The purpose of annual Better Hearing and Speech Month is to inform the public about communication disorders and the role of speech-language pathologists and audiologists in treating those disorders, according to MSHA.

"The primary goal is to create some awareness," said Adelia Van Meter, faculty specialist in speech pathology and clinic coordinator at the Van Riper Language, Speech and Hearing Clinic.

According to MSHA, having a month dedicated to hearing and speech will inform the public of possible risks, although most of the public is unaware of the Better Hearing and Speech Month.

"I hadn't heard about it until I got here, in the graduate program even, and I was in the speech program for undergrads," said Katie Davis, a Western Michigan University graduate student in speech.

Several events are scheduled later this month to offer the Kalamazoo community information about hearing and speech.

The Van Riper Language, Speech and Hearing Clinic is offering free hearing evaluations and hearing aid checks to all WMU students, faculty, staff, retirees and Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies physicians, nurses and staff.

The checks began May 11 and will continue from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. every Wednesday through Aug. 10.

Teresa Crumpton, audiologist at WMU Unified Clinics, said there is a big problem in untreated hearing loss.

"If somebody has a hearing loss and it is not treated they can become very isolated and withdrawn," she said.

The hearing checks create an opportunity for people to get checked for hearing loss and help people use hearing aids to their full potential, Crumpton said.

Another project for Better Hearing and Speech Month is a movie called "What Is..." by MSHA. The video will be shown at 7 p.m. on May 23 on channel 19 and at 8:30 p.m. on May 25 on channel 22.

For more information contact WMU's Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at 387-8045.

By Melissa Godsey, Western Herald