National Speech-Language-Hearing Month: Book a Hearing Screening Now
TL;DR: National Speech-Language-Hearing Month runs every May to raise awareness about hearing loss and communication health. Roughly 37.5 million American adults report some trouble hearing, and most have never sought help. Book a free hearing screening this May to find out where you stand.
Have you been quietly turning up the volume and hoping no one notices? National Speech-Language-Hearing Month is the nudge you have been waiting for. Each May, ASHA shines a light on hearing health and the people who treat it. Read on, then book a free hearing test and evaluation this May in Sioux Falls.
What Is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month?
ASHA observes National Speech-Language-Hearing Month each May as an annual public awareness campaign. ASHA has sponsored May for this purpose for more than 65 years. For most of that history, the month carried a different name. ASHA originally called it Better Hearing and Speech Month. Many longtime patients still recognize that name. In 2023, ASHA updated it to better reflect the full scope of the professions. The new name covers hearing loss, speech disorders, language challenges, and voice conditions. It goes beyond hearing and speech alone.
This year’s theme is “Speech and Hearing Hero.” It honors the professionals and patients who take communication health seriously. ASHA releases patient resources and community outreach materials throughout May. You can explore the full library on ASHA’s National Speech-Language-Hearing Month resource page.
National Speech-Language-Hearing Month gives patients across South Dakota a natural reason to act.
The observance highlights these areas each May:
- Hearing loss prevention and early detection in adults and children
- Speech and language disorder awareness across all age groups
- Support tools for caregivers and communication partners
- Recognition of the communication health professionals who treat these conditions
- Encouragement for patients experiencing symptoms to seek professional evaluation
Earlier action always beats later action. The sooner someone identifies a hearing challenge, the more options they have.
Why Hearing Loss Demands Attention This May
The numbers behind hearing loss in the United States are easy to underestimate. Roughly 37.5 million American adults ages 18 and over report some trouble hearing. The NIDCD’s quick statistics on hearing document this at about 15% of the adult population.
The more striking part is how few of those people have done anything about it.
Here is what the data shows about hearing aid adoption:
- Adults ages 70 and older with hearing loss: fewer than 1 in 3 have ever used hearing aids
- Adults ages 20 to 69 who could benefit: only about 16% have ever worn hearing aids
- Strongest predictor of hearing loss in adults: age, with the 60 to 69 group most affected
- U.S. adults who could benefit from hearing aids today: an estimated 28.8 million
Most people who need hearing aids have simply never been tested.
Hearing loss develops gradually. The brain compensates well in the short term. Over time, that compensation carries a cost. Listening becomes exhausting. Conversations in noisy spaces become something to avoid. Most people wait years before seeking help. By then, the gap between current hearing and what treatment can achieve has grown.
Age is the strongest predictor of hearing loss in adults. The 60 to 69 age group carries the highest risk. A free screening in Sioux Falls costs nothing and answers a great deal.
Three Warning Signs of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss rarely announces itself dramatically. It creeps in gradually, often over years. Most people dismiss the early signs as distraction or fatigue.
Three consistent warning signs are worth knowing. Our resource on recognizing the symptoms of hearing loss covers the full range.
The three most common early indicators are:
- Frequently asking people to repeat themselves, especially in group settings or noisy spaces
- Turning the television or phone volume higher than others find comfortable
- Difficulty following conversation in restaurants, family gatherings, or crowded rooms
Most people with early hearing loss manage these situations rather than address them. It is exactly what keeps most people waiting years to seek help.
Age-related hearing loss often starts with high-frequency sounds. Many adults notice trouble with women’s and children’s voices before they struggle with deeper tones. Others find one ear noticeably worse than the other. Both patterns are worth investigating with a professional.
One more indicator deserves mention: listening fatigue. After a social event, do you feel unusually drained? Your brain is likely compensating for what your ears missed. That effort is real. Patients call it one of the first things to improve after starting treatment.
How Hearing Loss Affects Speech, Language, and Daily Life
Hearing and speech are tightly connected. Consistent sound gaps change how the brain processes and understands language. Over time, this creates ripple effects across every part of daily life.
The daily impacts of untreated hearing loss include:
- Misunderstanding words and responding out of context
- Pulling back from group discussions to avoid embarrassment
- Missing critical details in appointments, phone calls, or family conversations
- Reduced confidence in social and professional situations
- Increased fatigue from straining to follow conversations all day
Each of these patterns has a way of compounding quietly before anyone names the cause.
The workplace is one of the least-discussed settings where hearing loss creates real problems. Missed instructions, communication breakdowns, and the appearance of inattentiveness quietly erode professional relationships. Our article on how hearing loss affects you at work covers this in depth.
Social life takes a similar hit. Adults with hearing loss withdraw from group conversations. They stop attending events they once enjoyed. The isolation is not a choice. Participation simply costs too much effort. Social withdrawal carries real consequences for mental health and cognitive engagement.
Children face a more direct consequence. Hearing shapes language development. A child who misses sounds has fewer chances to model and practice speech. This affects reading, vocabulary, and social communication. Early identification makes a meaningful difference. Those effects follow a child for years.
The Emotional Weight of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss does not stay in the ears. It moves into relationships, confidence, and mood.
Few patients expect that part. Most focus on the sound itself. The emotional experience catches them off guard.
According to NIDCD data, moderate-or-worse hearing loss more than doubles the risk of depression. That is not a coincidence. Years of social strain and quiet disconnection take a real toll.
