While hearing aids are available that fit entirely in the ear canal, children are usually fit with behind-the-ear hearing aids.
Various types of behind-the-ear hearing aids are available for children, including conventional analog hearing aids and programmable digital hearing aids. Because of the extra expense of digital aids and the difficulty in correctly programming them for young children, some people prefer the conventional analog hearing aids. Others prefer digital. That's a choice that's up to you and your audiologist. There are also some types of hearing aids that transpose high frequency sounds into lower frequency sounds.
Contributing to the effectiveness of a hearing aid is correct tubing. Some audiologists may fit a child with tubing which narrows from the behind-the-ear unit to the opening into the ear canal and which thus inadvertently cuts off certain higher frequencies. To avoid having the tubing reduce frequencies, tubing such as CFA is often used.
Proper daily checks of the hearing aid are essential, as is proper maintenance such as putting the hearing aid in a dry-aid kit each night to remove moisture. Periodic tests of the hearing aid by the audiologist are also recommended.
If you have to send your child's hearing aid in for repair, ask your audiologist for a loaner. Also ask for express shipment and priority repair service - your child shouldn't be without sound any longer than is absolutely necessary.
The Missouri Newborn Hearing Screening Act requires that insurance companies cover the cost of initial amplification. Unfortunately, there are coverage exceptions.
Missouri First Steps and Missouri public schools have been known to purchase hearing aids for use by deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
The charitable organization Hear Now also provides assistance in purchasing hearing aids.
Hear Now 9745 East Hampden Avenue, #300 Denver, CO 80231 (303) 695-4327 V/TTY (800) 648-HEAR V/TTY (303) 695-7789 FAX
There are several hearing aid manufacturers, such as:
29 Schoolhouse Rd. Somerset, NJ 08875-6724
1-800-462-8336
800-227-0735