{"id":33440,"date":"2024-02-06T16:02:19","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T16:02:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/cjsnews\/?p=33440"},"modified":"2024-02-06T16:06:15","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T16:06:15","slug":"you-cant-see-that-im-deaf-calls-for-invisible-disabilities-to-be-heard-in-wales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/cjsnews\/you-cant-see-that-im-deaf-calls-for-invisible-disabilities-to-be-heard-in-wales\/","title":{"rendered":"“You can’t see that I’m deaf” – Calls for ‘invisible’ disabilities to be heard in Wales"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A man who is deaf is calling for a better understanding around the disability and how it can be prevented in young people.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve Allen, 53, from Canton said unlike wearing glasses, issues with hearing are not always obvious when in public. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After complaints from his colleagues about him shouting at work, Mr. Allen decided to have his ears checked and it was then he discovered that he was moderately deaf . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“You know I’m not deliberately loud. This is the way I hear things”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent statistics, more than half a million people in Wales are deaf or hard of hearing which costs the Welsh economy \u00a31.2 billion every year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It wasn’t an act in work or a show I was just trying to understand my condition”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong><\/em>He described it as a “relief” when he was given the results and that he could do something about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advances in technology mean there are ways in which people can choose to better protect their hearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, many smartphone users can get phone alerts which detect when they are in a “high volume environment” such as concerts or listening to loud music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, people are able to access protective wear at live music events such as free ear plugs to stop damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Allen said he didn’t have these things growing up, but he thought maybe if he had, there would be a possibility that his hearing may have not have been as badly damaged from music events which he attended every weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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