The emotional experience of hearing loss includes a recognizable set of responses:
- Frustration from repeated misunderstandings in conversation
- Embarrassment from laughing or responding at the wrong moment
- Grief over sounds that once came easily, like a grandchild’s voice
- Social anxiety about missing important conversations or key details
- Withdrawal from situations that used to feel comfortable
These are not signs of weakness. They signal a condition that has gone unaddressed too long.
Most patients describe a meaningful shift in mood and confidence within weeks of starting treatment. Relationships become easier. The mental energy that went toward compensating for hearing loss becomes available for everything else. Our piece on the full reality of hearing loss covers what the experience looks like. It also walks through what changes after treatment.
Types of Hearing Loss: What Can and Cannot Be Treated
Not all hearing loss works the same way. Understanding the type sets expectations for treatment.
Three main categories exist:
Conductive hearing loss affects the outer or middle ear. Sound cannot travel through the ear canal or middle ear as it should. This type often responds to medical treatment. Common causes include earwax buildup, ear infections, middle ear fluid, or a perforated eardrum.
Sensorineural hearing loss involves the inner ear or auditory nerve. Damage here is typically permanent. Aging, noise exposure, and genetics are the most frequent causes. Hearing aids do not restore lost hearing, but they compensate for it effectively. Most adults with sensorineural hearing loss manage it well with the right devices.
Mixed hearing loss combines elements of both. It may respond to partial treatment depending on the specific causes.
| Type | Location | Usually Reversible? | Common Causes |
| Conductive | Outer or middle ear | Often yes | Earwax, fluid, infection, eardrum damage |
| Sensorineural | Inner ear or auditory nerve | Typically no | Aging, noise exposure, genetics |
| Mixed | Both areas | Partial treatment possible | Combination of factors |
Sensorineural hearing loss follows recognizable patterns worth knowing:
- High-pitched sounds go first
- Volume may feel normal while speech clarity suffers
- Performance in background noise deteriorates noticeably
- Onset is gradual, developing over months or years
Knowing these patterns helps confirm whether a professional evaluation makes sense. Our guide to the five degrees of hearing loss covers severity from mild to profound. We also compare conductive vs. sensorineural hearing loss in a dedicated piece.
What to Expect From a Professional Hearing Screening
A family member’s whisper test can start a conversation. A clinical evaluation gives you answers.
The whisper test has a legitimate purpose. Many people try it and walk away with a reason to seek professional care. It cannot identify the type of hearing loss or locate its source. Results also vary based on the room, the distance, and which ear you favor.
A formal hearing evaluation covers what informal tests cannot:
- Pure-tone audiometry measuring sensitivity across multiple frequencies
- Speech recognition testing in both quiet and background noise
- Bone conduction testing to locate the type and source of any loss
- Tympanometry to assess how well the eardrum and middle ear function
- A full audiogram documenting your complete hearing profile
At our Sioux Falls office, hearing tests and evaluations are comfortable and non-invasive. Most appointments wrap up in under an hour. We review results with you immediately, including what they mean and what comes next.
Book Your Free Hearing Consultation This May in Sioux Falls
An estimated 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from hearing aids today. Most have never sought testing. This May is as good a time as any to find out where you stand.
Our hearing care providers have served Sioux Falls and Buffalo for more than 20 years. We are locally owned, with one focus: the right solution for every patient. The most expensive option is rarely the right one.
Here is what every patient receives when they come to us:
- Free hearing consultation with no pressure or obligation
- 10-day free trial on hearing aids before committing
- Five premium brands with personalized, brand-neutral recommendations
- Price match guarantee so you always get a fair deal
- No-interest financing to make hearing care accessible at every budget level
- In-network with major insurance plans, including Medicare Advantage
- In-person care at our Sioux Falls and Buffalo, SD locations
We work with patients at every stage. From a first screening to a complete fitting and long-term follow-up, we stay involved. Contact us to schedule your free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions About National Speech-Language-Hearing Month
What Is Speech and Hearing Month?
Speech and hearing month is the informal name for National Speech-Language-Hearing Month. ASHA sponsors this annual May awareness campaign. The month raises awareness about hearing loss, speech disorders, and language challenges. At Stanford Hearing, we use May as a prompt for patients to schedule a free hearing screening.
How Do I Know If I Need a Hearing Screening?
The three most common signals are repetition requests, unusually high volume settings, and noise-related difficulty. Listening fatigue after social events is another reliable indicator. If any of those apply, a screening makes sense. At Stanford Hearing, we offer free consultations with no commitment required.
What Is the New Name for Better Hearing and Speech Month?
ASHA updated the name to National Speech-Language-Hearing Month in 2023. Better Hearing and Speech Month served that role for decades. The new name better reflects the full scope of the professions. It now includes language disorders and voice conditions alongside hearing and speech. At Stanford Hearing, we treat May as a prompt to reconnect with patients who have been putting off a screening.
What Are the 4 P’s of Hearing Loss?
The phrase does not map to a single standardized clinical framework. It does, however, align with four dimensions every hearing care provider considers:
- Pathology: the type of hearing loss, whether conductive, sensorineural, or mixed
- Pitch: which frequencies the loss hits hardest (high-frequency loss most commonly affects adults)
- Progression: whether the loss arrived suddenly or developed gradually over time
- Prognosis: what treatment options are realistic and how much improvement to expect
Together, these four dimensions shape every treatment plan at Stanford Hearing.
Can Hearing Loss Be Restored?
It depends on the type. Conductive hearing loss originates in the outer or middle ear and often responds to treatment. Many patients see it resolve entirely. Sensorineural hearing loss, the most common type in adults, is typically permanent. Hearing aids do not restore lost hearing. They compensate for it, and most patients describe the difference as significant. Our introduction to audiology for new patients offers a good starting point if you are new to seeking hearing care.