• I often miss parts of conversations and continually ask people to repeat themselves.
• I find that the high and low tones of many sounds have disappeared. For example, I find it difficult to hear birds singing.
• My family or friends complain that I listen to the TV at too loud a volume.
• I have to turn up the volume on the telephone to hear properly.
• I have difficulty distinguishing speech from background noises. For example, I often have difficulty following dinnertime conversation while others are talking and music is playing.
• I find myself straining to read lips and facial expressions just to understand what someone is saying to me.

If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, have your hearing checked by a qualified audiologist. For a list of audiologists in your area, refer to your phone book or contact the Canadian Academy of Audiology, www.canadianaudiology.ca.