Glossary of Communication Disorder Terms

Hair cells: sensory cells of the inner ear, which are topped with hair-like structures, the stereocilia, and which transform the mechanical energy of sound waves into nerve impulses.
Haptic sense: sense of physical contact or touch.
Haptometer: instrument for measuring sensitivity to touch.
Hearing: series of events in which sound waves in the air are converted to electrical signals, which are sent as nerve impulses to the brain, where they are interpreted.
Hearing aid: electronic device that brings amplified sound to the ear. A hearing aid usually consists of a microphone, amplifier, and receiver.
Hearing disorder: disruption in the normal hearing process that may occur in outer, middle, or inner ear, whereby sound waves are not conducted to the inner ear, converted to electrical signals and/or nerve impulses are not transmitted to the brain to be interpreted.
Hereditary hearing impairment: hearing loss passed down through generations of a family.
Hoarseness: abnormally rough or harsh-sounding voice caused by vocal abuse and other disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux, thyroid problems, or trauma to the larynx (voice box).
Hyper neurotic diafragma contractions: the hiccups
Hypogeusia: diminished sensitivity to taste.
Hyposmia: diminished sensitivity to smell.