Following are a sampling of some the most popular
questions asked “It’s Your Hearing Health” questions
and answers published throughout North America over
the past year. These answers are not meant as
diagnosis in any way, but for the education of
consumers and professionals alike.Q: My ears itch
all the time, and although I clean them out with
Q-tips every morning, they just seem to get worse. I
tried a boric acid solution from the drug store, but
now I can hardly stand to touch them.---Mr. G.K..
Dear Mr. G.K.: What you’ve done, to state it mildly,
is removed at least the top two layers of tissue
from your ear canals. Let’s review some basic ear
health information, and you might see yourself in
this picture.
The outer keratin layer of the ear canal is made of
protein, similar to human hair in composition, which
protects the ear from bacteria, yeast, amoeba,
psuedomonas and fungus growth. The layer underneath
that is the epithelium or epidermis. This layer is
living skin and maintains the pH of the ear canal,
which protects the ear from infection.
Q-tips and other objects are not appropriate for the
ear canal and serve as a “Brillo Pad”, as they
scrape off these two outer layers. The ears are
self-cleaning in that the “desquamation of tissue”
grows outward from the top of the eardrum, and
carries with it excess earwax, dead tissue, and
debris, which are easily removed at the opening of
the ear with a simple tissue.
Earwax buildup is usually a result of one trying to
remove wax; instead they push it ever deeper into
the ear until it becomes impacted. Only your doctor
can safely remove impacted earwax. And even then it
will require the ear a good 10-14 days for your ears
to heal from the intrusion.
The old adage to put “nothing larger than your elbow
in your ear” is just as true today as it ever was.
You may also wish to use Miracell Botanicals, a
natural solution that gently nurtures sensitive ear
tissue back to good health. Many patients report
that as their keratin and epithelium tissue grow
back, the itching eventually stops.
Dear Readers: Simple, uncomplicated dehydration is
something we see more and more these days in
patients at our practice, with the detrimental
health consequences it brings.
The average adult needs about four quarts of water
daily to maintain blood volume, body pH, and optimal
kidney function. Yet many older adults are
reportedly drinking about half that much, some as
little as a quart a day.
So, it is not unusual to find otherwise fit and
slender people increasingly having to take
medications for hypertension, high cholesterol,
arthritis, diabetes mellitus II, and yet other
medications to offset medicine side affects.
Such a tragedy from simply not drinking enough
water. The question comes up regularly in how
something so simple and mundane can affect us so
much. In a nutshell, here is the process:
1. At a half-gallon per day the blood volume (BV)
begins to fall, and the kidneys respond by
concentrating the body’s sodium content.
2. At one quart of water per day the body develops
hypernatremia (extremely high sodium) in our body.
3. Chronic hypernatremia results in body pH
imbalance, which, not unlike hard water in one’s
water pipes at home, can eventually causes a host of
other problems:
• Cells become toxic & increase in size
• Blood pressure rises (hypertension)
• Blood lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides etc.) do
not dissolve
• Calcium doesn’t absorb causing osteoarthritis
(1-2% loss per annum) or osteoporosis (3-5% loss)
• Hypoglycemia develops, and later diabetes mellitus
II
• Inner ear/vestibular problems increase
One reason the cause and effect relationship between
water intake and one’s health is so obscured is
because of the time delay factor. Hence, it requires
several weeks, sometimes months, of change in water
intake to detect any measurable changes, for better
or for worse.
Research further shows that the body is extremely
self-adjusting to deficiencies. However, like
adrenalin during crises, the body’s adjustments are
only meant to be temporary, not permanent. When
deficiencies become a way of life, medications are
needed to maintain “normality”, at least at a
symptomatic level.
Moreover, it’s so vital to listen to one’s body,
giving it what it needs to maintain function and
health, while avoiding substances that poison it,
such as tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine.
