Your original media source for hearing health, disabilities, and wellness
Hearing Health
Hearing health touches every age — from newborn screenings to hearing aids in later life. American Abilities Television has covered hearing loss, deafness and tinnitus on the air since January 2008.
Here you'll find our programs, Sound Tips and answers to the questions people ask most, alongside our coverage of disabilities and wellness.
Hearing Health programs on AATV
Episode 793
American Abilities Columbus Day
Explore Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day — the history, differing perspectives, and hearing-health concerns of Indigenous communities.
Episode 787
Healthy Communities: Prevention Where We Live
Episode 787 is about making the healthy choice the easier choice.
Episode 786
Early Answers: Newborn Screening Saves Lives
Episode 786 is about the first days of life and the answers that come from checking early.
Episode 785
Above and Beyond: Inside Today's Air Force
Episode 785 goes inside the U.S.
Episode 784
The Brain Explained: ADHD and Mental Health
Eight segments from the National Institute of Mental Health and the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics span mental health from the youngest children to adults.
Episode 780
NASA's Evidence: Climate, Oceans, and Our Future
Episode 780 brings NASA's climate science to the AATV audience in six segments drawn from the agency's own productions.
Episode 779
A Path to Work, in American Sign Language
Episode 779 is about work, independence, and access.
Episode 754
Hearing Health for a Lifetime
Discover how everyday noise affects hearing — and simple ways to protect your connection to family, work, and the world.
Episode 749
American Abilities Christmas
Episode 749 brings together holiday displays, community traditions, and stories of Christmas joy.
Questions people ask
Does Medicare cover hearing aids?
Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) does not pay for hearing aids or for exams to fit them. You pay 100% of those costs.
Full answer →Can hearing loss be reversed?
It depends on the type. Conductive hearing loss, caused by things like earwax, fluid, or an ear infection, can often be treated and improved.
Full answer →Was Beethoven deaf? Was Helen Keller born deaf?
Beethoven began losing his hearing in his late twenties and was almost completely deaf by the end of his life. He wrote his Ninth Symphony when he could barely hear.
Full answer →What are the signs of hearing loss?
Common signs include asking people to repeat themselves, trouble following conversations when more than one person talks, thinking others mumble, and turning the TV up louder than others like it.
Full answer →What causes ringing in the ears (tinnitus)?
Tinnitus is hearing a sound — ringing, buzzing or hissing — that has no outside source. It is often a sign of hearing loss, and loud noise is a common cause. Earwax, some medicines, and ear or head injuries can also play a part.
Full answer →Can I buy hearing aids over the counter?
Yes. Since October 2022, adults 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss can buy hearing aids in stores and online without a prescription or exam.
Full answer →How loud is too loud for my ears?
Long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 decibels — about the level of heavy city traffic — can cause hearing loss. Louder sounds, like sirens or fireworks, can harm hearing in a much shorter time.
Full answer →When should a baby's hearing be checked?
Babies should have a hearing screening before they leave the hospital, or by 1 month old. If a baby does not pass, a full hearing test should follow by 3 months, and help should start by 6 months if hearing loss is found.
Full answer →What is a cochlear implant?
A cochlear implant is a small electronic device that gives a sense of sound to people with severe hearing loss who get little help from hearing aids. Part is placed under the skin by surgery and part is worn behind the ear.
Full answer →