Hearing Aids for Toddlers and Young Children

Babies have now grown into toddlers and they are beyond crawling, balancing to stand and walk. They have become toddlers that race through the living room, screaming and jumping with face covered in peanut butter. Not for long, they are young children in crude wooden carts in a race.

 

One good thing in the growth and development from a baby to a toddler to a young child is that they have become accustomed to the presence of the hearing aid on their ear; a big relief for any parent. The unintentional loss, the damage of the device will still be there, though.

 

If hearing loss, however, occurred or commenced within toddler age (three years old) to pre-teen, the same recommended steps are advised by leading authorities and organizations in health and hearing.

 

Evaluation

A hearing loss professional will do a hearing test on your child to determine the extent of damage and the severity of hearing loss. It is important for the parent to understand that early treatment will prevent the child from language and speech trouble and learning difficulty.

 

The same professional may also recommend the best and suitable type of hearing aid to that particular child. Not all hearing aids are exact remedy for every child. This device will also help the child socially in school and at home.

 

After selection of the hearing aid type, the audiologist will adjust the loudness of the sound that is most comfortable for the child.

 

Selection

Hearing aids basically fall into two types with variations for each type, namely:

  • BTE (Behind-the-Ear) and its lone variant, OTE (On-the-Ear);
  • ITE (In-the-Ear) and its two variants, ITC (In-the-Canal), and CIC (Completely-in-the-Canal).

Of the two main types, the BTE is best for toddlers and young children because:

  • these are sturdy and flexible;
  • tamper resistant battery doors to prevent a toddler from swallowing the battery;
  • earmolds are custom-fitted and can be replaced cheaply when the child grows;
  • some brands are hypoallergenic or waterproof.

On the other hand, an ITE hearing aid is not preferred because:

  • children’s ear canals are small;
  • of an ITE does fit in the canal, it needs to be re-cased when the child grows;
  • frequent re-casing as the child ages, makes it expensive;
  • battery doors are not tamper resistant.

 

Accessories such as retainer cords to prevent loss and damage, telephone coil, etc., are available.

 

For more details of our hearing aid services, please contact HK Hearing & Speech Centre to get a hearing aid prescription.

 

 

Source:

HK Hearing & Speech Centre

Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,

and Hearing Aid Prescription

https://www.hkhearingspeech.com

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HK Hearing & Speech Centre
Rm 02, 5/F.,
Kai Seng Commerical Centre,
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Tel: (852) 3100 0555
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