Audiology Committee
Chair
Katrin Neumann (Germany)
Committee Members
Peter Alberti (Canada)
Xingkuan Bu (China)
Renata Mota Mamede de Carvallo (Brazil)
Corina Farfán-Reyes (Chile)
Gilbert Herer (USA)
Kajsa-Mia Holgers (Sweden)
Sebastian Hoth (Germany)
Anu Sharma (USA)
Somaia Tawfik (Egypt)
Purposes
The activities of the committee are devoted to the exploration and improvement of the hearing status of people - especially in developing and threshold countries, with particular emphasis to the specific problems of selected populations (children, persons with mental retardation or intellectual disabilities, persons exposed to hazardous noise and elderly).
Previous activities
The committee was launched in its kick-off meeting during the 27th IALP congress from August 6 to 9 2007 in Copenhagen. A first symposium with six presentations dedicated to different aspects of hearing disorders, hearing assessment, hearing aids and education of professionals was held as part of this congress.
The audiology committee organized the Composium on Central Auditory Processing Disorders from march 15 to 18 2009 in Cairo (Egypt) in collaboration with the Unit of Audiology and the Unit of Phoniatrics of the ENT Department of Medicine at Ain Shams University. Read more at www.capd-eg.com.
International challenges
The committee plans to collaborate in current programs of WHO and WWHearing (World Wide Hearing Care for Developing Countries, see http://www.wwhearing.com/). Meetings of the committee will be held between the triennial IALP Congresses. They are intended to be accompanied by public symposia. The sites of the meetings will be selected in different countries in order to establish and cultivate international contacts, to promote the standardization of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, to contribute to national education programs and to share information, knowledge and ideas with experts and students.
Present activities.
The audiology committee promotes information about classroom acoustics in order to focus the attention of those professionals and therapists who do not primarily plan or construct schools but are involved deeply in the treatment of the consequences. For more information please read the classroom acoustics.
Future plans
The committee will elaborate and publish recommendations and guidelines. These shall focus on the early detection of hearing loss, on reliable diagnostics and adequate intervention and on the creation of networks for distribution, maintenance and service of affordable hearing aids. Symposia at the IALP Congresses prepared and held by the Audiology Committee will be devoted to special topics of contemporary audiology. The committee supports the research in projects emphasizing the relation between hearing and speech/language pathology and it promotes the standardization of curricula for the qualified education and training of professionals.
Person to contact
Katrin Neumann
e-mail:
Audiology builds bridges
