Hearing Aids: For Kids and Their Parents Stephanie Cox and Laurie Greenberg

Your Hearing Aid Battery MTO Switch Volume Control Microphone(s) Earhook Tubing Earmold Tip: To distinguish the right hearing aid from the left, have your audiologist attach red and blue stickers to the hearing aid or use a permanent marker to place a small red or blue dot on each aid. –Red = Right –Blue = Left

How Your Hearing Aid Works Sounds are picked up by the hearing aid MICROPHONE. The sound is made louder by the AMPLIFIER. The sound passes through the TUBING and the EARMOLD and enters the ear canal. The sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate, setting the tiny middle ear bones into vibration. These vibrations are transferred into the cochlea in the inner ear where the information is sent to the brain. Tool: How a Hearing Aid Works AnimationHow a Hearing Aid Works Animation

Taking Care of Your Hearing Aid Batteries Maintenance –Cleaning –Visual Inspection –Listening Checks

Batteries Batteries can be purchased at drugstores, Wal-Mart, Target, etc. The numbers and colors of batteries are standard across manufacturers. –Sizes and Colors 675 – Blue 312 – Brown 13 – Orange 10 – Yellow 5 – Red

Batteries (cont’d) Battery Life –Battery life begins as soon as the tab is removed. Replacing the tab after removing will NOT make the battery last longer. –Battery life is dependent on many factors including: Size of battery, Type of hearing aid, The number of hours the hearing aid is worn, and The severity of the hearing loss. - On average, zinc-air batteries will last 1-3 weeks. Tip: To track battery life, place the battery sticker on that day in your calendar each time you put in a fresh battery. You can then look back to see how long the battery has lasted.

Batteries (cont’d) Always carry spare batteries with you. Batteries should be inserted into the hearing aid with the flat side up. If the battery door will not close, don’t try to force it shut. The battery is probably in upside down. Safety Tips: –Hearing aid batteries are toxic. –If a battery is swallowed See a doctor, and Call the National Button Battery Hotline collect at (202)

Maintenance Cleaning a BTE –Earmold Use wax loop every day to remove any wax, dirt, etc. from all holes in the earmold. Occasionally, the earmold can be detached from the hearing aid and soaked in soapy water and left separated from the hearing aid to dry. Tip: Wash only one earmold at a time to prevent hearing aid mix-ups -Hearing Aid Wipe with a dry cloth Never use cleaning solutions, alcohol, etc. on the hearing aid itself

Maintenance Dry Aid Kit –Every night, remove the battery and leave the door open. Place the hearing aid and earmold into the dry aid kit. This pulls out extra moisture and will make the hearing aid last longer. –Keep the kit closed at all times, even when not in use. –Follow directions for reactivating after all colored crystals are gone. Tool: Maintenance Checklist (see next slide) Maintenance Checklist

Every Day  Wipe off aid with a dry cloth  Test the battery  Check earmold opening for wax Every Night  Store hearing aid in a dry cool place – preferably a dry-aid kit, if not the hearing aid case  Turn off the aid and open the battery compartment Every Year  Have hearing and hearing aid checked by the audiologist  Replace plastic tubing if necessary As Needed  Change battery  Wash earmold  Check for moisture  Replace earmold  Replace hearing aid

Maintenance Visual Inspection –Battery check No corrosion, dirt or rust on battery or inside battery compartment Use battery tester every morning to ensure sufficient battery strength –Earmold Check for wax in holes Be sure it fits properly in the ear (no gaps) No cracks –Tubing Not cracked, twisted, excessively hard or discolored –Hearing Aid No cracks in casing Controls move easily Be sure it is clean

Maintenance Listening Check –Using a listening tube/stethoscope, talk into the hearing aid. While talking, listen for: Pops Distortion Unwanted Noise –Press on the casing of the hearing aid while listening. The sound should not cut in and out. –Turn hearing aid on and off. Adjust the volume controls (if activated) and change between programs. There should be smooth transitions while performing these tasks. Tip: The Ling 6 Sound Test is great for listening checks. Say the sounds ah, ee, oo, ss, sh, & mm while listening.

Oops! My Hearing Aid is Not Working Two main reasons your hearing aid might not work: 1)The battery is dead. Replace the battery and perform a listening check. 2)The earmold is clogged with wax. Use the wax loop to remove any blockage. Your hearing aid may whistle because the earmold is not in your ear the right way. Push the earmold in all the way around. For any other problems, have your mom or dad call your audiologist. Tool: Troubleshooting Guide for Parents (see Next Slides)

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE SymptomPossible CauseSolution Whistling or squealing noise while hearing aid is worn Your hearing aid and/or earmold is not inserted correctly Re-insert your hearing aid and/or earmold Ear wax is blocking your ear canal Have your ear canal examined by your doctor Earmold tubing is split Contact your audiologist for assistance Earmold or in-the-ear hearing aid is too loose Contact your audiologist for assistance No sound Hearing aid is not turned ON Check that the battery holder is fully closed and the hearing aid is switched ON Dead battery Replace the battery with a new one Hearing aid is in T (telecoil) position Switch your hearing aid to M (microphone) position The tubing is blocked with wax or moisture Remove the wax or moisture from the tubing as indicated in cleaning an earmold. If the problem persists contact your audiologist.

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE SymptomPossible CauseSolution Weak sound or Distorted sound The volume is too soft (weak) or too loud (distortion) Adjust the volume control The tubing or earmold is partially blocked with wax or moisture (weak) Remove the wax or moisture from the tubing If the problem persists contact your audiologist A change in your hearing Contact your audiologist for a hearing test Intermittent sound Dirty or corroded battery contacts Return your hearing aid to your audiologist for service or repair Excessive Earwax Check for earwax in earmold or have audiologist/doctor clean out ears

What not to do… Don’t leave them where your dog can reach them. Don’t take a bath or shower with your hearing aids on. Do NOT get them wet!! Tip: If it gets wet, let it dry with the battery door open. Don’t use a blow dryer on it! Don’t let anyone play with your hearing aids. Don’t let them get too hot or too cold. Don’t wear them when you’re really sweaty.

Why do I have to wear my hearing aids ALL the time? The more you wear your hearing aids, the easier it is to listen. You can hear what all your friends are saying. (Oh yeah, and your mom and dad, too) You might just do better in school because of them…

Frequently Asked Questions Q: Do I wear it to bed? A: Nope. Only when you’re awake. Q: Can I wear it during recess or sports? A: If you’re not too sweaty and you think they won’t fall off, go ahead. It’s probably a good idea to take them off. Q: How long does my hearing aid last? A: About 5-7 years if you take care of it. You should get your hearing checked about once a year though, just to be sure.

Resources Tool: Audiologist Information/Hearing Aid Record Use this to keep track of the important information about your child’s audiologist and hearing aids. (See next slide)

Audiologist Information Name______________________________ Address______________________________ ______________________________ Phone Number______________________________ Hearing Aid Record RightLeft Type of Aid ___________________________________ Manufacturer___________________________________ Model___________________________________ Serial Number___________________________________ Date Purchased___________________________________ Battery Size___________________________________

Websites: spx Resources