Dr. Alan Gertner/Professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences/Author

In late August, I enjoyed presenting a lecture with co-presenters Heather McMahon, MA, CCC-SLP and Charlotte Sessions, Music Major from Berklee College of Music, to the Children’s Specialized Hospital’s Early Intervention Programs. The presentation topic, “Considerations of speech, language, and hearing development,” focused on the negative impact to language development resulting from hearing loss (even slight to mild hearing losses), excessive distracting background noise in the home, too much television time, and lack of one-on-one interactions with infants and toddlers. We addressed the benefits to attention, memory, language, and IQ from a planned, structured, and cohesive experience with music. We explained that the Mozart Effect is really a myth and as I stated, a child may as well listen to Britney Spears, Usher, or Megan Thee Stallion. It turns out that passive listening, whether to Mozart or rap, does nothing to enhance brain function. As Nina Kraus, PhD (a renowned researcher who investigates the effects of music on the brain) says, “... it is only through active generation and manipulation of sound that music can rewire the brain.” Planned movement and interactions to music with caregivers can be beneficial and importantly, once a child reaches school-age, formal music lessons can enhance brain function for improved speech, language, and reading skills. The analogy I love, that Kraus has used, is that you’re not going to become physically fit just watching sports. So whether dealing with music or language, it is the active engagement between a child and a parent/caregiver that promotes greater competence.

Alan Gertner, Ph.D.
Professor
School of Communication Disorders and Deafness
Nathan Weiss Graduate College
Kean University
Union, New Jersey

My NEW BOOK: Auditory disorders in the classroom: A guide for speech language pathologists, audiologists, and educators, is available from Amazon, Google, CC Thomas and other online retailers. Links are below:

https://www.amazon.com/Auditory-Disorders-Classroom-Pathologists-Audiologists/dp/0398093504/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Alan+Gertner&qid=1630801139&sr=8-2

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Auditory_Disorders_in_the_Classroom/a7cYEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0&kptab=getbook

https://www.ccthomas.com/details.cfm?P_ISBN13=9780398093501

I had a delightful time Tuesday night, May 18th, 2021, presenting to the New Jersey Association of Speech Language Specialists. The title of my talk was: “Auditory Processing Disorders Update: Toward a Functional Definition and Treatment Strategy.”

Auditory Processing Disorders (APD) are perceptual deficits. They cause people, who typically have normal hearing acuity, to experience difficulty following and comprehending spoken language (speech). Those with APD-related listening problems may have trouble understanding complex speech signals and keeping up with conversations, especially in noisier environments. Children with APD may appear to mis-hear what was said, have difficulty following directions, and may struggle with school work, especially phonics activities like reading and spelling.

If children appear to have trouble with listening and learning they should first have a hearing test. Slight and mild hearing losses that have gone undetected may present as listening and learning problems. If hearing acuity is found to be typical, then an APD exam may be in order. APD testing is performed and interpreted by licensed and certified Audiologists, thus if an APD is suspected, parents should seek an audiologist with experience in assessing and treating APD.

For more information about APD please use this link to my APD website: www.apdfacts.com

MAY IS BETTER HEARING AND SPEECH MONTH!

Adults and children with hearing and/or speech disorders have conditions that are often not well recognized or understood. Hearing disorders rob people of vital information that not only denies them access to critical social and occupational communication, but also denies them the full pleasure of music, children’s laughter, and bird songs. Hearing loss has the further impact of isolating people, not only from spoken language, but from fundamental orientation to time and space. Our auditory systems receive information from beyond our ‘line of sight’. Hearing expands the world past what we see or know, providing us with recognition, even if we do not see it, that life continues to go on. We hear outside sounds, even when in a room without windows, thus although we may be physically separated from family or coworkers, we continue to hear them moving around or talking to one another. We may perceive cars driving by or emergency vehicle sirens, expanding our worlds beyond our direct visual access. Indeed, our sense of hearing firmly confirms there is more in the world than our immediate surroundings and by so doing also orients us to the local environment. A supermarket sounds different from a school and a hospital sounds different from a courtroom.
Importantly for adults, hearing loss has been strongly linked with dementia. Those with untreated hearing loss are at greater risk of dementia than those without hearing loss. Further, those with dementia who use hearing aids have a slower rate of cognitive decline than those with hearing loss who do not use hearing aids.
Delays in speech and language development place children at higher risk for reading, writing, and learning deficits. Speech and language disorders also increase the likelihood of decreased peer interactions and overall socialization. In older populations, language deficits interfere with communication needs as well as independence, socialization, and psycho-emotional health.
It is critical that we remain aware of hearing, speech, and language disorders. Pay attention to children’s speech development. Are they producing and mimicking speech sounds beginning around six months of age? Are they playing patty-cake and peek-a-boo around ten months to one year of age? Are they emerging with their first words at around one year, expanding their vocabularies to 75 words by approximately a year and a half, and linking words into simple sentences by around two years of age. If children are not following this time-schedule, their hearing should be tested and they may benefit from a speech and language assessment.
For more information about hearing, speech, and language disorders in children and adults please refer to the following information links of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association:

https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/
https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/AdultSandL/
https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/hearing-loss-in-adults/

I will be participating in a virtual ‘Kean Author Spotlight’ on Tuesday, April 6, 2021 to discuss my new book, "Auditory disorders in the classroom: A guide for speech language pathologists, audiologists, and educators.” I will be joined by two other presenters and it is open to the public. The ‘Kean Author Spotlight’ is part of a National Library Week celebration taking place April 4th through April 10th.

Date: Tuesday, April 6, 2021
Time: 3:30 pm (EST)
Zoom link: https://tinyurl.com/59m8dade
Meeting ID: 928 5507 0515
Passcode: 349124

Today, April 2nd, is World Autism Awareness Day. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurological condition that impacts language, social, and cognitive functions. There is a long history documenting Autism Spectrum Disorder as a neurological and behavioral dysfunction or disease-like condition. A more recent view considers neurological function along a broad continuum of ‘neurodiversity.’ From a neurodiversity perspective, Autism Spectrum Disorder and other neurologically based learning difficulties, are considered typical variations along a diverse spectrum of neurological functioning. People diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, from a neurodiversity viewpoint, may experience a great deal of their difficulties due to how they are viewed in society and how they are treated. By changing the perception that Autism is not a disease-like condition, but a variation of human neurology, children and adults with Autism may be met with greater acceptance and face less challenges.

Regardless of the perspective of Autism that one takes, children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, although they may express it differently, share the same emotional and relational needs as anyone else and are entitled to and deserve inclusion.

For more information:

https://www.autismspeaks.org

https://therapistndc.org

A big thank you to members of the Lambda Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International (DKG). I had a great time Wednesday night presenting a discussion, “Adult Hearing Loss: Prevalence, Etiology, Effects, and Treatment”. DKG International promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education. The members are a terrific group - smart, dedicated, and driven. It was wonderful meeting them and participating in the lively interaction.

It was reported yesterday, in the Washington Post, that Kent Taylor, CEO of the Texas Roadhouse restaurant chain, died of su***de following Covid-19 and a troubling bout with tinnitus. My heartfelt condolences to Mr. Taylor’s family, friends, colleagues and employees. I want to explain tinnitus to help those suffering with it.
According to the American Tinnitus Association, ”Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no actual external noise is present. While it is commonly referred to as “ringing in the ears,” tinnitus can manifest many different perceptions of sound, including buzzing, hissing, whistling, swooshing, and clicking. In some rare cases, tinnitus patients report hearing music. Tinnitus can be both an acute (temporary) condition or a chronic (ongoing) health malady.”
We know that tinnitus affects about ten percent of our population, and in most it is accepted as a slight to mild inconvenience. To some however, tinnitus can be a significant interruption and obstacle in their lives. During my career I have had several people with such aversion to their tinnitus that they confided to having considered su***de. I told them, as well as others who have sought help with tinnitus, that although tinnitus can be troublesome, it is usually benign and there ARE TREATMENTS!
Unfortunately, because of widespread myths about tinnitus and even some professional advice that people “have to just live with it,” some tinnitus sufferers develop a grim and negative outlook about their future. I find it important to immediately let patients know:
1. They are not crazy, their sounds are not hallucinations and that Tinnitus is not uncommon.
2. Tinnitus is overwhelmingly benign. Sure, there are very rare occasions in which a more pathological condition can generate tinnitus, but that is extremely uncommon. Audiologists and Ear Nose and Throat physicians, with appropriate history and some simple tests can rule out any harmful condition that might be triggering tinnitus. I find it important to let patients know that in only very few isolated cases tinnitus is something that needs medical treatment. The vast majority of tinnitus cases are benign conditions due to noise exposure, allergies, certain medications, or other non-threatening causes.
3. Most importantly, the best news is that there are a variety of treatments for tinnitus, some of which are as much as 90% successful in producing relief.
People should be aware that MANY proffered treatments seen on the internet are completely ineffective. Studies have concluded that frequently advertised over-the-counter remedies have no effect on tinnitus. As the American Tinnitus Association states, “A number of over-the-counter substances (pills, powders, herbs, drops, etc.) are misleadingly marketed as “tinnitus remedies” and even "miracle cures." There is no reliable scientific evidence that these products — or the ingredients within them — have any impact on tinnitus. While there may be anecdotal success stories about these products, any reported improvements are likely due to a short-term placebo effect. Patients should beware of these products, as they are not fully regulated for safety by the FDA and have no scientifically measurable effect.”
I highly recommend that anyone suffering from tinnitus make an appointment with an Audiologist or Ear Nose and Throat Physician to have her/his tinnitus assessed. I would speak to the specialist’s office and ask, directly, does the doctor have experience treating tinnitus. Not all audiologists and physicians actually treat tinnitus, so make sure you are seeing a specialist that assesses and treats tinnitus. Following assessment, the specialist should be able to outline a treatment plan that will help alleviate the impact of tinnitus.
It is also advisable to visit the American Tinnitus Association website. The American Tinnitus Association site has a wealth of patient-friendly information! https://www.ata.org
Lastly, but of PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE, is that for anyone who experiences pain – physical, emotional, or psychological – please discuss it with a mental health expert. Further, if your pain ever seems overwhelming, it is URGENT AND VITAL, that you reach out for help.
THE NATIONAL SU***DE PREVENTION HOTLINE NUMBER:
800-273-8255.

