Free Publications

Information and resources concerning age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) including: description, causes, prevention, questions to help determine if you need to have your hearing checked, hearing aid options, other treatments, and research.

Information and resources concerning sign language, American Sign Language, comparisons between sign and spoken language, and language acquisition by deaf children.

Information and resources concerning aphasia including: description, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Information and resources concerning apraxia of speech including: description, types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Information about different types of assistive devices, how they work, and ongoing NIDCD-funded research to improve their communication ability.

Information and resources concerning auditory neuropathy including: definition, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Information and resources concerning autism including: definition, causes, communication problems of autism, treatment, who is affected, and research.

Information and resources concerning balance disorders including: definition, the balance system, symptoms, causes, types, diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Information and resources concerning captions and captioning including: open and closed captioning, real-time captioning, electronic newsroom captioning, edited and verbatim captioning, rear-window captioning, captioned telephones, current laws regarding captioning, the FCC and captioning requirements, and captioning research. 

Information and resources concerning cochlear implants, including an introduction, description of the device and its workings, discussions on who gets implants and surgical considerations, and what the future holds for the devices.

Information and resources concerning developmental language disorder including: description, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Ten questions that will help you determine if you need to have your hearing evaluated by a health professional.

Information and resources about ear infections in children, including symptoms and causes, how ear infections are diagnosed and treated, how they can be prevented, and what research is being done on the condition.

This fact sheet describes what scientists are discovering about the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of enlarged vestibular aqueducts (EVA). Although EVA does not appear to be the cause, research suggests that most children with this condition will develop some degree of hearing loss.

Information and resources concerning hearing aids including: hearing loss, types of hearing aids, hearing aid adjustment and care, and shopping for hearing aids.

Information and resources about hearing protectors, including what they are, why they are important, and when they should be used.

Information about when to use hearing protectors, how to help children use hearing protectors, and what to know about different types of hearing protection.

Information and resources about hoarseness, including how our voice works, when you should see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment of hoarseness, its causes, and current research.

This fact sheet describes how our ear changes sound waves in the air into electrical signals and then transmits these signals to the brain, allowing us to hear sounds.

Information concerning how we hear; the signs, symptoms, and causes of noise-induced hearing loss; and how you can help children and preteens protect their hearing.

A bookmark that presents the decibel levels of common farm sounds and discusses ways to protect your hearing.

A poster that presents the decibel levels of common farm sounds and discusses ways to protect your hearing.

Information concerning how sound is measured, when sounds are loud enough to damage your hearing, how to protect your hearing, and how to teach children and preteens about healthy hearing habits.

A bookmark that presents the decibel levels of various electronic devices, vehicles, machinery, and conversations, and discusses ways to protect your hearing.

A poster that presents the decibel levels of various electronic devices, vehicles, machinery, and conversations, and discusses ways to protect your hearing.

Information and resources concerning Ménière's disease, including causes of the condition, its symptoms, how it is diagnosed, treatment options, and current research.

Information and resources concerning noise-induced hearing loss, including: causes, effects, and symptoms of NIHL; who is affected by NIHL; and NIHL prevention and research.

Information and resources concerning otosclerosis including: description, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Information and resources concerning over-the- counter (OTC) hearing aids including: what they are, who can benefit, and where additional resources can be found.

This fact sheet describes the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of Pendred syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes early and progressive hearing loss in children and also may affect the thyroid and the vestibular, or balance system.

Information about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and research being conducted on a rare disorder affecting the respiratory tract.

Information and resources concerning smell disorders including: description, causes, diagnosis, treatment, research, and a description of the sense of smell.

A poster that presents why and how to protect your hearing on the farm.

A poster that presents why and how to protect your hearing.

Information and resources concerning spasmodic dysphonia including: description, types, features, who is affected, causes, diagnosis, and treatment.

Information and resources concerning the development of speech and language skills including: milestones, evaluation, delayed development, problems, and research.

Information and resources concerning stuttering including: description, how normal speech is produced, who stutters, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Information about rapid loss of hearing including: description, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Information and resources about caring for ones voice including: description of voice, causes of voice problems, caring for your voice and NIDCD supported voice research.

Information and resources concerning taste disorders including: description, causes, diagnosis, seriousness, treatment, research, and a description of the sense of taste.

An overview of telecommunications relay services (TRS) including a discussion of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and 711 access instructions.

Information and resources concerning the future of gene therapy for hearing loss including: description, availability, who could one day benefit, and research.

Information and resources on tinnitus (the perception of sound that does not have an external source), including: causes, diagnosis, treatment, and self-help.

Information and resources concerning Usher syndrome including: description, who is affected, causes, types, characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Information and resources concerning vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma) and neurofibromatosis including description, diagnoses and treatment, the different types, and research.

Information and resources concerning vocal fold paralysis including: description, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Information written for children and preteens concerning noise and hearing loss, how loud is too loud, and how and when to use hearing protectors. (Includes a crossword puzzle.)

Guidelines for assessing your growing baby's communication skills.

Information and resources concerning the importance of early hearing screening for infants, when and how a baby’s hearing will be screened, what to do if there’s a problem, follow-up exams, intervention services, other types of language and communication options, and a baby’s hearing screening timeline for parents.

Esta hoja de información describe los hallazgos recientes sobre las causas, diagnóstico y tratamiento de los acueductos vestibulares dilatados (AVD). Las investigaciones muestran que muchos niños con este problema médico tendrán algún nivel de pérdida de audición, aunque los acueductos vestibulares dilatados no parecen ser la causa.