Keeping Hearing Devices on your Little Ones

As a parent to a child using hearing aids or cochlear implant, it is very important to make sure your child uses his/her hearing devices as maximum possible during their waking hours. Allowing them not to wear hearing devices at certain times for example after school or on weekends, gives them the idea that hearing and listening are only needed for school. This is absolutely incorrect because we know that different environments provide different sound and speech inputs to your child. The more sounds and speech inputs they get, the more they can develop their speech and language abilities.

Tasnim Hazizan, Audiologist

Although some children would adjust quite easily to their hearing devices, it could be difficult for some other children. Often parents complained of the struggles they faced to maintain the hearing devices on their child. This could lead to frustration and eventually causes parents to give way to their child not using their hearing devices.

Here are some tips to get your child to use their hearing devices; and later on developing a natural feeling towards their hearing devices:

1. Start gradually. 

Let your child uses their hearing devices for a short period and increase the usage time gradually each day. For instance, start with 15 minutes usage time with 30 minutes break on the first day. Increase the usage time to 30 minutes and shorten the break to 15 minutes before the next usage. You can set the usage time and daily increment according to your preferences and convenience but the point is to start even for a short period and consistently increase the time.

2. Start using the hearing devices in a quiet place. 

You have to understand that most sounds are new to them and they might get confuse or uncomfortable with the new experience. Therefore, allow them to adapt and get comfortable to softer sounds first. After a while, expose them to a noisier environment where the sounds are more complex. In the end, we want them to be able to hear comfortably to all kind of sounds which will help in developing their hearing and listening skills.

3. Use accessories such as hearing aids clip, headbands, cap or hat. 

Besides providing security to the hearing devices, it allows the hearing aids to stay put on the little ears. This could also help to prevent your child from grabbing and putting their devices into the mouth or being thrown away.

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4. Show natural attitude towards wearing hearing devices. 

Do not make it such a big thing or something weird for them. Make it a habit for them to use the hearing devices every time they wake up in the morning. Just like how we have to wear clean clothes after morning bath, they should have the concept for hearing devices.

5. Be firm with your rules. 

Always follow the rules that you have set for your child to use their hearing devices. Remember; do not let them think that hearing devices are only necessary for certain listening environment only. This could lead them to not use the devices in certain environments and limit their hearing and listening experience only to the same sound.

As a conclusion, the key to developing a successful hearing and listening skills for your hearing impaired child is to use the hearing devices as maximum possible during their waking hours (with correct (re)habilitation process). If you are still struggling with keeping the devices on, do not give up and end up with letting your child to use their devices as they wish. Consult your audiologist instead and get their advices. You can also try to talk to other parents who had the same experience before. They might have their own tips and tricks that work wonders for their child. Although parents are the main caregivers to their children, always remember that it requires a team effort for a successful hearing and listening (re)habilition. Always stay positive and seek help from related professionals, family members or friends. 

Written by:

Tasnim Hazizan;

Audiologist & Head of Services Eartistic Hearing & Balance Centre