Ideas for encouraging children to wear their hearing aids.
There are many ways to encourage your child to wear hearing aids. You know your child best and will know the most appropriate way for you both.
Before your child puts their hearing aids on
Make sure the hearing aids are comfortable and secure.
You can use:
- toupe tape: you’ll get this from your Audiology department
- headbands: you can find hearing aid head bands online
- huggies: you will get this from your Audiology department
- pilot hats
Decorate the hearing aids. Your new hearing aid pack should have some stickers you can use.
The National Deaf Children’s Society has ideas on how to decorate your child’s hearing aid.
Putting the hearing aids on
Make using hearing aids part of your child’s normal routine, for example:
- put them on when dressing in the morning
- take them off when getting ready for bed
Take a picture of your child wearing hearing aids and put it on display so your child can easily see it.
Wearing hearing aids needs to be meaningful and fun. When you put them in always smile and give as much positive feedback as you can.
Have a bag of special toys that are only available if your child wears their hearing aids. As soon as the hearings aids are in, play with your child and make it great fun. Your child will associate the hearing aids with fun.
If your child pulls the hearing aids out
If your child pulls the hearing aids out out, try to put them straight back in again. Keep calm and positive.
If your child becomes upset when you try and replace them, have a little break and try again later.
Keep the hearing aids visible so your child can ask to look at them or hold them.
Put them over your ears for a bit, show that you like them. Put them on a teddy or soft toy. Get the whole family involved.
Look out for the things your child wants to do and explain they need their hearing aids in first. It doesn’t have to be a logical link.
Meet other children with hearing aids
Take your child to see other children wearing hearing aids. Your Teacher of the Deaf can put you in touch with other parents of Deaf children.