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To achieve the best results from a hearing aid, you and your child should meet with a certified audiologist to learn what to expect — what a hearing aid can and cannot do, and how to operate it.
It is important to understand how hearing aids work and how to select, operate, and care for them. Working hearing aids and consistent use of hearing aids will help your child hear and develop good speech and language skills.
How do hearing aids work?
All behind-the-ear hearing aids have a microphone, amplifiers and processors, a volume control, a tone hook, a ear mold, a power switch, and a battery compartment. Sound that enters the microphone is amplified and shaped by the processor, and is directed out through the tone hook and through the ear mold, into your child’s ear. The ear mold is specifically molded to the shape of your child’s ear. Ear molds need to be replaced as often as your child’s ear grows.
When can my child be fit with hearing aids?
Infants as young as four weeks can be fitted with hearing aids and hearing-assistive technology systems.
What kind of hearing aid is best for my child?
It is important to work with an audiologist and an early intervention team to evaluate your child’s needs. Since young children cannot adjust their own hearing aids, the one selected for infants must be easily manipulated and monitored by parents and caregivers.
As your child grows and begins to respond to more sophisticated tests, hearing aids are adjusted accordingly. The latest aid comes in a sleek, modern design and sits comfortably on the ears.
Several types of hearing aids are available; the appropriate type depends on your child’s individual need and skills. The behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid is the most commonly recommended for infants and young children for a number of reasons, including:
*It accommodates various ear mold types.
*The ear mold detaches and can be easily remade as the child grows.
*The ear mold is easy to handle and can be regularly removed for cleaning
*Parents and caregivers can easily do a quality check and make adjustments.
*It can accommodate a wide variety of hearing losses
*It can be made with direct audio input or a telecoil. So it can be used with other listening devices.
*The ear molds are made of a soft material that is safe and comfortable for tiny ears.
In-the-ear (ITE) styles are usually reserved for adults and older children.
Once you have selected a hearing aid, the audiologist will carefully set the hearing aid using the results from your child’s hearing tests. It’s better to opt for an advanced hearing aid than a primary one as the child grows since the negative consequences of traditional compression on important speech cues can limit a child’s ability to function in dynamic sound environments such as the classroom, sports field or playground. The super power (SP) hearing aid is equipped to meet the ups-and-downs of active children and teens, the sturdy SP features a full-body nano-coating and internal deep-coating designed to repel water, sweat and dirt.
SP opens a world of connectivity to young people with severe-to-profound hearing loss. Effortless wireless connection to TVs, PCs, mobile phones and MP3 players is now possible.
Are there any suggestions on how to keep hearing aids on my child?
It is very important that children with hearing loss use their hearing aids as much as possible. A child who has been wearing hearing aids consistently since infancy will probably wear them without resistance. For children who have not been consistent wearers, it may be more of a challenge.
Young children should learn that only an adult may be allowed to handle the equipment.