Hearing Aids:
For Kids and Their
Parents
Stephanie Cox and Laurie Greenberg
Your Hearing Aid
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Battery
MTO Switch
Volume Control
Microphone(s)
Earhook
Tubing
Earmold
Tip: To distinguish the right hearing aid from the left,
have your audiologist attach red and blue stickers to
the hearing aid or use a permanent marker to place a
small red or blue dot on each aid.
– Red = Right
– Blue = Left
How Your Hearing Aid
Works
• Sounds are picked up by the hearing aid MICROPHONE.
• The sound is made louder by the AMPLIFIER.
• The sound passes through the TUBING and the
EARMOLD and enters the ear canal.
• The sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate, setting
the tiny middle ear bones into vibration.
• These vibrations are transferred into the cochlea in the
inner ear where the information is sent to the brain.
• Tool: How a Hearing Aid Works Animation
Taking Care of Your
Hearing Aid
• Batteries
• Maintenance
– Cleaning
– Visual Inspection
– Listening Checks
Batteries
• Batteries can be purchased at drugstores,
Wal-Mart, Target, etc.
• The numbers and colors of batteries are
standard across manufacturers.
– Sizes and Colors
•
•
•
•
•
675 – Blue
312 – Brown
13 – Orange
10 – Yellow
5 – Red
Batteries (cont’d)
• Battery Life
– Battery life begins as soon as the tab is removed.
Replacing the tab after removing will NOT make the
battery last longer.
– Battery life is dependent on many factors including:
•
•
•
•
Size of battery,
Type of hearing aid,
The number of hours the hearing aid is worn, and
The severity of the hearing loss.
- On average, zinc-air batteries will last 1-3 weeks.
Tip: To track battery life, place the battery sticker
on that day in your calendar each time you put in a
fresh battery. You can then look back to see how long
the battery has lasted.
Batteries (cont’d)
• Always carry spare batteries with you.
• Batteries should be inserted into the hearing aid
with the flat side up. If the battery door will
not close, don’t try to force it shut. The
battery is probably in upside down.
Safety Tips:
– Hearing aid batteries are toxic.
– If a battery is swallowed
• See a doctor, and
• Call the National Button Battery Hotline collect at (202)
625-3333.
Maintenance
• Cleaning a BTE
– Earmold
• Use wax loop every day to remove any wax, dirt, etc.
from all holes in the earmold.
• Occasionally, the earmold can be detached from the
hearing aid and soaked in soapy water and left
separated from the hearing aid to dry.
Tip: Wash only one earmold at a time to prevent
hearing aid mix-ups
- Hearing Aid
• Wipe with a dry cloth
• Never use cleaning solutions, alcohol, etc. on the
hearing aid itself
Maintenance
• Dry Aid Kit
– Every night, remove the battery and leave the door
open. Place the hearing aid and earmold into the dry aid
kit. This pulls out extra moisture and will make the
hearing aid last longer.
– Keep the kit closed at all times, even when not in use.
– Follow directions for reactivating after all colored
crystals are gone.
Tool: Maintenance Checklist (see next slide)
Maintenance Checklist
Every Day

Wipe off aid with a dry cloth

Test the battery

Check earmold opening for wax
Every Night

Store hearing aid in a dry cool place – preferably a
dry-aid kit, if not the hearing aid case

