The University of Alabama’s Department of Communicative Disorders’ “Hear Here Alabama” truck will be offering students and faculty free hearing screenings Thursday. 

Students from the department will have the opportunity to assist in performing the screenings.

The department is aiming to offer a free screening at least once each semester.

WHO:  Students, faculty and staff.  An ACT card is not required to receive free screening.

WHAT:  Free Hearing Screenings

WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 13 from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Students can expect the screening to take less than five minutes.

WHERE:  The Hear Here Alabama truck will be parked behind the Gorgas Library.

“If you cannot hear well you are going to be at a huge disadvantage for communicating with others, it is essential that we hear so that we can communicate, and we are all social creatures, we all need to communicate,” said Marcia Hay-McCutcheon, associate professor for the Department of Communicative Disorders.

Hay-McCutcheon said members of the younger generation are listening to music that is too loud and constantly exposing themselves to noisy environments that will affect their hearing. The effect will first be on a temporary basis, but if they continue to expose their ears to loud environments, they will develop permanent hearing loss, making these hearing screenings crucial to ensure hearing health, she said.