Deciding upon the Ideal Hearing Aid Design for a Child

December 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

It’s an unfortunate reality that many young children experience loss of hearing, but with the most suitable type of hearing aid this does not have to slow them down. On the other hand, the sheer quantity of hearing aid designs and options to choose from can certainly make deciding on the right one challenging for most parents. There are some styles that are more appropriate for youngsters than others, so continue reading to explore what type may work best for your child.

There are two main styles of hearing aids that work well for children: In-the-ear (ITE) and behind-the-ear (BTE). Unlike adults, children are continuously growing and developing, making regular hearing aid adjustment critical. ITE and behind-the-ear type hearing aids are often selected for children since they are most easy to fine-tune. Fitted to the child’s outer ear, ITE hearing aids are small devices in plastic cases. Additional solutions including telecoil can be built into this type of product. BTE hearing aids tend to be more identifiable because of their plastic case that sits behind the ear. A little piece of tubing joins the case to an earmold that rests in the outer ear. Both styles of devices can address an array of hearing issues.

Hearing aid selection is often more difficult if your child suffers other medical conditions. As an example, behind-the-ear hearing aids might not fit appropriately on children whose ears are misshapen. For some children, a very shallow ear canal might not present enough space to allow for in-the-ear hearing aids. Children with an extreme build-up of ear wax may not be good candidates for ITE devices given that it can interfere with the device performance.

Meeting with your child’s hearing specialist is a vital step in selecting a hearing aid for your child. He or she will lead you through your selections and make recommendations determined by your child’s unique situation. Learning about your role in optimizing your child’s hearing can also be given by your specialist. Removing, inserting, or fine-tuning the volume of your child’s hearing aids to ensure they are comfortable may be your responsibility if your child is young.

While finding the right hearing aid can be confusing and discouraging, with time and research you will find the perfect product for your child.

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Astonishing Hearing Loss Facts and Data

October 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Do you have a family member or friend that needs a hearing aid (or at least a hearing test) but won’t go along with your suggestions? Chatting about some of the statistics related to the prevalence, causes and effects of hearing loss may finally get them to make that initial appointment. These facts and stats could help you persuade someone you care about that it is time to schedule a hearing evaluation:

  • The number of Americans with hearing loss has doubled in the last 3 decades.
  • More men than women experience hearing loss.
  • Approximately 36 million people in the United States have some sort of hearing loss, which is almost one out of every five people.
  • Roughly 13% of the population over age 65 will experience tinnitus – ringing in the ears.
  • Many more people could benefit from a hearing aid than in fact wear one. Some estimates say there are 4 additional people who could benefit, for every 1 actually using a hearing aid.
  • Ten million people have permanent loss of hearing due to noise, and 30 million more are exposed to dangerous noise levels every day.
  • Close to 13,000 adults and 10,000 children in the US have cochlear implants.
  • Research studies have indicated that those with hearing loss experience it as mild in 65% of cases, moderate in 30% of cases and severe in 5% of cases.
  • High frequency hearing loss caused by recurring loud noise exposure affects about 26 million people in the US (ages 20-69). This includes regular noise exposure from both work and leisure sources.
  • People with hearing loss wait close to a decade before doing anything about it. Don’t let this be you or someone you love!
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Can Lower Cost Personal Sound Amplifiers Substitute for Hearing Aids?

July 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Have you noticed advertisements for inexpensive personal sound amplifiers (PSAs) on television or in magazines lately? These advertisements are contributing to confusion about the difference between hearing aids and personal sound amplifiers. The reason you don’t see very many ads for hearing aids is because they are medical devices, supervised by the Food & Drug Administration, and therefore not available for purchase without a prescription from a properly licensed doctor, hearing instrument specialist or audiologist. Hearing aids are for individuals with hearing loss ranging from modest to extensive. They are adjusted for each individual to precisely address their distinctive hearing loss as determined by the audiologist or hearing aid dispenser.

