What happens if my child’s hearing aid is lost?
If a hearing aid becomes lost, please contact the audiology team on 01429 522585, or email us on [email protected].
We will often arrange for you to bring your child into the department for a new impression (for an ear-mould) to be taken. We will then contact you to pick up the hearing aid once it is ready. There may be a charge for frequent losses due to carelessness or misuse.
What if the hearing aid is broken?
If your child complains the hearing aid is not working, or you suspect the hearing aid is not working, you can access our troubleshooting tips page. (Link to TROUBLESHOOTING pages)
You could also contact your child’s teacher of the deaf, who may be able to support you with this, or come into the nursery or school setting to check hearing aids.
If the hearing aid continues to not work, please contact us.
What if my child’s ear is sore?
If you suspect your child is suffering from an ear infection, we suggest seeing your GP straight away, as it is important to treat infections quickly. If possible, the hearing aid should not be worn until the infection is cleared.
If you think your child’s ear is sore as a result of a poorly fitting hearing aid or ear mould please contact us.
Is my child’s hearing aid Bluetooth enabled?
Our current hearing aids are all Bluetooth enabled, meaning they can be paired with devices such as mobile phones, tablets or laptops to stream sound.
We recommend being mindful of the potential impact that screen time has on a child’s development and to follow recommendations by the World Health Organization (WHO) who suggest:
- No screen time for children 0 to 2 years old
- Up to one hour screen time for children 2 to 5 years old per day
Can my child have a spare hearing aid?
Unfortunately, we are unable to issue spare hearing aids as standard.
Why does my child have regular appointments after their hearing aid fitting?
We routinely review your child’s hearing and assess how they are managing wearing their hearing aids. Hearing aids are programmed specifically to a hearing test.
Children’s hearing can fluctuate up and down frequently, and as they grow their ears grow, too meaning the hearing aids become loose. This often means the sound provided through their hearing aid may be too much or not enough. Regular reviews while your child is growing and developing means we can quickly make changes to hearing aid prescription as needed, allowing consistent access to sound.
Your audiologist will let you know the review periods for your child, but you can request earlier appointments should you have concerns.
What if my child’s ears become blocked with wax?
Wax is a naturally occurring substance that is produced by the skin lining the ear canal. The body removes wax naturally by itself, by it working its way out of the ear canal entrance. When wearing hearing aids for the majority of the day, the ear is blocked off and wax is more likely to build up as it cannot work its way out of the ear. Wax only becomes a problem if a new mould is required, the aids are whistling (feedback) or if it completely blocks the ear canal.
If your child is experiencing feedback, contact the audiology team to arrange to see an audiologist. The audiologist can advise you on the best course of action, which may be using some olive oil ear drops or onwards referral for ear-wax removal.