Preface

The auditory system is one of the finest structures in the human body. Although the auditory anatomical structure is so small compared to other organs, without it, it would greatly affect a person's basic life. Hearing loss, also known as hearing impairment, is a partial or total inability to hear. When people communicate with others, listening is always the first step. That is why Helen Keller once said, "Blindness separates people from things; deafness separates people from people."

**Noise-induced hearing loss**, a common cause of hearing loss, is a kind of hearing impairment resulting from exposure to loud sound. There is continuous and endless noise in many workplaces, which may cause chronic and cumulative damage. Some young people often work hard, but they easily neglect or forget to protect themselves. This type of hearing loss is avoidable and preventable. In the section "Teamwork Approach to Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, Dr. Alberto Behar talks about noise exposure. The question to answer is how to determine the risk of a person performing in an environment where the noise levels, duration, and frequency content change with time. Dr. Joong-Keun Kwon and Dr. Jiho Lee introduce the scientific basis of noise-induced hearing loss, the impacts of ototraumatic substance, and the co-existing impact on hearing loss. In addition, Dr. Alejandro Brice provides a case study from a speech-language pathologist's perspective and discusses the occurrences that affected comprehension along with the compensatory strategies that assisted listening and comprehension.

**Hearing loss** in children is a problem worthy of attention. Around 7% of the people with disabling hearing loss are children, and it is very worrisome to note that 5 out of every 1000 infants are born with or develop disabling hearing loss in early childhood. Hearing loss can affect a child's ability to develop speech, language, and social skills. I have managed children with hearing loss for many years, and the most touching sight is the light that blooms on a child's face when hearing his or her mother's voice for the first time. Then the scene of "happy tears" impressed me so much. To hear the voice that has not been heard is so pleasant, as if this ordinary listening experience is a supreme listening enjoyment. In the section "Teamwork Approach to Hearing Loss in Children," Dr. Alejandra Itzel Contreras Rivas et al. present neonatal hearing screening. It is very important to screen all newborns in order to establish the appropriate diagnosis and the necessary treatment to avoid delays in development. Dr. Penelope Brock et al. discuss cisplatin ototoxicity in children. They focus on cisplatin-induced hearing loss, its mechanisms, its health impact on the young person, and ways to mitigate or reduce the severity of ototoxicity.

**Hearing loss comorbidities** is a term that means that a person's hearing health is affected by other medical conditions and vice versa. In the section "Teamwork Approach to Hearing Loss Comorbidities," Dr. Sampson Antwi and Dr. Mohammed Duah Issahalq share the topic of hearing loss in chronic kidney disease. Hearing loss is not uncommonly associated with chronic kidney disease and this comorbidity is often overlooked by health caregivers. Dr. Rajesh Paluru and Dr. Devendra Singh Negi investigate brainstem auditory evoked potentials in type 2 diabetes mellitus. When brainstem auditory evoked potentials were carried out in diabetic patients

early, then impairment of the entire auditory pathway might be detected even before the onset of any clinical signs and symptoms.

**Hearing aids** innovations have proceeded all around the world for decades, and the latest innovations make hearing aids better than ever. In the section "Teamwork Approach to Hearing Aids Innovations," Dr. Apoorva Dwivedi et al. seek to improve a highly sensitive microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) capacitive accelerometer as a probable completely implantable hearing aid microphone. Besides, Dr. Reza Hashemian offers a simple and cost-effective method for the design and implementation of stand-alone analog amplifiers or preamplifiers for hearing aids.

**Public health** has been defined as "the science and art of preventing disease," improving quality of life through organized efforts. We must develop comprehensive, multifaceted strategies to address public health needs. In the section "Implementation Strategies in Public Health," Dr. Francis Msume Banda and Dr. Britt Nakstad highlight the problem of childhood hearing loss in developing countries. Hearing loss should be considered a public health priority in developing countries for which concerted efforts must be made to prevent it by all means. Children who have hearing loss should be identified as early as possible and be enrolled in appropriate intervention services so that they can enjoy equal opportunities in life.

Hearing loss is very common in the United States. It is the third most chronic health condition in the United States. To avoid the "epidemic" of hearing loss in the near future, it is necessary to promote early screening, change public attitudes toward noise, and wear hearing aids appropriately. Based on the contributions of many authors, whom I sincerely respect, this book incorporates updated developments as well as future perspectives in the ever-expanding field of hearing loss. Besides, it is also a great reference for audiologists, speech pathologists, otolaryngologists, pediatricians, neurologists, researchers in clinical and basic medicine, experts in science and technology, as well as specialists in occupational, environmental, and public health.

I have appreciated everyone who has contributed to the editorial process of this book, including the author service manager, the publishing process manager, the commissioning editor, and the technical editor. They have made great efforts toward this project, and their wonderful assistance resulted in the success of academic work. At last, I am always full of gratitude toward my family, teachers, and colleagues who made me mature.

> **Tang-Chuan Wang (Vincent Wang)** Chairman of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, China Medical University Hsinchu Hospital, Taiwan

> > School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taiwan

Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University,

Research Scholar of Harvard Medical School,

Fellow of the American College of Surgeons

Research Scholar of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics,

Member of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Taiwan

MA, USA

IA, USA

Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taiwan

Research Scholar of Harvard Medical School, MA, USA

Research Scholar of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, IA, USA

Member of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Fellow of the American College of Surgeons

**1**

Section 1

Teamwork Approach

to Noise-Induced Hearing

Loss

### Section 1
