Hard of Hearing?

I've known a few people in my life who were born with moderate hearing impairments. Such people typically talk with oddly flat, sing songy voices, not dissimilar to that of mildly retarded people. But if one takes the time to actually listen to what these people are saying and to get beyond their odd intonations and speech rhythms, one will quickly and easily realize that they are not mentally challenged, but merely hard of hearing.

Unfortunately, many people don't do this and as soon as they hear the odd voice, they immediately decide the person is slow and treats them accordingly, either speaking to them verrrrrrrrrry slowwwwwwwly or in an affected high pitched voice than some people use with very small children. Conversely, I've heard people talk to retarded people very LOUDLY, as if they will understand better if the volume is increased.

Such people also typically speak English VERY LOUDLY to foreigners as if increased volume is a key to immediately learning an unfamiliar language...

There have been a few times over the years where I've had a head cold that settled in my ears and left me with temporarily reduced hearing, as if I'm going around with pillows attached to my ears. Each time, I was amazed and disgusted by how people treated me because I couldn't hear properly and had to ask them to repeat things, sometimes more than once.

Two common reactions were that people would act as if I were mentally deficient or with exasperation, as if I was pretending I couldn't hear just to be difficult and to give them a hard time. It made me sympathize with those people who have such hearing impairments permanently and have to deal with this rude treatment all the time.

Thoughts?