It can be overwhelming to learn that your child has a hearing loss. What does that mean? Are you sure, because it seems like he/she can hear me? Is this permanent? Did I do something to cause this to happen?
The Audiologists at Better Hearing are trained and highly experienced when it comes to hearing aids for children. We know that children are not small adults – children need to have access to all sound in order to learn, grow, and develop.
We are honored to walk this road with you, and we will be there to answer questions and support you, your child, and your family along the way.
Not sure what to ask? Check out this resource.
by 4 months
• shows preference for variable intonation (“motherese”) over monotone
• able to discriminate between high and low frequency sounds in a quiet setting
by 7 months
• demonstrates awareness of environmental sounds
• reacts to changes in tone of voice
• begins to localize with head turning
• shows auditory memory for familiar voices
• responds to own name and names of family members
by 12 months
• follows verbal commands
• understands the names of familiar objects
by 24 months
• follows directions with two critical elements
• independently seeks the source of a sound
by 36 months
• verbally identifies a sound
• sings complete songs from memory
by 4 years
• developing sustained auditory attention over longer periods of time
• learns from overhearing (uses words/phrases not directly taught
by 7 years
• higher level auditory skills are largely developed, including selective attention, understanding speech with a heavy accent and following conversations
FAQ’s
What makes a hearing aid for a child different than an adult?
There are several factors to consider when selecting a hearing aid for a child or young adult. One is the physical size and shape of the device. Children have smaller ears, and their ears can grow as they get older. Therefore, most hearing aids for children are a behind-the-ear style with a custom molded earpiece. The custom molded earpiece can be remade as the child grows, but the hearing aid remains the same. Another factor is how much sound the child is getting from the hearing aid. Children who utilize spoken language as their communication style need to be able to hear to learn how to speak. Children need to hear everything – even things happening at a distance or in the background. The primary focus for hearing aids for children is to make sure their brain has access to all sounds in their environment. Contrast with adult hearing aids, which utilize noise reduction features and directional microphones to try to mitigate unwanted noise.
Will my child need hearing aids for the rest of their lives?
It depends on the type and cause of the hearing loss. Some hearing losses are temporary – like from an ear infection. Most hearing losses are permanent and would require the use of hearing aids to treat the hearing loss. Our providers at Better Hearing are willing and able to answer all questions you may have about the diagnosis and treatment of your child’s hearing loss, as each case is unique.
What happens when my child outgrows their hearing aid?
If the custom earpiece, called an earmold, is too loose and falls out of their ear, then a new earmold impression will need to be made. This process takes about 5 minutes per ear and two weeks to order and receive the new earmold. Younger children will need new earmold impressions more often – about every 4-6 months, whereas older children can go 1-2 years using the same earmold.
Will my child’s hearing loss get worse?
It depends on the type and cause of the hearing loss. Some hearing losses can remain stable throughout life, whereas others can get worse over time. It is important to monitor your child’s hearing to determine if the hearing loss will progress or stay the same.
What if my child needs a cochlear implant?
A cochlear implant is appropriate for children and adults who have severe to profound hearing loss, or where hearing aids have not been beneficial. Our providers will talk to you about cochlear implantation if it is appropriate for treating your child’s hearing loss. Better Hearing does not offer cochlear implant evaluations or provides programming services for cochlear implants.
