Glossary: the words you will meet
Medical words should never stand between a family and good decisions. Here are the most common ones, in plain language and in three languages.
Medical review in progress
- Audiogram
- A chart of the quietest sounds a person can hear, from low to high pitch.
- In other languages: FR Audiogramme DE Audiogramm
- Audiologist
- A specialist who tests hearing and advises on hearing devices.
- In other languages: FR Audiologiste DE Audiologin, Audiologe
- Captions
- Text on a screen that shows what is being said.
- In other languages: FR Sous-titres DE Untertitel
- Cochlear implant
- A device placed by surgery that sends sound signals to the hearing nerve. Used when hearing aids do not help enough.
- In other languages: FR Implant cochléaire DE Cochlea-Implantat
- Decibel (dB)
- The unit that measures how loud a sound is.
- In other languages: FR Décibel (dB) DE Dezibel (dB)
- ENT doctor
- A doctor for the ear, nose and throat.
- In other languages: FR Médecin ORL DE HNO-Ärztin, HNO-Arzt
- Hearing aid
- A small device worn in or behind the ear that makes sounds louder and clearer.
- In other languages: FR Appareil auditif DE Hörgerät
- Hearing loss in one ear, in both ears
- Whether one ear or both are affected.
- In other languages: FR Surdité unilatérale, bilatérale DE Einseitiger, beidseitiger Hörverlust
- Hearing-aid acoustician
- The professional who fits and adjusts hearing aids.
- In other languages: FR Audioprothésiste DE Hörakustikerin, Hörakustiker
- Middle ear infection
- An infection or fluid behind the eardrum. Common in young children and usually treatable.
- In other languages: FR Otite moyenne DE Mittelohrentzündung
- Newborn hearing screening
- A quick, painless hearing check in the first days of life.
- In other languages: FR Dépistage auditif néonatal DE Neugeborenen-Hörscreening
- Remote microphone system
- A microphone worn by the speaker that sends their voice straight to the child's hearing device.
- In other languages: FR Système de microphone à distance DE Drahtlose Übertragungsanlage
- Sign language
- A full visual language with its own grammar. Switzerland has three: Swiss-German, French and Italian sign languages.
- In other languages: FR Langue des signes DE Gebärdensprache
- Speech and language therapist
- A therapist who helps children develop speech, language and listening.
- In other languages: FR Logopédiste DE Logopädin, Logopäde