Hearing aids help teen hear life more clearly

Gunner Cronin is a senior at Edison High School where he is a member of the golf team and the National FFA Organization (Future Farmers of America).

October is National Audiology Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about hearing health and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. For 17-year-old Gunner Cronin, of Hammondsville, that awareness hits close to home.

A senior at Edison High School in Richmond, Gunner is active both in and out of the classroom. He plays golf, is a member of the National FFA Organization (Future Farmers of America) and enjoys hunting, fishing and scouting in his free time. For his recent Eagle Scout project, Gunner built an 8-by-8-foot shed for a local church cemetery.

Diagnosed with hearing loss

Gunner was diagnosed with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss at age 13.

At age 13, Gunner was diagnosed with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss by the audiologists at Akron Children’s. Today, he wears hearing aids in both ears to help him hear more clearly.

“They really make a big difference and seem to help him a lot,” said Sherry, Gunner’s mom.

Sherry credits the expert care of Akron Children’s Ear, Nose and Throat Center (ENT) and audiology team for supporting her son along the way – especially ENT physician Dr. Marc Nelson and audiologists Alex Winegar (Boardman campus) and Kathryn Freeland.

“They are great about getting us in quickly when we need something fixed,” said Sherry. “Gunner struggles with the hearing aids’ speaker wires because he has an active lifestyle, and they sometimes get damaged.”

Hearing loss signs that were easy to miss

Gunner said that wearing his hearing aids has made a noticeable difference in his everyday life.

Before getting his hearing aids, Gunner learned to adapt in other ways.

“I sat in front in classrooms, so I could hear the teacher better,” he said. “I’d also turn up the music louder in the car.”

At first, Sherry didn’t realize what was happening.

“I initially thought he may be having seizures because he would zone out and not respond to my attempts to get his attention,” she said.

Although Gunner’s hearing loss ranges from moderate to severe in one ear and mild to moderate in the other, it hasn’t progressed quickly.

Gunner constructed a shed for a local church cemetery as part of his Eagle Scout project.

“He’s lost more of his hearing in the higher pitch tones,” said Sherry. “But he can still hear and understand speech without his hearing aids – it’s just more difficult.”

Gunner said that wearing his hearing aids has made a noticeable difference in his everyday life.

“It’s just easier to understand what people are saying,” he said.

Adjusting to life with hearing aids

Gunner with the finished shed.

For Sherry, there’s also been a bit of a learning curve as technology plays a bigger role in her son’s daily communication.

“Gunner’s hearing aids connect to Bluetooth. When his phone rings, I don’t even hear it,” she said. “He’ll just start talking, and at first, I didn’t realize what was going on.

“Or he’ll be watching a YouTube video on his phone with the audio coming through his hearing aids, and he’ll just start laughing,” she added. “All of that took some getting used to.”

The family even installed a TV booster, though Gunner hasn’t needed to use it yet.

“We have been so impressed with Akron Children’s,” said Sherry. “They’ve been wonderful about getting us in and fixing things when needed. The whole experience has been great.”

Sherry credits Gunner’s consistency in wearing his hearing aids for helping him stay active, confident and connected.

“I’m really proud of him for being so diligent about wearing and taking care of his hearing aids,” she said. “They have made such a positive difference in his life.”