Getting used to hearing aids

Wearing hearing aids should be a positive experience for your child. As a parent, you can help your child become comfortable with his or her hearing aids initially in a number of ways - having a patient and positive attitude being one of the most important.

Getting used to amplification

Allow your child to slowly get used to new sounds. During the first couple of weeks, it is a good idea if your child wears the hearing aids in quiet surroundings, for example at home. If you and your child are meeting with other parents and children, the hearing aids can be removed until your child has got used to the amplified sound.

Later your child can start wearing the hearing aids in other surroundings, such as kindergarten and school.

Read more about using hearing aids in school

Associate hearing aids with routines

A regular schedule for hearing aid use is preferable. It can be hard, but it is best to keep trying every day. At best, hearing aid use is a part of you and your child´s regular daily routines, comparable to brushing teeth and getting dressed.

If your child has difficulties getting used to his or her hearing aids, you can start out by associating hearing aid use with these very simple routines, even if the child in the beginning only wears the hearing aids for a short period of time a day.

If your child has difficulties getting used to the hearing aids, it is important first to find out if the problems stem from the hearing aids themselves. Your child´s ears are developing all the time, and the ear-tip might be too small, or the volume may be too loud. Contact your hearing healthcare professional.

Your role as a parent

It is not only your child who has to get used to the hearing aids. As a parent you need to learn how to handle the hearing aid, maintain and operate it, as well as change batteries. You may also need some time to adapt seeing your child with hearing aids.

Read more about maintaining the hearing aid