1 introduction from siemens your involvement is key as a parent involvement in your child s overall development is very important and this is especially true when your child has a hearing loss the more time patience love and support you provide the easier it will be for your child to realize his or her fullest potential it will also assist other important developmental factors such as verbal and social interaction thanks to advances in hearing technology there are more amplification options for children with hearing loss than ever before siemens the world s largest hearing instrument manufacturer is at the forefront of adapting advanced technology into hearing instruments designed with children s needs in mind from smaller behind-the-ear instruments to safety features and hands-free operation there is a solution that best suits a wide range of children s hearing losses siemens is committed to offering the most up-to-date hearing solutions and making it as easy as possible for you to he
|
3 special care for little ears younger ears need special care almost half of all children with hearing loss are diagnosed with a severe-to-profound hearing impairment as a result it is important they are fitted with powerful hearing instruments that are appropriate for smaller ears the majority of people with hearing loss both children and adults have what is known as a sensorineural hearing loss which means that the cause of the hearing loss originates in the inner ear with this type of hearing loss soft sounds and average sounds may require considerable amplification but often loud sounds do not require as much amplification modern hearing aids have the ability to overcome this problem by limiting the output of the hearing instrument in such a way that loud sounds will not sound too loud for someone with a hearing loss 3 one potential issue for fitting children is the fact that the size and shape of the ear canal changes as they grow because of this the hearing instrument may requi
|
inserting removing the hearing instrument take the earmold between your thumb and index finger and insert the earmold into the ear gently work the earmold into its proper position by adjusting it until it is firmly seated in the ear then lift the hearing instrument over the top of the ear and adjust it to fit behind the ear picked up by the microphone this is a good indication that the earmold no longer fits properly and a new earmold is needed bte hearing instruments can also be connected to external sound sources such as an fm system an fm personal communication system is a type of assistive listening device that improves a child s ability to hear in crowded or noisy situations like a classroom the teacher or speaker wears a small microphone that transmits speech by fm radio waves to the child s receiver the receiver connects to the child s hearing instruments and greatly improves listening ability for the child with hearing loss special accessories for children some children may ne
|
4 encourage your child microphones volume control memory switch battery compartment door 1 t 2 earhook one of the most important aspects of helping a child wear hearing instruments is to have a positive attitude this will help your child accept his or her hearing instruments as something quite routine your child will quickly get used to them if they are treated as a part of everyday life s a bte clip connects the hooks of the hearing instruments to a younger child s clothing helping to ensure each hearing instrument is not lost s audio input boots enables the child to enjoy the use of an fm system at home and in the classroom as well as other assistive listening devices alds counseling issues after a child is fitted with hearing instruments there may be a period of adjustment that follows part of this process may include counseling for both the child and family members informal counseling may also be helpful talk to parents of other children with hearing loss in your community these
|
teachers therapists and others who interact with school-age children with hearing loss should be kept informed about the child s progress and particular challenges it s important to offer patience attention love and support to help the child continue to develop along with his or her classmates the first time your child wears their hearing instruments he or she may need some time to adjust to all the sounds surrounding them this process might be a bit longer than you expect but keep a positive and relaxed attitude engage your child in exploring their new environment with encouragement the hearing instruments should be accepted and successfully worn by your child when your child says i don t want to wear them today there will likely be times when your child for whatever reason simply won t want to wear his or her hearing instruments when this happens it is best to remain calm and try to find out the reason try to get as many details as possible and report them to your hearing care prof
|
5 hearing instrument use and care normal hours of wear after the initial adjustment period your child will begin to accept the idea of wearing his or her hearing instruments as part of normal everyday life consult with your hearing care professional as to the recommended number of hours per day the instruments should be worn if you have any questions remember your hearing care professional and staff are there to answer them week 1 week 2 week 3 week 4 hrs per day hrs per day hrs per day hrs per day him or her know that it s ok to run play and engage in sports activities with everyone else but educate your child regarding the aspects of everyday life that can affect hearing instruments moisture dust and perspiration for example with just a little attention to these details you re less likely to encounter problems that can affect the long-term performance of the instruments it is also important to pay attention to the average life of your child s hearing instrument batteries with a you
|
6 troubleshooting problem the hearing instrument whistles while your child is wearing it check to see s is the earmold inserted correctly s is the volume control in the normal position or is it too high s is there a leak or crack in the earmold tubing or earhook s is there too much ear wax in your child s ear canal s is the earmold too small because the ear canal has been growing normally s is the tube still connected with the earmold and the hook s is the hearing instrument damaged s is the hook or tube damaged s is the child s head tilted so that something is up against the microphone i.e infant in car seat problem the hearing instrument does not whistle when you hold it in your hand only applicable if hearing instrument does not have automatic feedback reduction system check to see s is the hearing instrument turned on s is the volume control in the normal position s is the battery still ok s is the earmold blocked s have you selected the right program for example programs designe
|
s does the hearing instrument work after a new battery is inserted s is the earmold blocked with earwax s is the earmold tubing blocked s is the hook dry problem your child says the hearing instrument isn t working properly check to see s is the volume control in the normal position s is the opening for the microphone accessible s is the battery dead s is the earmold blocked s is there too much ear wax in your child s ear canal s is the hearing instrument damaged s are both the hook and the tube dry s is the battery properly inserted in its compartment s is the on-off switch at the correct position s is the volume control in the normal position s is the earmold blocked s are both the hook and tube dry s does the earmold fit correctly problem the hearing instrument got wet steps s shake the water away quickly s remove the battery s have the hearing instrument checked by your hearing care professional if this is not possible use your dry aid kit s leave the hearing instrument in a dry pl
|
7 tips for you and your family helping your child to hear and understand better requires active participation from family members and friends begin by setting up some simple communication rules invent a sign like waving your hand when you start talking to your child the sign will quickly attract the child s attention to your words it will be much easier for him or her to understand here are some other tips for you and your family s our world is full of hearing impressions that a child can learn to develop and understand talk about everything that you are doing verbally describe the setting around you and your child s help your child listen to these sounds explain the different sounds and how they are connected with other events 11 s always try to show children what you are talking about visual signs help s use short and simple sentences rather than baby talk repeat the sentences and speak clearly and slowly s look at your child while you are speaking to them often it is easier for
|
s read to your child often so that they begin to associate words with their designated items and actions s use fm systems whenever possible at home and in school preparing for the future talk to your hearing care professional about communication options such as the auditoryverbal cued speech and auditoryoral approaches which might be appropriate for your child when the child reaches school age you will be faced with decisions about their education look to your hearing care professional and parents of other children with hearing loss for support and advice take some time to talk to their teachers find out whether they are experienced with a child who has hearing loss give them as much information as possible it is good for you and the teacher to also inform the other students that your child has a hearing loss this can help the other children to understand your child s situation much better web resources for more information there are many resources on the internet here are just a few
|
siemens hearing instruments inc p.o box 1397 piscataway nj 08855-1397 siemens hearing instruments a division of siemens canada limited 320 pinebush road cambridge ontario n3c 2v3 www.usa.siemens.com/hearing information in this brochure subject to change without notice copyright © 2004 siemens hearing instruments inc all rights reserved 7087328 11/04 3.0 22l884 5k shi/07020-4
|
