Unmasking Communication

Keys. Wallet. Mask! The new addition to our daily wardrobe is here to stay as long as we are coexisting with COVID-19. Although your cloth, surgical, or homemade covering is rightly serving its purpose in reducing the spread of the coronavirus, it also generates interesting communication challenges. ​

We rely on so much more than just “talking” when we communicate. We parse through indirect and direct messages. We interpret facial expressions. Some people lip read. With the use of masks, our verbal means of communication has literally been “muffled”. This is particularly challenging for individuals who are hard of hearing, or have developmental or acquired conditions which impact how they process, interpret, and respond to spoken language. Although it may take a bit more effort, there are strategies we can put in place to support changes in communication. 

1. Minimize Distractions - If you have to engage in a conversation, make sure you have control over any auditory distractions. Limit competing sounds to the extent possible. Turn off the TV or radio. If you must, step aside into a quieter space.
2. Share the Floor - Allow one person to speak at a time. It’s hard enough to parse through a conversation when multiple people are talking. Add masks to the equation and you may not know who is talking next! 
3. Utilize Assistive Devices if Necessary - If you have hearing aids, for example, but don’t typically wear them, it is imperative that you use them to best access auditory information and stay involved in the conversation! Download a speech-to-text app or software on a device (phone, tablet, laptop) so that speech can be transcribed into written text. For some, it may provide another means to process language, as well as a way to go back and clarify a message if there were any misunderstandings. 
4. Write - If you need to get across a quick message or know that your communicative partner benefits best from short/simple notes, keep a writing pad or dry erase board nearby to jot down key words. 
5. Consider Using a Clear Face Mask - For those of us who want to continue to flatten the curve and need that visual feedback when communicating, there are vendors who are producing face masks with transparents shields that make the mouth visible while speaking. This is immensely helpful for those who need the auditory and visual support when conversing. 
6. Ultimately, Ask! - Communication looks very different for everyone, and everyone may not perform their best with the same strategies. Always ask your communication partner’s opinion about what works for them to make communicative exchanges as successful as possible. This is a quick list of considerations I keep in mind when working with my patients. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association provides a much more extensive list in this article. 

Want a quick and easy way to keep these strategies in mind? Download the free Masking Communication infographic below! 

Are you using any of these strategies? Let CSL know in the comments!

Unmasking Communication
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References: 

Helping Our Clients Parse Speech Through Masks During Covid-19: https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/leader.MIW.25062020.34/full/?fbclid=IwAR0k77JANFpWdJhTY6t1NMetiHyntvYsGayXYJZI5cNENM7v73pK4oe9AaQ

Safe N Clear: https://safenclear.com/

Masks Pose Barrier for People with Hearing Loss: Here’s a Novel Solution: https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/masks-pose-barriers-for-people-with-hearing-loss-heres-a-novel-solution/full/ 

Voice to Text: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/voice-to-text/jdcdafhjjjfnkoeilnjmnadadaoehgdc?hl=en

Voice Notepad: https://dictation.io/speech 

Speechnotes - Speech to Text Notepad: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.speechnotes.speechnotes&hl=en_US

Speechnotes - Speech to Text Online Notepad: https://speechnotes.co/