Personal sound amplifiers also increase the volume of the sounds you hear, but they are intended to do this for individuals with normal hearing. Some personal sound amplifiers look very much like hearing aids, but they aren’t; the only thing that they do is take in sound and increase its volume. PSAs are not capable of correcting the subtle types of problems that hearing-impaired individuals have.

The low price of personal sound amplifiers (under $100, in contrast to thousands of dollars for hearing aids) may make them sound appealing to people on a tight budget. The vast variation in price is one good reason the Food & Drug Administration has gotten involved developing information campaigns and websites to make sure that buyers understand the distinction. Their guidance is straightforward: if you’re having trouble hearing sounds at what other people consider normal volumes, have your hearing tested by a professional audiologist or hearing instrument specialist before you think about buying a personal sound amplifier. Using a PSA when you actually need a hearing aid has many disadvantages. First it might delay proper evaluation and management of your hearing condition. Second, it may further hurt your hearing if the PSA is used at very high volumes.

So, before you make any final decision about buying a device to help your hearing, see your audiologist. Some hearing problems (say for example a blockage of the ear canals caused by a ear wax accumulation) can be corrected in one office visit. Other varieties of hearing impairment may be more serious or even permanent, but they too can be effectively treated using good quality hearing aids that have been correctly prescribed and adjusted. A hearing instrument specialist or audiologist can pinpoint the root cause of your problem. In certain scenarios you won’t need a hearing aid or a PSA.

After a hearing exam, if your hearing is determined to be normal, you may choose a PSA if you still have trouble with particular sounds. When looking for one, read the device’s specifications, and only consider those that satisfactorily amplify sounds in the range of human speech (between 1000 to 2000 Hz). Additionally, don’t purchase any PSAs that don’t include volume controls and electronically-enforced volume limits that don’t allow their volume levels to surpass 135 decibels. There is a place for PSAs in the marketplace when used by the right individuals. They can be helpful for individuals with normal hearing to hear faraway or faint sounds better. They simply should not be confused with genuine hearing aids, or be used as an alternative to them by people with true hearing loss.

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Common Hearing Aid Buying Mistakes Made by First Time Buyers

December 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

If you’re shopping for your first hearing aid and finding the process confusing, you are not alone. When Consumer Reports did a comparative report on hearing aids, they followed consumers for six months as they tried to figure out which one to buy. After six months the disappointing results were in: these first-time hearing aid owners were left with ill-fitting hearing aids with volumes either too loud or too soft. Prices varied widely, and the people selling them did not always provide the kinds of information the shoppers needed. That said, there are tips that can help you when shopping for your first hearing aid, and in this article we’ll cover a few of them. We can’t provide all of the information that would be useful to cover in such a short set of tips, so we refer you in advance to an excellent set of guidelines at Your Guide to Buying Hearing Aids. These guidelines are provided on the website of the Better Hearing Institute (BHI), a non-profit corporation that educates the public about hearing loss and what can be done about it. In addition to their suggestions, here are ours:

See an audiology professional

Make an appointment to see one of our audiology specialists or any other certified hearing specialist in your area. You can be best prepared for your appointment by reviewing the BHI guidelines beforehand. It will help you to ask the right questions and know what the right answers are.

Determine which type of hearing aid you need

This is decided while working with the specialists, who will use tests they conduct during Step 1 to determine your type and severity of hearing loss. The type of aids you choose should reflect which type is best for your particular hearing problems, and for your budget.

Do your research

After selecting the type of hearing aid that is best for your situation use the Internet to research different models. Your research should focus on any reports of problems or repairs, consumer reviews on comfort and reliability, as well as price comparisons.

Locate a reputable vendor

This vendor may be your hearing specialist from Step 1 or someone they referred you to. The vendor should be able to make molds of your ears and fit the aids properly. While it is possible to buy hearing aids on the Internet, this is not recommended because most models have to be custom-fitted.

Ensure proper fit and performance

This should be done before walking out the door after your first fitting, and the vendor you select should support this. Most reputable vendors will do this, and provide a “satisfaction guaranteed” warranty, complete with free followup fittings or adjustments, if necessary.