But there is a danger in one who is already under a
doctor’s care and on medication in making
self-adjustments without communicating with their
doctor. For instance, after correcting a water
intake deficiency, blood pressure may drop
dramatically if medication levels are maintained. If
the pH rises, because of increased kidney
efficiency, and the patient remains on high levels
of anti-cholesterol medication, muscle wasting or
liver damage may eventually develop.
What does this all have to do with hearing health?
Quite a lot, actually. Presbycusis (progressive
hearing loss as we age), tinnitus (ringing in the
ears), and vestibular (balance) problems may rapidly
increase as a result of blood volume and pH changes.
The ears are actually a quite accurate reflection of
the of the body’s health, and reacts itself
accordingly.
Caution: Drinking too much water can also have dire
consequences, hyponatremia (low sodium levels) being
only one. The amount of water required daily varies
according to actual body weight, physical activity,
and other health factors. The above is offered as
public education, and is not intended to be taken as
medical advice.
Dear Dr. Chartrand: Recently, you wrote concerning
hearing loss in men and why it was so important to
have family support in making decisions about
obtaining hearing aids. Why is this such a big issue
for men, more than women?-- Mrs. A. S.
Dear Mrs. J. D.: I’m glad you asked that. For the
genesis of the problem goes back to what makes men
and women different, including their neurological
development at birth and throughout life itself.
You see, males develop their auditory (hearing)
ability slightly later than females, and lose it
much earlier. Hence, females sing in tune at an
earlier age, have much larger vocabularies, and
learn foreign language more easily. They also
develop superior fine motor skills, and their corpus
collosums (connective tissue between the two
hemispheres of the brain) start out about 30% larger
than males.
Males make up for this through superior visual and
spatial development. Because of a smaller corpus
collosum, they learn to specialize logic and
language in the left (dominant) hemisphere, and
develop spatial ability exclusively in the right
hemisphere. So-called “women’s intuition” is largely
due to their bi-hemispheric ability in language
development.
Males and females experience middle ear infections (OME)
at about the same rate from ages 0-3. But, because
of smaller corpus collosums, young males suffer the
greatest developmental delays when middle ears are
blocked for months and sometimes years at a time.
Hence, better than 90% of learning and language
disabilities are found in males, including attention
deficit, dyslexia, and stuttering.
In the later teen years, males---even those
developmentally delayed---play “catch up”
academically with females, unless psychosocial,
cultural, and behavioral problems stand in their
way.
And this the crux of the problem: Males are
generally less sensitive than females in
self-assessing cognitive and auditory deficiencies,
which is why few males come on their own to take
care of such problems without female support. Less
than 12% of males with hearing loss wear hearing
aids in the U.S. (much lower penetration worldwide),
while more than 35% of females with hearing loss
wear hearing aids.
The tragic personal loss and costs to society are
stunning, because of a lack of understanding about
the interrelationship between hearing and mental
health.
Therefore, it is imperative that we as a society
recognize these influences in human behavior, and
find ways to encourage males who suffer from
auditory (hearing) loss to seek and accept
appropriate help. Until then, it will continue to be
a negative drain on the economy, human
relationships, and personal progress.
Dear Dr. Chartrand: I’ve worn hearing aids for over
30 years and am about to get new ones. But I’m
confused. What is all the hocus pocus about digital
hearing aids, and why do they cost so much more than
my current aids?---Mr. G.K..
Dear Mr. G.K.: Well, there’s really no hocus pocus,
but instead a bit of confusion. It is best to look
at advanced hearing aids as three general families
of programmable technologies:
Analogue Programmables- Though much better than old
tech, they share similar signal processing
strategies, but with less distortion and greater
flexibility. Add new compression strategies and
higher fidelity range, and these become an excellent
choice when the budget is important.
Hybrid Programmables- These tend to be the most
popular class, because they utilize digital
controller technology for some signal processing
functions, but utilize advanced analogue technology
to enlarge (amplify) the signal. They also fit a
wider array of special hearing needs, such as
loudness growth accommodation, wider spatial and
dynamic bandwidths for better hearing in noise, and
extremely flexible circuitry to meet changing
hearing needs. Add multichannel amplification,
strategic feedback control, and expansion
compression technology, and this class generally
gives you the most for your money.
Digital (DSP) Programmables- This class is by far
the most expensive of the three levels of
programmables, and where most of the hype and
confusion comes from. For there are at least 4
distinct tiers of digital technology, from basic to
advanced with a huge range of advantages to offer.
Greater flexibility in programming, and the cleanest
sound in noisy surroundings its hallmark.
For those holding off getting the new technology
because of cost, I recommend either Analogue or
Hybrid Programmable instruments. For those in which
price is not a major consideration, and whose losses
are no greater than 65dB PTA I recommend Digital DSP
Programmables.
I hope this clears up some of the confusion, and
that you can go out there with greater confidence
that there is something that will meet both your
needs and your budget. Good luck!
Q: My husband, brother, father, and two uncles have
hearing losses and are stubborn as mules about doing
anything about it. Last week I thought I had major
victory when I finally got my husband to go in to
have his hearing tested. But then he came back,
muttered something about having a “little hearing
loss” and that was it. In the meantime, me and the
kids miss his participation with the family even
when we’re all sitting in the same room! What is it
with men that prevents them from doing anything
about something as serious as hearing loss?--- Mrs.
J. D.
Dear Mrs. J. D.: Believe it or not, you’ve hit the
nail on the head, as to one of the main reasons why,
out of more than 30 million Americans with hearing
loss, only 4 million have done anything about it.
Statistically, serious hearing loss occurs almost 2
to 1 in men over women, yet more women wear hearing
aids than men.
This is a most tragic state of affairs, as hearing
loss is our #1 untreated physical handicap, albeit
an “invisible” one. For the young, it is often
mistaken for mental retardation, ADD, learning
disabilities, and myriad developmental delays
(overwhelmingly for boys). For the elderly, it is
mistaken for Alzheimer’s, inattentiveness,
depression, and anti-social behavior. For everyone
between, it costs the U.S. economy an estimated $60
billion each year in lost work, accidents, and
reduced productivity.
The key to why your particular attempt failed was
because YOU were not with your husband throughout
the evaluation process. I tell all wives, daughters,
and nieces: “Go with the men in your family for the
hearing test.” Often men ask me why I want their
wives with them for the hearing test, and I jokingly
say, “To make an honest man of you.”
But, in truth, the psychosocial effects of hearing
loss are such that, with few exceptions in males,
the worse the loss the more ambivalent and
indecisive one is about 1) admitting there is indeed
a problem and, 2) accepting the needed solutions.
One thing to keep in mind: The real loss of
communication is greatest at the intimate level,
where nuances of speech, tones of voice say it
all----in such cases, bonds break, relationships
suffer, depression and frustration sets in, and
quality of life deteriorates. And that’s just the
mild to moderate losses. Severe losses, left
uncorrected, devastate one’s ability to function and
perform at their potential, and reduce overall
health condition.
So, please back up, do a retake on the scene you’ve
painted above. And this time YOU come with your
husband, and give him all the support he needs to
get past his “John Wayne Complex”. Then, he’ll learn
that a real “he-man” can wear a hearing aid as well
as the next guy. My, what better hearing can do for
a fellow!
Dear Dr. Chartrand: During a consultation with you
for my hearing loss you motioned that it is entirely
possible that my osteoporosis condition can be
contributing to my advancing hearing loss. Please,
explain that again. --- Mrs. J.W.
Dear Mrs. J.W.: Many patients are not aware that the
body is a whole organism, not a collection of
unrelated mechanisms. Health factors that cause
deterioration of one part of the body can and will
do the same elsewhere.
In my experience I’ve found that the ear is
reflection of the body’s overall health. There are
very few underlying conditions in the body that we
cannot observe or identify through assessment of the
ear.
For example, if you suffer from osteoarthritis (1-2%
bone loss per annum) or osteoporosis (3-5% bone
loss) you will also develop tympanosclerosis
(thickening and calcification of the eardrum) and/or
otosclerosis (spongy deterioration of the middle ear
bones and cochlear labyrinth).
Most sufferers of these conditions appear to have
either a calcium absorption problem (with too much
free calcium in the blood system) or a calcium
deficiency. The first is usually affected by a pH
(acid-alkaline) imbalance in the body, as found in
gout, diabetes, chronic hypoglycemia, etc. The
second condition is generally a simple matter of
your body not receiving enough (of an absorbable
form) of calcium.
Drinking all the milk in the world will not overcome
an absorption problem, but will result in calcium
deposits where you don’t want them (i.e., eardrums,
joints of long bones, lining of the inner ear, and
kidney stones). There are some forms of calcium,
however, that can overcome most absorption problems,
such as chelated calcium citrate (with vitamin D).
A simple deficiency can be helped by adding more
calcium (with proportionate vitamin D) to the diet.
But beware, popular sources such as Tums, Rolaids,
and many of the cheap forms of calcium the. In the
case of the antacids processed with aluminum
chlorohydroxide, absorption is simply not going to
happen, but deposits and stones will.
Also, there may be a connection between too much
thyroid medication and production of calcitonin,
which takes excess calcium out of the blood system
and deposits it elsewhere. If the bones already have
plenty of calcium to meet normal depletion, then
excess calcitonin will only cause more deposits. The
balance can be delicate, so that taking calcium
without this knowledge can be adverse to your
health.
For that reason, we need to be aware that there are
important balances in the body when taking
medications, vitamins, and minerals, etc. As a
result it always best to consult with a health
professional trained in the interaction between
medications and nutritional supplements.
There is more to the answer than be shared here, but
I hope this is a good start. Yes, your need for
calcium can dramatically affect your hearing health.
Q: I am 69 years old and have a loud ringing in my
ears. I’ve had so many medical tests, including CAT
scans and the doctors can find nothing wrong. Why is
it that something so disturbing and disruptive to
one’s life remains a mystery to the medical
profession?--- Mr. R. A.
Dear Mr. R.A.: The short answer to your question is
that tinnitus (noises in the ear) is not a singular
condition, but varies significantly from individual
to individual.
However, your doctor should have referred you for a
complete hearing test to determine if there could be
a correlation between the tinnitus and an
uncorrected hearing loss. In most cases, the proper
fitting and programming of a hearing aid is the most
effective remedy of all.
Our practice is currently in the midst of the
Tinnitus & Amplification 2002 Study, from which we
are developing “best practice models” for both the
medical and audiology professions. Since our study
design may be of benefit in “mystery cases” such as
yours, I will outline the program here:
1. General medical and health history, including
available clinical tests, are profiled. In cases
where ototoxic medications or pharmacological
contraindications appear, we will refer you to your
primary care physician for a follow-up review.
2. Video otoscopy and hearing health history are
administered. In this, certain physiological
landmarks are observed in light of FDA Red Flag
conditions. Again, referral may be warranted.
3. Nutrition, stress and hydration issues are
reviewed as well. Certain foods and substances have
been identified in past research as contributive to
tinnitus, balance, and deafness.
4. A complete analysis of your tinnitus (frequency
band, intensity, and correlative factors) is made,
along with a battery of tests to determine effects
of masking, residual inhibition, and auditory
reattention.
5. A complete battery of audiometric tests are then
given to determine degree and nature of any existing
hearing loss, along with an assessment for
amplification.
6. Follow-up of each of the above is conducted over
a 6-8 month period, including hearing aid
programming, auditory rehabilitation counseling, and
reassessment of tinnitus.
There is a great deal of detail in the study not
covered here. But early reports of the effort look
very promising with some dramatic results being
reported from most participants.
But the overriding benefit that has appeared so far
is the increasing awareness among health
professionals and patients alike that tinnitus does
not have to remain a mystery, that there are indeed
viable solutions, if applied individually and
thoughtfully that can make a difference.
The study is open, of course, to all who desire to
be a part of it. So you may consider this an
invitation to participate.
Q: I have had ringing in my ears for the past 5
years. It keeps getting louder and louder. In a
recent checkup with my doctor I asked what could be
done, and he said for me to learn to live with it,
that nothing could be done. Is there a cure for
tinnitus anywhere?--- Mr. G.R.
Dear Mr. G.R.: With all due respect towards your
doctor, you need to understand that there are many
causes of tinnitus. It is a very complex symptom,
which, like pain in general, is trying to tell us
that something is wrong in our ears.
During the 1980s we conducted a 3,000 patient study
on tinnitus and amplification, and found even at
that time that much can be done to help those who
suffer from tinnitus.
We are now in the midst of a new study (Tinnitus &
Amplification Study 2002), and have immensely more
tools and treatment approaches with which to help
our patients than we did in the ‘80s.
For most sufferers of tinnitus, for instance, we
find that the newer digital and hybrid technology
hearing aid circuits can be adjusted to help
minimize or better manage tinnitus. For, in most
cases, tinnitus is a byproduct of advancing hearing
loss that has been long neglected.
So, the place to start your quest for relief is with
a comprehensive and thorough test of your hearing.
You may find that you actually need a hearing aid.
Please, don’t hesitate to take that recommendation.
Other aspects to be investigated are nutritional. A
diet rich in fruits and vegetables is far superior
to one laden with animal fats and simple
carbohydrates.
You may also need to stop the use of tobacco,
caffeine and alcohol. Avoid high salt and high sugar
in your diet, as well as artificial sweeteners (Aspertame/Nutrasweet
are pure poison), as well as avoidance of
mono-sodium glutamate (MSG) and many artificial
flavorings.
So, the question is not simply one of seeking a
“cure” for tinnitus. Covering pain with an aspirin
does not rid one of the underlying cause.
In recent months, I’ve received so many requests for
information on this subject that I plan to dedicate
several columns toward it in coming months.
In the meantime, the place to start on your quest
for relief is to get your hearing tested, and look
for ways to improve your diet and overall health.
You can’t go wrong by starting there.
Q: Our mother has been recently diagnosed with
Alzheimer’s disease. We were going to get hearing
aids for her nerve deafness, but everyone tells us
that it’s a waste of money. Can hearing aids be cost
effective for someone like her? --- Mrs. B.D.
Dear Mrs. B.D.: Just returning from the American
Academy of Audiology annual meeting where I just
lectured on this very topic, it takes the wind out
of my sails to hear such ignorant advice as given
you about your mother.
First of all, the only way to truly diagnose and
confirm Alzheimer’s is in post-mortem investigation
(after death). Since that is not practical, of
course, the next best thing is to stake out
professional observation points and watch to see
what the patient does.
Does he or she seem to be cognitively impaired,
forgetful, anxious and depressed. Do they tend to
offer socially inappropriate responses in
conversation, or to distrust the motives of others?
Do they seem “spaced out” at family get-togethers?
For the life of me I cannot see how any professional
can differentiate these classical symptoms of
Alzheimer’s from those of uncorrected hearing loss
in the elderly. In other words, without a hearing
test and subsequent rehabilitative measures I
consider all such diagnoses/prognoses faulty and
misguided.
By all mean, take care of your mother’s hearing
impairment. And do it soon. You just may add another
10 years to her cognitive health and happiness. With
appropriate auditory rehabilitation I think you’ll
actually find that behind that outward facade hides
the mother you’ve always known and admired.
Q: In a recent visit to a local clinic where you
were guest consulting, you sent me to see a local
ear, nose, throat specialist to explore the
possibility of pseudomonas in my ear canals. He saw
me briefly, said there was no pseudomonas and that
my voice problem was from acid reflux. What is wrong
with this picture?---Mrs. M. A.
Dear Mrs. M. A.: I know that getting different
opinions can be very discouraging. But keep in mind
that pseudomonas cannot be found in a quick visit to
a doctor. It requires biopsy or deep tissue culture,
for even a topical assessment can miss this deep
tissue anaerobic amoeba that plagues so many ears.
