Speech and hearing
Did you know that speech sounds all have different frequencies and decibels? Decibels measure how ‘loud’ something is Frequency measures how high or low the pitch is.
- Frequency and Pitch:
A higher frequency means a higher pitch (e.g., a whistle), while a lower frequency corresponds to a lower pitch (e.g., a deep bass note).
- Human Hearing Range:
The standard range of human hearing is generally considered to be 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz (20 kHz).
- Individual Variation:
Hearing range can vary between individuals and also changes over time, particularly with aging, where high-frequency sensitivity often diminishes.
- Sensitivity:
Humans are most sensitive to frequencies within the range of 2,000 Hz to 5,000 Hz, which is crucial for understanding speech.
- High-Frequency Hearing Loss:
Loss of high-frequency hearing is a common age-related hearing loss, often leading to difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds and understanding speech in noisy environments Human hearing typically spans a range from about 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, but this range can vary with age and individual health as well as background noise. Ear wax build up, middle ear fluid and middle ear infections can affect hearing higher frequencies especially in children! Hearing loss generally affects the higher frequency f, th, s and lower decibel sounds r, sh FIRST. As speech pathologists if we notice a pattern of difficulties with these sounds it may mean a person has developed hearing loss. But you need to be able to hear a sound to work on learning to say a sound. So seeing an audiologist for amplification or an ENT for possible grommets or other surgery needs to happen first! If you are concerned at all about your or your child’s hearing. Go to an audiologist for a free assessment. They can be found in most shopping centres!
Random Fact: Several animal species can hear frequencies well beyond the human hearing range. Some dolphins and bats, for example, can hear frequencies over 100 kHz. Elephants can hear sounds at 16 Hz–12 kHz, while some whales can hear infrasonic sounds as low as 7 Hz.
