How To Help A Reluctant Child Wear Their Hearing Aids

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Having a hearing aid can be hugely beneficial to a child, allowing them to communicate better, enjoy life more and learn more efficiently in school. However, they can be new and scary, and some children are very reluctant to use them. By following the three steps below, you can find out and deal with hearing aid reluctance.

Figure Out The Root Of Their Reluctance

Some children simply dislike wearing a hearing aid and will take time to adjust, but some have a reason for not wanting to wear their hearing aid. For example, it might be uncomfortable, in which case you can talk to their doctor about issues with the fit. They might be scared of losing their hearing aid and getting into trouble, which is something you can reassure them about. Perhaps a child at school has said something insensitive about the hearing aid or is teasing your child. In that case, you may want to follow the tips at Very Well Family and have a respectful, detailed conversation with your child's teacher. Try speaking to your child when they feel safe and relaxed, and see if you can figure out what's at the root of their reluctance.

Let Them Make Some Choices

Children typically like to make choices – and while they can't decide not to wear a hearing aid, they can often choose what it looks like. Healthy Hearing explains that it can often benefit children to choose the colour of their earmolds to suit their personalities. This makes it feel more personal and more like a fun accessory than a medical tool. You could also decorate the earmolds with fun stickers. If your child doesn't want to wear a hearing aid, try letting them choose what it looks like – you might be surprised by the results.

Speak To Your Doctor

Finally, if nothing else has worked, consider that the hearing aid might not be working well or that it may be uncomfortable. Take your child to the doctor and have their hearing tested, and also have the doctor check how well the hearing aid fits and talk to your child about how it feels. It's possible a small adjustment could make a huge difference. There might be other issues too. For example, Hearing Like Me explains that some children cannot take their hearing aids out or put them in without help, so maybe the doctor could give you some strategies for helping them learn.

Adjusting to hearing aids can be difficult for the whole family, but by being open and honest with each other, as well as speaking regularly to a doctor, you can overcome any reluctance and your child can enjoy their new hearing to the fullest.

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31 August 2019

How Seeing a Doctor Could Save Your Life

Hello there! Welcome to my blog. I would like to start by telling you a story about something that happened to me many years ago. I was working in Sydney at the time as an investment banker. The hours were long and I would party every weekend to de-stress. I put on a lot of weight and began to have problems sleeping. I didn't pay much attention to the problems, as I thought I was invincible. However, one day I collapsed at work. At the hospital the doctors saved my life. Since then, I have become very interested in health and medical matters.