According to the National Institutes of Health, two to three of every 1,000 children born in the U.S. are born with hearing loss in one or both ears, and approximately 37.5 million American adults aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing.

TSHA, or Total Source for Hearing-loss & Access, has been providing services to Oklahomans who are deaf or hard of hearing since 1953. Those who are in need of support turn to the organization for resources, advocacy and language accessibility.

TSHA helped more than 6,000 clients in 2019, offering support to all ages of the deaf and hard of hearing community throughout Oklahoma, as well as the families of those affected.

Services provided by TSHA include support for those needing hearing aids, ASL/Spanish interpreters, programs for children and teens, community events, accessible movie theaters and a list of local churches providing accommodations for the deaf or hard of hearing.

The Children’s Hearing Aid Program (CHAP), a program of TSHA, helps families with the cost of purchasing hearing aids for their child. Many insurances exclude hearing aids as a benefit or provide only minimal assistance. With hearing aid prices running in excess of $6,000 a pair, CHAP helps families afford devices to give children the gift of hearing.

Hearing loss is America’s No. 1 physical disability. To learn more about how TSHA is helping those with hearing loss in Oklahoma, visit TSHA.cc.