Hearing-aid specialist listens to help patients get tuned in

To many, the sounds of spring are part of the subtle background of everyday life, but Sarah Waddington has seen people's reactions when something old becomes new again.

"I walked out of the office with a client one day, and the woman grabbed me and asked, 'What's that noise?' I told her to look up. It's the birds," she said.

Waddington, 42, is a hearing aid specialist who works with audiologist Dr. Beth Alberto in Summerville to help people regain their hearing. It's a profession she's fallen in love with, mostly because of the benefit she helps provide.

"You can see an immediate result. People can hear their grandchildren. All of a sudden, they feel safer when driving. The stories they come back to me with are quite poignant," she said.

A Mount Pleasant resident, Waddington worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative for about 15 years before she got her certification as a hearing aid specialist two years ago.

Waddington emphasized that a hearing aid specialist is a highly trained professional who goes through rigorous testing to gain certification and must keep abreast of an ever-expanding line of new products.

"It's not just about selling a hearing aid," she said. "It's about getting an accurate assessment of their hearing ability and getting an idea of their lifestyle."

As an example, Waddington said if the person is an avid golfer who is going to spend a lot of time outdoors, she would want to adjust the hearing aid's sensitivity so that the sound of wind becomes the predominant noise.

She said people still attach a stigma to wearing a hearing aid, but once a client has reached a stage where they've decided to do something about their hearing loss, they've become more comfortable needing one. In some cases, people make a bigger issue than necessary over having one.

"Sometimes hearing loss is more noticeable than a hearing aid," she said.

Besides, great technological advances have been made in the field, and most hearing aids are only a fraction of the size of products made 20 years ago. Cell phones that fit into people's ears look bulky by comparison. The aids also come in a variety of colors so clients can choose one that blends into their hair or skin color if they choose.

"We had one woman who wanted Clemson orange so she could find it easily if she dropped it," she said.

Some hearing aids also can answer cell phones or be programmed to play soothing music at random intervals to help keep a person calm.

Waddington said it's recommended that people over 50 get screened once a year. She said when hearing diminishes gradually, people believe the outside world has changed rather than their perception of it.

Contact Bill Henley at 745- 5865 or bhenley@postandcourier.com.