We are here to help you as you make the purchase of your first hearing aid and we wish you good luck on this exciting journey to better hearing!

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Your Hearing Aid Fitting

June 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment

If you have been evaluated for hearing loss by your hearing healthcare provider, you may have already determined your candidacy for hearing aids. If you have made your ear impressions and ordered your aids, you now just have to wait for them to return from the manufacturer. Typically the wait time is 1.5 to 3 weeks for a custom aid or custom ear piece to return. Non-custom aids may be ready to be fit the same week as your evaluation. Once the aids have returned to your provider’s clinic, they will thoroughly check the devices to ensure that the hearing instruments are performing as expected. An appointment for fitting and orientation will be scheduled.

Expect your fitting and orientation to last between 1 and 1.5 hours. Your provider will place your hearing instruments in your ears and ensure a good fit. While the feeling may not be very natural for you at the beginning, there should never be any major discomfort or pain, even initially. If you note any of these symptoms, tell your hearing healthcare provider immediately.

Your aids will be connected by wires or wirelessly (typically through Bluetooth capabilities) to a computer programming software. Your provider will probably have pre-programmed basic settings prior to your coming in. The sounds seem very new and very loud to you at first. This occurrence is natural, but if the sound is uncomfortable or distorted tell your provider. Your patient feedback is just as valuable as the computer programming used. Some programming adjustments may be made to get the best sound quality for your hearing needs.

Some providers ask their patients to stick to a schedule of wear time for your hearing instruments. An adjustment period may necessary for some (but not all) patients to acclimate to this “new” sound. If you want to deviate from the schedule, wear more often – never less often.

Your hearing healthcare provider will guide you through the process of understanding the components of your aid, inserting and removing your aids, and hearing instrument care and maintenance. You should be given time to demonstrate these skills and ask any questions. You should be provided with a supply of batteries to carry you through at least a 30-day trial period. A follow-up appointment is usually set for one to two weeks. If you have problems with your hearing or hearing aids before then, contact your provider.

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What Hearing Aids Can Do For You

April 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Found out you have hearing loss and dreading hearing aids? Don’t! Modern digital hearing instruments could be the best thing to happen to you. How long has it been since you have heard clearly, without missing much of a conversation? Does your family complain that you are blasting them out of the house with your television volume settings? Do you miss hearing your child or grandchild’s laughter? Digital hearing instruments may be right for you! Digital technology in hearing devices allows for complete customization to a user’s hearing loss, needs, desires, and lifestyle. Even the most basic of digital aids on the market today typically provide better listening for multiple listening situations (e.g., everyday quiet settings versus noisier environments). Modern advances in technology and design have also allowed for sleeker, more streamlined designs. Stream lined equals small. Small equals practically invisible in many cases. For those who do not mind the attention, there are even bold designs available to fit your tastes.

Digital aids work by picking up incoming sounds via an external microphone port, processing that sound with a computer digital chip to suit the hearing loss, amplifying that sound, and then transmitting that sound faithfully to your ear!

While these aids will not restore hearing to a “normal” level, they will provide much more information from your listening environment and make your ease of listening increase! Many who choose to go without amplification find themselves having greater and greater difficulty in communicative situations! Persons experiencing great difficulty with communication may fake understanding, withdraw from conversation, or isolate themselves from their traditional social outlets to avoid feelings of embarrassment, anger, or frustration. Why allow your hearing loss to rule your life when wonderful digital hearing technology is so readily available? Contact a local hearing healthcare professional for a full hearing evaluation and hearing instrument candidacy assessment. If you are determined to be a candidate for amplification, your options for style and design will be discussed.

If a custom hearing aid or ear mold is being created, an impression of your ear will need to be taken. This takes 10-20 minutes to complete. The impression will be sent to the manufacturer to create your custom aid or ear piece. Then, in no time, your aids will be back in and ready to help you hear better! Call your hearing healthcare provider today to discuss your hearing aid options!!!

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