Turn off the aid and open the battery compartment
Every Year

Have hearing and hearing aid checked by the
audiologist

Replace plastic tubing if necessary
As Needed

Change battery

Wash earmold

Check for moisture

Replace earmold

Replace hearing aid
Maintenance
• Visual Inspection
– Battery check
• No corrosion, dirt or rust on battery or inside battery
compartment
• Use battery tester every morning to ensure sufficient battery
strength
– Earmold
• Check for wax in holes
• Be sure it fits properly in the ear (no gaps)
• No cracks
– Tubing
• Not cracked, twisted, excessively hard or discolored
– Hearing Aid
• No cracks in casing
• Controls move easily
• Be sure it is clean
Maintenance
• Listening Check
– Using a listening tube/stethoscope, talk into the hearing
aid. While talking, listen for:
• Pops
• Distortion
• Unwanted Noise
– Press on the casing of the hearing aid while listening.
The sound should not cut in and out.
– Turn hearing aid on and off. Adjust the volume controls
(if activated) and change between programs. There
should be smooth transitions while performing these
tasks.
Tip: The Ling 6 Sound Test is great for listening checks.
Say the sounds ah, ee, oo, ss, sh, & mm while listening.
Oops! My Hearing Aid is
Not Working
•
Two main reasons your hearing aid might not
work:
1)
2)
•
•
The battery is dead. Replace the battery and perform
a listening check.
The earmold is clogged with wax. Use the wax loop to
remove any blockage.
Your hearing aid may whistle because the
earmold is not in your ear the right way. Push
the earmold in all the way around.
For any other problems, have your mom or dad
call your audiologist.
Tool: Troubleshooting Guide for Parents (see
Next Slides)
Symptom
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Possible Cause
Solution
Your hearing aid and/or earmold is Re-insert your hearing
not inserted correctly
aid and/or earmold
Whistling or squealing noise
while hearing aid is worn
No sound
Have your ear canal
Ear wax is blocking your ear canal examined by your
doctor
Earmold tubing is split
Contact your
audiologist for
assistance
Earmold or in-the-ear hearing aid
is too loose
Contact your
audiologist for
assistance
Hearing aid is not turned ON
Check that the battery
holder is fully closed
and the hearing aid is
switched ON
Dead battery
Replace the battery
with a new one
Hearing aid is in T (telecoil)
position
Switch your hearing
aid to M (microphone)
position
Remove the wax or
moisture from the
tubing as indicated in
The tubing is blocked with wax or
cleaning an earmold.
moisture
If the problem persists
contact your
audiologist.
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Symptom
Weak sound or Distorted sound
Possible Cause
Solution
The volume is too soft (weak) or
too loud (distortion)
Adjust the volume
control
The tubing or earmold is partially
blocked with wax or moisture
(weak)
Remove the wax or
moisture from the
tubing
If the problem persists
contact your
audiologist
A change in your hearing
Contact your
audiologist for a
hearing test
Return your hearing
Dirty or corroded battery contacts aid to your audiologist
for service or repair
Intermittent sound
Excessive Earwax
Check for earwax in
earmold or have
audiologist/doctor
clean out ears
What not to do…
• Don’t leave them where your dog can reach
them.
• Don’t take a bath or shower with your hearing
aids on. Do NOT get them wet!!
Tip: If it gets wet, let it dry with the battery door
open. Don’t use a blow dryer on it!
• Don’t let anyone play with your hearing aids.
• Don’t let them get too hot or too cold.
• Don’t wear them when you’re really sweaty.
Why do I have to wear my
hearing aids ALL the time?
• The more you wear your hearing aids,
the easier it is to listen.
• You can hear what all your friends
are saying. (Oh yeah, and your mom
and dad, too)
• You might just do better in school
because of them…
Frequently Asked
Questions
Q: Do I wear it to bed?
A: Nope. Only when you’re awake.
Q: Can I wear it during recess or sports?
A: If you’re not too sweaty and you think they won’t fall off,
go ahead. It’s probably a good idea to take them off.
Q: How long does my hearing aid last?
A: About 5-7 years if you take care of it. You should get your
hearing checked about once a year though, just to be sure.
Resources
Tool:
Audiologist Information/Hearing Aid Record
Use this to keep track of the important
information about your child’s audiologist and
hearing aids. (See next slide)
Audiologist Information
Name
______________________________
Address
______________________________
______________________________
Phone Number
______________________________
Hearing Aid Record
Right
Left
Type of Aid
_________________
__________________
Manufacturer
_________________
__________________
Model
_________________
__________________
Serial Number
_________________
__________________
Date Purchased
_________________
__________________
Battery Size
_________________
__________________
Resources
Websites:
www.Hearingloss.org
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/hearingaid.a
spx
www.betterhearing.org