Our human ability to verbally communicate is unique. It enables us to build relationships, learn from others and live successfully in our society. Even so, conservative efforts place the number of Americans with some form of speech or language disorder at nearly 10 million, or roughly one in every 20 people.

Speech related disorders result from a number of causes including, but not limited to birth defects, developmental delays, injury, disease or stroke. Communication Nation  is an company located in the Central New Jersey area providing services such as evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of patients of all ages with a comprehensive and individualized approach. This blog is intended to provide a place for an open dialogue regarding speech and language development and disorders, as well as to provide support to families. Discussions regarding the latest techniques and fads will occur here in order to help families and professionals alike make some sense of it all.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts and reading the thoughts of others.

Theresa Gabler, M.S. CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist