USM Children’s Center Enrollee Receives HIKE Fund Grant for Hearing Device
Mon, 08/12/2019 - 10:20am | By: Courtney Tesh
Most people know that hearing aids help those with hearing loss in their ability to
hear and communicate with others. But a common misconception is that hearing aids
restore one’s hearing to 100 percent.
While they are able to amplify sounds and increase one’s ability to listen, these aids are not a “cure” for hearing loss. In fact, there are many situations in which a hearing aid alone is not sufficient. This is where FM systems become beneficial.
FM systems empower hearing aid wearers to hear more clearly, particularly in situations where background noise is present. Everyone deserves the opportunity to communicate clearly with the world around them, and FM systems are helping bring that opportunity to more people with hearing loss.
And thanks to a generous donation from The Hearing Improvement Kids Endowment (HIKE) Fund, 3-year-old Kayleigh Kennedy is now among the benefactors. Kayleigh, who receives audiology and listening and spoken language services from The Children’s Center for Communication and Development at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), was awarded a grant from The HIKE Fund for $2400, which will help cover the cost of her own personal FM system.
“We are so grateful for The HIKE Fund and the work they do to make hearing devices more accessible to those who need them,” said Dr. Courtney Turner, audiologist at The Children’s Center. “There is wonderful technology out there that can help children better hear and communicate with their friends, family, therapists, and teachers. And The Hike Fund is helping bring that technology to more children with hearing loss.”
About The Children’s Center for Communication and Development
The Children’s Center for Communication and Development at The University of Southern Mississippi is a non-profit that provides cost-free communicative and developmental transdisciplinary services to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers while educating, training and supporting families, university students and professionals. For more information, visit www.usm.edu/childrenscenter.