SUNRISE, Fla. – Experts are weighing in on the approval of over-the-counter hearing aids by the Food and Drug Administration this week, specifically who is best suited for the devices.
“A person that’s starting to notice they’re having difficulty hearing a person from the other room or the TV is a little loud, why don’t you try one of these over the counter . . . You don’t have to go in for a test or anything like that and then the person will go out and get one of these devices and try it and see if it works for them,” said Engelberto Bolanos, a hearing loss specialist with Beltone.
Bolanos said using the newly approved devices could help people begin to realize the extent of their hearing loss and seek out testing.
At that point, he said they may find more benefits from advanced devices which are not sold over-the-counter.
Pre-Term Infant Intervention
Medical intervention for extremely premature babies in the United States jumped in recent years, according to a new study.
From 2014 to 2020. researchers from Ohio State found the proportion of pre-term infants who received active treatment rose nearly four percent each year.
However, there were gaps among different racial and ethnic groups.
Infants born to mothers of historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups were significantly less likely to receive treatment, such as assisted ventilation and antibiotics.
Researchers said more work is needed to understand the reasons behind such disparities.