As a hearing aid user for 32 years and also a parent of a child who has
worn aids for 4 years, determining whether new hearing aids are necessary
has not always been clear cut. As with most aspects of managing hearing
loss, it is up to you to be proactive in determining if new hearing aids
and assistive listening devices (ALDs) are appropriate. Don't wait for
your hearing healthcare professionals (doctors, audiologists, etc.) to
keep you up-to-date on the latest products available. Follow these tips
below to help assess the need for new hearing aids for yourself or your
child.
1. The Audiologist
Be sure to find a reputable audiologist whose opinion you trust. A good
audiologist will have information on and distribute many brands of hearing
aids and assistive devices. For children, educational audiologists are
preferable as they are more apt to understand the specific needs children
have for hearing and acoustics in classrooms. To find out if there is an
educational audiologist in your area, contact the Educational Audiology
Association, 13153 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Suite 105, Tampa, Florida 33618, phone:
1-800-460-7EAA (7322),
Email: mailto:EAA@L-TGRAYE.COM URL:
http://www.edaud.org.
Another source for a children's audiologist is to contact a local school
for deaf and/or hearing impaired children and ask if they have an
audiology department or an audiologist on staff. Let your audiologist know
that you are interested in learning about new technology and advancements.
2. Changes in Hearing
If your or your child's hearing changes and is determined to be a
permanent, sensorineural loss (not conductive), ask the audiologist if a
stronger pair of hearing aids are necessary. Some hearing aids offer
considerable gain and may only need an adjustment to be tuned to the new
level of hearing loss. If they don't offer more gain, or they are already
using most of the amplification available, it may be time to consider a
more powerful hearing aid.
3. Changes in Speech
If you notice that your or your child's speech sounds sloppy or begins to
regress, request a new hearing and speech evaluation. Changes in speech
may be indicative of a change in hearing and may warrant an adjustment on
the current aids or a new pair of hearing aids.
4. Testing New Hearing Aids
At least once or twice a year, ask the audiologist if there are any new
hearing aids available or coming onto the market that may be suitable for
you or your child. If there is, set up a trial period. Have the
audiologist conduct an aided hearing evaluation after the new hearing aids
have been worn for at least a week or more. New hearing aids can take
several days to get used to. Compare the aided results to recent tests
with the original pair of aids. This will help assess whether the new pair
of aids offers enough benefit to consider purchasing them.
5. Stay Informed
Make it a habit to periodically check the hearing aid manufacturers' web
sites for information on new products. The Resource Directory at
HearingExchange offers links to several top hearing aid manufacturers'
sites here:
http://www.hearingexchange.com/resources/Hearing_Aid_Manufacturers/.
Another way to stay informed of new products is to visit the News section
of HearingExchange that is located on the main page at
http://www.HearingExchange.com.
News articles are updated regularly.
There are also some daily listserves that can keep you abreast of hearing
aid and assistive technology news. My favorite is: bhNews. To subscribe, send a blank email to
mailto:bhNEWS-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Consider receiving in digest format as they send out many articles each day.
Accurately fitted hearing aids are important for listening, comprehension
and speaking. It also plays a significant part in the emotional well-being
of hearing impaired adults and children. By keeping these tips in mind,
you will have a better idea of when new hearing aids may be necessary.
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Paula
Rosenthal, J.D. is married and has three children. She, her husband and
daughter are all hearing impaired. Her sons have normal hearing. A law
school graduate, Paula is the publisher of
http://www.HearingExchange.com, an online community for people with
hearing loss, families of deaf and hard of hearing children and
professionals. She is also a writer and public speaker on hearing loss
and related issues. To contact her, send an email to
info@hearingexchange.com. |
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© 2002-2007 Paula Rosenthal and Taylor Rose, Inc. All rights reserved.
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This article is one
of many in the
Paula’s Pearls group of syndicated content from HearingExchange. It
may be reproduced under certain conditions. Email Paula at
info@hearingexchange.com
for further information.
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