The problem with pseudomonas is that it creates a
(low) pH environment in which almost anything can
grow, including bacteria, fungi, yeast, amoeba,
protozoa and carcinogens. In latent form, it usually
exposes itself when air circulation is cutoff (such
as during earplug or hearing aid use). Then, it can
grow wild, along with the other pathogens listed
above!
At that point, it is easy to mistaken the underlying
cause (pseudomonas) for the more evident problems
(bacterial, et al), and consequently, the wrong
thing gets treated. In most cases, we find
pseudomonas treated with antibiotics, which, though
it helps control secondary infections, only feeds
the pseudomonas to come roaring back stronger than
ever later.
As I recall, that is what happened in your case, and
today the pressure of whatever is causing your
chronic problem is putting so much pressure on your
vagus nerve (in the ear canal) that it is tightening
your larynx and pharynx of your throat when you
speak.
In truth, Cipro, both systemically and topically, is
the only pharmaceutical answer that even phases
pseudomonas, in a course of 7-10 days.
The acid reflux diagnosis, of course, can also be a
correct one, as low pH that encourages pseudomonas
growth also causes digestive/renal problems, as
well. As a side note, treating acid reflux with
medication does not change the underlying pH
problem, and can make matters worse, especially in
cases of diabetes, parasite infection growth, etc.
As mentioned earlier, pseudomonas usually cannot be
seen, but requires biopsy. Studies that actually
perform such biopsies in complaints like yours
overwhelmingly find pseudomonas. But, of course,
that does not mean your problem is that…just
something I felt you should have investigated, which
has not really happened as yet.
I wish you success in exploring your difficulty, and
finding a happy solution. Like I always to my
classes, “There are no mysteries, when it comes to
health problems; just cases that have been explored
enough.”
Questions may be directed to www.digicare.org or
faxed to (719) 676-6882. Due to space limitations,
questions may be edited. Replies are for education
pusposes only and must not be construed as medical
opinion or advice.
Q: Why do I need a volume control on my new hearing
aids? I thought these new digitals automatically
adjust to the environment. ---Mrs. L.A.
Dear Mrs. L. A.: You’re right, they do adjust
automatically…the problem is that they can’t adjust
you (smile).
One’s hearing is not constant throughout the day. In
fact, not much else about is, either. You’re about
½-1” shorter by night than you were in the morning,
can’t see as far, nor taste, smell, or feel
vibration as well.
There are many reasons why one who wears hearing
aids needs the ability to change the gain (and
sometimes output) of their hearing aids from day to
day, although that does not mean you have to be
turning it up and down all day long. But minute
adjustments a couple of times a day could make the
difference between success and aggravation.
Here are just a few reasons you need to have and
learn to use the volume controls on your hearing
aids:
1. Auditory Fatigue. This is where your hearing
loses some of its sensitivity after a long day.
Normal hearing persons experience this also, but to
a much lesser degree.
2. Variations in Eustachian Tube (ET) Function- It
is the rare hearing aid user that does not
experience at least some seasonal allergy, colds,
barometric and temperature changes which may impact
their perception of hearing, secondary to changes in
their ET.
3. Auditory adaptation, acclimatization,
suppression, fatigue, and overload are common among
hearing aid users, especially elderly users.
4. Fluctuating hearing thresholds secondary to
Meniere’s, ototoxicity or other allergic and
autoimmune reactions.
5. Limbic influences in the auditory experience
(i.e., aversive conditioned reflexes), where
emotional perceptions affect hearing sensitivity.
6. Variations in telephones. Without user-controlled
VCs, most hearing aid users must remove their
hearing aids or put up with resonant distortion,
acoustic feedback, or suffer reduced gain (in cases
of telecoils) during telephone use.
7. Abnormal loudness growth and loudness intolerance
that exceed WDRC or AGC limits.
