Solutions
Hearing is one of a child's most precious senses. Through hearing, children develop language and communication skills, marvel at the sounds of our bustling world, learn to read, appreciate music and be warned of approaching danger.
Hearing loss does not put an end to all this if amplification is provided early. Often, by acting early and selecting the right technological solutions, such sounds, including speech, can still be accessed.
The outlook for children with hearing impairment is now bright with a full range of options.
Technology
Today, there is virtually no hearing loss that cannot benefit from the use of appropriate technology. After a clear diagnosis of hearing impairment appropriate technology should be chosen as soon as possible to ensure that your child can benefit early from auditory experience.
Hearing instruments allow this by amplifying sound and can help children of any age. The right choice of hearing instrument can help your child develop good communication skills.
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Behind-The-Ear hearing instruments - in a variety of colors
A young child is usually fitted with behind-the-ear (BTE) style hearing instruments. These hearing instruments come in a variety of bright, cheerful colors and can help a wide range of hearing losses - mild, moderate and profound.
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In-The-Ear hearing instruments
Older children may be candidates for in-the-ear (ITE) style hearing instruments which are custom-made to fit inside the ear and help with mild-to-moderate hearing losses.
The decision whether your child should be fit with one or two hearing instruments depends mainly on the configuration of the hearing loss. However, if there is hearing loss in both ears, wearing two hearing aids helps with localizing sounds and to hear better, even in noise.
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There are many factors to be considered when choosing hearing instruments. For this reason an experienced hearingcare professional can help decide which technology and which model is most suitable for your child.
Practical Hints & Tips
There is a whole range of services for your child and your family. These services are designed to help children with hearing impairment make optimum use of their hearing. Your doctor or audiologist will help you make decisions about the most appropriate strategies for your child's individual needs.
Below are a few simple tips for you and the people around your child.
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Be seen and heard
When you (or other people) are speaking, ensure that your child can see your face clearly. Everybody uses facial expression to complement communication and the movement of our lips as we speak also offers clues, even without formal training in lip reading. Therefore, those with hearing loss can especially benefit from a clear view of the person who is speaking. Try not to hide your mouth or turn away while speaking as this will prevent your child benefiting from this useful information.
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Get involved
The professionals you meet are there to help you. Together you form a team whose focus is to discover what is best for your child. Opinions may differ, there are limits to anyone's ability to provide all the answers. Get involved with the process and weigh all the advice and information you receive to come to the best decisions for yourself, your family and your child.
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Share in success
Your child and your family can benefit from the experiences of other families in a similar situation. This could be information about a new amplification technology or just a little thing that worked for them. If you come across someone with a child who is doing things you would like your child to be able to do, ask them how they did it. Most families will be happy to share their successes.
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Noise
It can be very difficult to understand in background noise. This is true for everybody but a hearing loss can make a noisy environment even more troublesome. Try, if possible, to reduce background noise while you are speaking with your child by choosing a quieter location or lowering the volume of music etc. Technologies ( such as directional microphones or FM ) can vastly improve noisy situations. Ask your hearingcare professional about appropriate technologies.
