Ear Care and Hearing of St. Louis

04/19/2025

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been asked professionally about what’s going on in politics with the discussion about autism. After some contemplative thought:

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Autism: Are We Still Missing the Root Causes?

In recent years, there’s been a dramatic increase in autism diagnoses—but are we asking why often enough?

Yes, we have better awareness. Yes, testing and diagnostic tools have improved. But a pivotal study led by Dr. Irva Hertz-Picciotto at UC Davis—commissioned by the State of California—found that these factors only account for about 50% of the rise in autism cases. The study concluded that the remaining increase cannot be explained by changes in diagnostic criteria or population shifts.
Read more here

That leaves a major unanswered question: What’s driving the other half?

As an audiologist who specializes in the treatment of Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), neurodivergent conditions are not just a clinical focus—they’re a passion of mine. I see firsthand the unique challenges and strengths in this population, and I believe we owe it to these individuals and their families to keep searching for deeper answers.

We need to move beyond surface-level explanations. Environmental exposures, metabolic health, inflammation, maternal and fetal health, immune dysfunction—these are just some of the factors that deserve serious, unbiased investigation.

It’s also time to give pause and really consider what Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is trying to bring to the forefront. Whether you agree with him or not, I encourage you to read his full message in context—not just the social media soundbites designed to provoke. Complex issues like autism and neurodevelopment demand nuance, not knee-jerk reactions.

Let’s take a step back and not let political divisiveness blind us to the big picture. This is about science, health, and families—not parties or personalities.

Autism is not just a statistical trend—it’s a complex condition affecting real lives. Let’s stay curious. Let’s ask the hard questions. And let’s keep pushing for answers.

06/12/2024

📣 Parents, grandparents, and other literacy stakeholders!!

Interested in avoiding the summer slide while jump starting your child’s or student’s reading potential for school year 2024/2025? 📚

Our Hear to Read auditory skills training sessions help move the literacy needle by optimizing and specializing your child’s bottom-up auditory-neural pathway for learning, reading, spelling, auditory processing, and listening!! ⬅️

Blow your child’s teaching team away next year!! 🫧 Call today to schedule - limited spots available - accepting ages 4+!! #314-532-0682

+90% insurance coverage as well. Likely no out of pocket!

so your child can 🌈

04/06/2024

Friends ... Do you suspect an auditory or other listening/understanding difference for yourself, your child, for one of your students, for a family member (young OR old), for your neighbor, for one of your patients/clients, or for someone at the candy counter at your local candy store? 😜 If you do, please share this as loudly and proudly as you can! ❤

https://youtu.be/J-iBE5cPhN4?feature=shared

As you know, at Ear Care and Hearing of St. Louis, we are GIGANTIC fans of empowering YOU to be your own BEST advocate. We continually work to bring YOU the most up to date evidence-based information so that YOU can take control of your own health, wellness, medical, and educational destiny as it relates to ear/hearing/auditory differences. We LOVE parents, grandparents, and other lay-people as investigators ... you are the ones LIVING and encountering and researching and troubleshooting these differences on a daily basis ... so why NOT you?!🎯 ....because if NOT you - then WHO?! ⬅️ Read that again ... if NOT YOU - then WHO...? ❤😲❤

If you have concerns for abnormal amounts of "jelly beans" and want to know how best to help support the person you've just counted jelly beans for CALL or TEXT US - WE CAN HELP!📱314-532-0682

PS We have NO WAIT LIST!! 🥳In-person and virtual services are also available. www.besthearingstl.com

02/02/2024

A great little read and something to think about!

As it turns out, there’s a very real connection between our hearing and our mental health.

11/12/2023

Excited to continue to expand my services! Seeing excellent results for lots of kiddos and adults!

06/28/2023

Any family with a child that uses listening and spoken language as at least one of their modes of communication MUST know how well their child’s brain hears — NOT how well the ear is working, but how well the BRAIN encodes and USES sound! ⬅️ [READ THAT AGAIN]

Every brain is beautifully unique and magically complex. 🧠 We MUST go beyond the simple raise-your-hand-to-beeps type test and start measuring what the brain DOES with the sound it takes in through the ears. ⬅️ [READ THAT AGAIN]

Our Audiologists at Ear Care and Hearing not only specialize in measuring how well brains process auditory information (sound, speech, music, etc), but our providers also TREAT central auditory pathway dysfunction. 🤜🏻💥🤛🏻

We provide short-term, life-changing, and long-lasting results. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

How well does YOUR loved ones brain hear? Call today to find out!! #314-532-0682

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06/13/2023

We are EXPERTS at systematically improving the way the BRAIN encodes, processes, and uses the sound parts of words it takes in through the ears❣️

Our therapy approach is a GAME CHANGER!! ⬅️

Have “normal” hearing??
WE CAN HELP!! ✅

Have untreated hearing loss??
WE CAN HELP!! ✅

Have hearing loss and use ANY type of hearing technology??
WE CAN HELP!! ✅

Are you between the ages of 4 and 120+??
WE CAN HELP!! ✅

06/10/2023

📣 Parents, grandparents, and other literacy stakeholders!!

Interested in avoiding the summer slide while jump starting your child’s or student’s reading potential for school year 2023/2024? 📚

Our Hear to Read auditory skills training sessions help move the literacy needle by optimizing and specializing your child’s bottom-up auditory-neural pathway for learning, reading, spelling, auditory processing, and listening!! ⬅️

Blow your child’s teaching team away next year!! 🫧 Call today to schedule - limited spots available - accepting ages 4+!! #314-532-0682

so your child can 🌈

11/18/2022

If you are considering hearing aids for yourself or your loved ones keep in mind its not a single transaction. You really cant hear better by stoping by Best Buy and picking up OTC hearing aids.

Hear better than ever by:

1. Getting a thorough diagnostic hearing assessment including hearing, auditory processing, and central function tests.

2. Professional assistance selecting the best amplification for your needs.

3. Evidenced based fitting protocol.

4. Rehabilitation of auditory processing and memory in the brain.

Its cost efficient, effective, and will improve the quality of your life.

Come meet us! You wont be disappointed!

www.besthearingstl.com

02/01/2022

St. Louis weather is quirky! But stay safe! Tommorrow we will be closed until 12 noon!