PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSEATTLE WA

PERMIT NO. 2222

10564 5th Avenue NE, #203

Seattle WA 98125

206-367-1345

info@northgatehearing.com

Northgate Hearing Services, Inc.

Spotlight on Speech Pathology

www.northgatehearing.com July 2013

10564 5th Avenue NE, #203

Seattle WA 98125

206-367-1345

info@northgatehearing.com

10564 5th Avenue NE Suite 203 Seattle, WA 98125

Return Service Requested

Monday - Thursday 9:00A - 5:00P

Friday9:00A - 2:00P

Closed for Lunch 12:00P - 1:00P Daily

OFFICE HOURS:

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NEW SOLUTIONS FOR TOUGH SITUATIONS

Summer is here and summertime activities are going to put you in situations that you might find more challenging. It is the time for family reunions, picnics, grandchildren coming for visits and traveling. All of these situations can be tough to hear well in and may even have you thinking you would rather not be a part of the fun. Some of the newer technology can offer real help:

Improved Noise Processors can help you focus in on conversations while reducing the interference of the noise around you. This can give you the edge you need to hear better in situations like family gatherings where there is a lot going on around you.

Companion Mics have been a tremendous help by increasing your ability to carry on a conversation in the car, even if that speaker is a child in the back seat. They can give you the ability to carry on a conversation from the next room or in very noisy places like restaurants when you are in a one-on-one conversation with someone.

TV Links can send the audio from your TV directly into your hearing aids. You control the volume at your ears while the volume remains a comfortable level for others in the room. Wireless streaming accomplishes this without cords and without isolating headphones.

Our summer newsletter gift to you is a wireless streamer and your choice of a TV link or Companion Mic. This is a savings of $500.00 when you purchase a new set of hearing aids during the months of July and August.

Call us to schedule a consultation to listen to this terrific new technology and enjoy all that summer brings!

$500.00Value

FREE WIRELESS STREAMER

AND YOUR CHOICE OF A COMPANION MIC OR TV LINK

with purchase of hearing aids in July & August.

Speech Language Pathologists (also known as Speech Therapists) are professionals who are educated to assess speech and language development and to treat speech and language disorders. Not only do they help children who are delayed in articulation, they often work with adults. For instance, an SLP may assist a stroke patient to relearn to swallow or with regaining clear speech. An SLP can also help patients with accent reduction.

Speech Language Pathologists earn a Master’s Degree and must do a training fellowship prior to seeing patients. Following this fellowship, an SLP receives a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Francesca, our back office assistant, recently graduated from UW with her undergraduate degree in communication disorders. She will be leaving us later this summer to focus her studies on Speech Pathology. We’re sad to see her off, but so excited to watch her pursue her dreams!

A note from…

Northgate Hearing Services, Inc.

www.northgatehearing.com July 2013

Northgate Hearing Services, Inc.

www.northgatehearing.com July 2013

News You Can Use...

In a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience and funded by the Wellcome Trust, Newcastle University scientists reveal the interaction between the region of the brain that processes sound, the auditory cortex, and the amygdala, which is active in the processing of negative emotions when we hear unpleasant sounds.Brain imaging has shown that when we hear an unpleasant noise the amygdala modulates the response of the auditory cortex heightening activity and provoking our negative reaction.“It appears there is something very primitive kicking in,” says Dr Sukhbinder Kumar, the paper’s author from Newcastle University. “It’s a possible distress signal from the amygdala to the auditory cortex.”Researchers at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at UCL and Newcastle University used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine how the brains of 13 volunteers responded to a range of sounds. Listening to the noises inside the scanner they rated them from the most unpleasant - the sound of knife on a bottle – to pleasing - bubbling water. Researchers were then able to study the brain response to each type of sound.Researchers found that the activity of the amygdala and the auditory cortex varied in direct relation to the ratings of perceived unpleasantness given by the subjects. The emotional part of the brain, the amygdala, in effect takes charge and modulates the activity of the auditory part of the brain so that our perception of a highly unpleasant sound, such as a knife on a bottle, is heightened as compared to a soothing sound, such as bubbling water.Analysis of the acoustic features of the sounds found that anything in the frequency range of around 2,000 to 5,000 Hz was found to be unpleasant. Dr Kumar explains: “This is the frequency range where our ears are most sensitive. Although there’s still

Amy: Happy Summer to you! I’m writing this while the sun is peaking out between rain clouds. I see that the sun is coming, and I truly can’t wait! My family is getting excited for our annual trip to Sun Lakes later this summer. We take this trip every year with families that my husband and I grew up with. It’s a wonderful time swimming and boating, with amazing memories for us and our kids. Even though school has ended, my kids’

and their sports have revved up! Dylan is doing well in his baseball league and has a shot to go to a regional tournament in California. My daughter, Lily, is going to start horse riding lessons soon. She is over the moon! She got a pair of riding boots for her 10th birthday and she hasn’t stopped wearing them since! Have a wonderful summer!

