Appendix A
Hearing aids
219
A hearing aid is a small piece of equipment that makes sounds louder.
Many people think that a hearing aid will cure a child’s hearing
problem and make him hear sounds like other people do. This is not
true. Hearing aids only make sounds louder. They do not fix any other
problem. For more about different kinds of hearing loss, see Chapter 5,
starting on page 47.
Hearing aids can be worn in one or both ears, depending on the kind of
hearing loss a child has. They can help a child who hears some sounds
to hear sounds better. If a child cannot hear any sounds, a hearing aid
will probably not help.
Is a hearing aid right for my child?
benefits
Hearing aids may help a
child who hears a little to
understand speech, hear
sounds better, and speak
better.
difficulties
Hearing aids only help children
with certain types of hearing loss.
Hearing aids need batteries and
need to be kept clean. They are
expensive and break easily. A
child who uses a hearing aid will
need to travel regularly to a clinic
for hearing tests.
A hearing aid will only work well if it fits a child’s ear exactly. The
earmold (the part that fits in the ear) is made from impressions of the
outer ear, and no two ears are the same. In young children, the earmold
must be checked at least twice a year. It must be replaced as a child’s ear
grows and changes shape.