National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Featured Articles :

David Rice gives the opening remarks during the NIH 2018 National Disability Employment Awareness Month kick-off event.
March 09, 2023

Deafness is not a burden

Being deaf is not the same for everyone with the condition. Deafness means partial or complete loss of hearing in...

Hearing Disorders and Deafness
New regulations for over-the-counter hearing aids could make them more accessible to people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
February 23, 2023

Loud and clear: What to know about hearing loss

Hearing loss affects approximately 37.5 million people in the United States ages 18 years or older. It affects one in three people...

Hearing Disorders and Deafness

ABC News Nightline co-anchor Byron Pitts was diagnosed with stuttering in elementary school.
May 13, 2021

How ABC News' Byron Pitts learned to manage stuttering

ABC News Nightline co-anchor and chief national correspondent Byron Pitts has won Emmy Awards for his coverage of key historical...

Stuttering
Consider a face mask with a clear window, which can make reading lips easier.
February 09, 2021

6 ways to communicate better while you wear a mask

Social distancing and face masks are necessary for preventing the spread of COVID-19. But they can also make communication more...

Hearing Disorders and Deafness

November 18, 2019

Tips for helping a child who stutters

Although there is currently no cure for stuttering, there are treatments that can be customized to a child’s age and...

Stuttering
Dennis Drayna, Ph.D., is a scientist emeritus with NIH’s National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.
November 14, 2019

Speaking up about stuttering

"Stuttering gets no respect as a disorder," says stuttering expert Dennis Drayna, Ph.D. "People think of it as...

Stuttering

Joe Lukong (far back center in baseball cap) connected with NIH researchers through an online stuttering forum.
November 13, 2019

Why do so many of my family members stutter?

Joe Lukong had a simple question. The answer he got would change his life. What Joe wanted to know was,...

Stuttering
November 12, 2019

4 common myths and facts about stuttering

"There's a great deal of misunderstanding about stuttering," says Dennis Drayna, Ph.D., a scientist emeritus with NIH’s...

Stuttering

November 11, 2019

Stuttering: What you need to know

Stuttering is a complex speech condition that can cause a person to get stuck trying to say certain sounds, syllables,...

Stuttering
February 13, 2019

8 NIH research highlights

What did we learn in 2018 that could help your health this year or in the future? NIH-supported researchers worked on a...

NIH Research

Personal Story

Stephen Ferranti
October 13, 2017

A journey with midlife hearing loss

Stephen Ferranti knew he had to address his hearing loss issues when he realized it could affect his job. As a...

Hearing Disorders and Deafness, Personal Story
Lise Hamlin's hearing loss experience led her into a career of advocacy.
October 13, 2017

Helping others hear better

Lise Hamlin was born with hearing loss in one ear, though she was able to communicate adequately for 30 years. That...

Hearing Disorders and Deafness, Personal Story