I am happy that my new book, “Auditory disorders in the classroom: A Guide for speech language pathologists, audiologists, and educators“, is out now!
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Auditory-Disorders-Classroom-Pathologists-Audiologists/dp/0398093504/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TJRZQ9730HF9&dchild=1&keywords=auditory+disorders+in+the+classroom+alan+gertner&qid=1616028341&sprefix=Auditory+dis%2Caps%2C151&sr=8-1
CC Thomas:
https://www.ccthomas.com/details.cfm?P_ISBN13=9780398093501
Vitalsource:
https://www.vitalsource.com/products/auditory-disorders-in-the-classroom-a-guide-for-alan-gertner-v9780398093501?duration=perpetual&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyr7k38u47wIVcQeICR3fzwfFEAQYAyABEgJQavD_BwE
Ebooks:
https://www.ebooks.com/en-us/searchapp/searchresults.net?term=Auditory+disorders+in+the+classroom+
Googlebooks:
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Alan_Gertner_Auditory_Disorders_in_the_Classroom?id=a7cYEAAAQBAJ

I gathered a group of experts in hearing, auditory processing, language development, education of the deaf and hard of hearing, psychology, and educational law to create an informative and easily readable text that provides school personnel,
parents, and speech and hearing professionals with functional
information and the academic tools important for instructional
management of children with auditory disorders - either
peripheral hearing loss or auditory processing disorders.

Welcome! I am a Professor in the school of Communication Disorders and Deafness in the Nathan Weiss Graduate College at Kean University. I am the attending Audiologist at Monmouth Medical Center and the Team Audiologist for the Monmouth Medical Center Regional Cleft Palette Team. I received my PhD in Speech and Hearing Sciences at Columbia University and my research interests are in neuro-acoustic processes, auditory processing, and auditory processing disorders. I have directed hospital-based speech and hearing centers and developed and supervised several newborn hearing screening programs. I have published articles in peer reviewed journals, written book chapters and lectured nationally and internationally.

I am honored to be the recipient of the 2020-2021 Distinguished Clinical Achievement Award from the New Jersey Speech Language Hearing Association.

This award recognizes a speech-language pathologist or audiologist who has been a NJSHA member for at least five consecutive years including the award year and has at least five years of professional experience. This person must directly serve individuals with speech, language and/or hearing/balance disorders by:
Providing exemplary service to patients and families
Being recognized as an expert
Sharing expertise through teaching, mentoring, supervising, publications and/or professional presentations
Developing innovative programs
Pursuing continuing education, actively involved in the advancement of the profession (per NJ State licensing Law and ASHA/AAA CE programs; ACE Award)

Dr. Alan Gertner/Professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences/Author updated their business hours.