Tips for Helping Your Child Get Used to a Hearing Aid
If you are a parent with a child that has been diagnosed with hearing loss, there is a good chance that you are going to want to get him or her fitted with a hearing aid as soon as possible. However, your child might not want to wear the hearing aid because he or she is not used to it. This can cause problems in school because he or she might not be able to hear the teacher appropriately. Here are some tips for helping your child get used to his or her hearing aid.
1. With an Infant:
If you have an infant that has hearing loss, get him or her fitted with an aid as soon as possible. This will decrease the chances that he or she will reject the hearing aid later. Because babies grow so quickly, you will need to make sure that you get an adjustable hearing aid that will allow you to use it as long as possible while still ensuring that your baby is comfortable. If your baby is pulling at the aid, consider putting mittens on his or her hands until he or she gets used to it.
2. With a Young Child:
If your child is already a few years old by the time that he or she gets fitted for a hearing aid, you will experience more resistance. Your child will likely not like the way that the hearing aid feels and will want to take it out. You can help your child get used to the aid by insisting that he or she wear it for fun activities, such as going hiking or going to the movies. Talk about all of the awesome things that he or she can hear now that he or she was unable to hear before. Slowly increase the amount of time that your child wears the hearing aid until he or she is wearing it all of the time.
3. With an Older Child:
If you have an older child, try to let him or her customize the aid as much as possible in order to increase his or her overall interest in it. This will allow you to make sure that he or she feels like he or she has control over it, making your child much more likely to wear it.
For more information, talk to a company like Eartech Hearing & Balance Professionals that specializes in hearing tests.