Ashley: We have certainly had a busy spring at Northgate Hearing Services! We said “goodbye” to our much beloved friends Lori and Larci. We have been a little short staffed at the front desk (thank you for all your hard work Catherine!) so thank you for your patience! We have also been working hard to update our website! It won’t be up for a few more weeks but check it out when you have time: www.northgatehearing.com. Personally, I am ready for some summer

sunshine! This summer I am taking a few vacations. This will be the second year that my family rents a farm house in Wenatchee. It is so lovely! We are also heading to Toronto,

The Worst Noises in the World: Why We Recoil at Unpleasant Sounds

much debate as to why our ears are most sensitive in this range, it does include sounds of screams which we find intrinsically unpleasant.”Scientifically, a better understanding of the brain’s reaction to noise could help our understanding of medical conditions where people have a decreased sound tolerance such as hyperacusis, misophonia (literally a “hatred of sound”) and autism when there is sensitivity to noise.Professor Tim Griffiths from Newcastle University, who led the study, says: “This work sheds new light on the interaction of the amygdala and the auditory cortex. This might be a new inroad into emotional disorders and disorders like tinnitus and migraine in which there seems to be heightened perception of the unpleasant aspects of sounds.”

MOST UNPLEASANT SOUNDSRating 74 sounds, people found the most unpleasant noises to be:1. Knife on a bottle2. Fork on a glass3. Chalk on a blackboard4. Ruler on a bottle5. Nails on a blackboard6. Female scream7. Anglegrinder8. Brakes on a cycle squealing9. Baby crying10. Electric drill

LEAST UNPLEASANT SOUNDS1. Applause2. Baby laughing3. Thunder4. Water flowing

Taken from: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/nu-twn101212.php

Cookies ‘n’ Cream Cupcakes ......................INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup soy or almond milk• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar• 3/4 cup granulated sugar• 1/3 cup canola oil• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract• 1 cup all-purpose flour• 1/4 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONSPreheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla extract to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add to wet ingredients and beat until no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are OK). Mix into cupcake batter 1 cup (about 10 cookies; chop first, then measure) of coarsely chopped vegan chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies.Pour into liners, filling 3/4 of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cool-ing rack and let cool completely.

Fluffy Cookie ‘n’ Cream Frosting

INGREDIENTS1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening1/2 cup nonhydrogenated margarine

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted if clumpy1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup plain soy or almond milk5 Chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies,

like Oreos or Newman-O’s

INSTRUCTIONSBeat the shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes.Add the vanilla and soy milk, and beat for another 5 to 7 minutes until fluffy. Next, stir into frosting 1/2 cup (about 5 cookies; mash first, then measure) of finely crushed chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies. Frost cupcakes generously, and top each cupcake with half of a sandwich cookie.

From: Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero

ON for a wedding in September. We are thinking of extending our trip for a little get-away to Montreal, Quebec and perhaps I can practice my French!

Francesca: I am happy to say that this June I graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences. In August I will be moving to Spokane to start grad school at Eastern Washington University. I will be working towards my Master’s degree in Communication Disorders so that I can become a Speech-Language Pathologist. Before I began my studies at the UW, I started volunteering here at Northgate

Hearing Services. Dr. Wolf and Dr. Al-Izzi have taught me so much and have been such an inspiration as I move towards my own career in the field of Speech and Hearing Sciences! The time I have spent at the clinic has been so enjoyable and such a wonderful learning experience. It has been on honor to work with and get to know many of you over the last two years!

Catherine: As always I’m looking forward to the next few months of summer! We have a few getaways planned, but mainly I’m looking forward to some long, warm days. We will be celebrating my parent’s 60th wedding anniversary at the end of the month which should be really special. I hope you all have a very relaxing, healthy summer. Take care!

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder, (Dutch-processed or regular)• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder• 10 Chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies, (like Oreos or Newman-O’s)