I know this answer seems extremely technical, but it
is really just the tip of the iceberg. Research
references are available on our website for the
detail-oriented reader.
So, now you know: advanced technology as wonderful
as it is will never replace natural function. But,
put together, they allow those with physical
handicaps to live life more fully and at or near
normal in most cases.
Questions may be directed to www.digicare.org or
faxed to (&19) 676-6882. Due to space limitations,
questions may be edited.
Q: I’ve been reading a lot lately about the side
effects of cholesterol medication. Since my doctor
just started me on Lipitor I was wondering if there
is anything that I should be aware of before taking
it for too long. --- Mrs. J.H.
Dear Mrs. J.H.: When the statin drugs first came out
those of us in the research side of the field were a
little nervous about the long-term effects of these
“fast track” medications: “What happens when one’s
cholesterol levels drop below ‘normal’, and they
continue to take the drug?”
Well, the answer has recently come out in the form
of two manufacturer recalls and subsequent addendums
by others to their FDA notifications. For if there
is no excessive serum cholesterol to breakdown, the
medication heads for other territory, such as muscle
tissue.
What is surprising is the large number of slender,
low-fat diet patients who lately are being put on
statin drugs. My question is: if the patient already
has a low-fat diet, and is within normal weight
range, doesn’t that signal that something else is
wrong?
There are a number of conditions that can cause
cholesterol and trigycerides levels to rise,
especially in otherwise “lean” bodies:
· Simple, long-term semi-dehydration can cause
overproduction of anti-diuretic hormone (ADH),
causing sodium and triglyceride levels to rise
· There could be undetected liver and/or problems
needing attention
· Certain drugs, caffeine, and tobacco reduce
filtration in the kidneys, causing the same reaction
over time as the above
· Yeasts, fungi, bacteria, and other parasites in
the kidneys
· Diabetes II cause pH changes in the body, reducing
the body’s ability to breakdown lipids
Simply prescribing cholesterol in the above cases
only masks the real problem, leading to more serious
ones later. A much better approach would be first
to:
· Make appropriate changes in diet
· Increase water intake to proper levels
· Add a quality Vitamin E supplement
· Run tests for possible liver disease
· Change problematic medications
· And/or rid the kidneys of parasites
Having said this, however, it needs to be pointed
out that this is not medical advice for your
situation, but merely talking points with your
doctor.
Questions may be sent to: Aural Rehab Concepts, P.O.
Box 706, Rye, CO 81069, or by faxing to
(719)676-6882. Due to space limitations, questions
will be edited.
Q: As a parent of an 8-year-old boy who has been
diagnosed with ADHD, what should I do to help him
have a better school experience than he suffered
through last year?--- Mrs. A. R.
Dear Mrs. A. R.: The answer to your question would
be much longer than the space we have here. So, I
will have to give you the “short answer”:
· Have your son’s hearing tested, and a thorough
hearing health history added to his school records
· Make sure that his home classroom has FM Classroom
Soundfield (this will benefit all children & the
teacher, too!)
· Enroll him in weekly music lessons (piano is best,
practicing at least 25 minutes per day)
· Make sure he gets at least 9 hours of restful
sleep (night lights reduce REM sleep)
· Make sure he gets a good high-protein breakfast
each morning, not the candied cereals most kids eat
· Keep him off all stimulants, especially
caffeinated drinks and chocolate
· Use closed caption on all TV/video programs at
home to improve his reading skills—this item can be
a lifesaver!
You’ll notice that I did not address the medication
issue. I am firmly anti-psychotropic drug in most
cases. But that’s one for you and your doctor.
Statistically we find that tests for food allergies
and dietary changes, added to the above suggestions,
negate the need for medication in most cases.
Research shows that most boys diagnosed with ADHD
simply had a history of childhood ear infections,
and will outgrow the developmental delays.
The body is an amazing organism, and can overcome
most obstacles, if given half a chance.
Questions may be directed to
www.digicare.org or
faxed to (719) 66-6882. Due to space limitations,
questions may be edited.
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