Encouragement

Getting Your Child to Wear Hearing Instruments

Introducing hearing instruments to a young child for the first time can be challenging. While some children accept their hearing instruments easily, others may not. Here are some suggestions that will help your child accept his or her hearing instruments.

Establish the wearing of hearing instruments as part of the dressing routine. To help children get used to wearing their hearing instruments, integrate it into their daily dressing routine. Put on the hearing instruments when your child is awake and take them off at bedtime.
Be in control. With a young child, establish the understanding that you will be the one putting on and taking off the hearing instruments.
Make it fun for the child. Make the wearing of the hearing instruments fun and interesting for your child. Your Hearing Care Professional may be able to provide you with a dummy hearing instrument. Put the dummy hearing instrument on your ears and show your child how it looks. Praise your child when he or she puts it on. Wear the dummy hearing instrument with your child so that your child does not feel alone.
Make it a special day. When your child puts on the hearing instruments for the first time, declare that day a special one. Do something special with your child (e.g. go to the park to play).
Distract your child with toys. Allow your child to play with their favorite toy when you are putting on the hearing instrument.
Special time. Make the wearing of hearing instruments a special time for your child. Allow them to have a cookie or do something special (e.g. color a star).
Personalize the hearing instrument. Establish a sense of ownership. Allow your child to select his or her preferred color of hearing instruments and choose stickers to decorate it.
Use a lubricant. Soft earmolds are usually recommended for young children. A lubricant can help with the inserting of soft earmolds into your child's small ears. Consult your Hearing Care Professional for a suitable lubricant.
Explain to the child the need for it. Read 'Annie hears her world' to explain to your child the need for wearing the hearing instruments.
Slowly increase the length of wearing time. Your child might need a period of adjustment to the hearing instruments. He or she needs to learn to hear with the hearing instruments. If required, slowly increase the length of wearing time over a week. And if your child is wearing the hearing instruments only for a certain period of time each day, have the hearing instruments on when you are spending time interacting with your child.

When your child says I do not want them

Stay calm, be gentle but firm. If your child keeps pulling out the hearing instruments, stay calm and gently but firmly put it back on. If your child immediately pulls it off again, wait for a while before putting it back.
Reward chart. Children love rewards and praise. Use a reward chart to encourage your child to wear the hearing instruments. Negotiate the reward. Record on the chart when your child wears the hearing instruments for a desired length of time each day. At the end of a week, the child may have his or her reward.
Look for other reasons. If your child persists in pulling out the hearing instruments, he or she may be telling you 'Mummy, the sound is too loud' or 'The earmolds hurt'. Check the volume control and look at the child's ear for signs of discomfort. Do the ears look red? Are there sore spots? Is the earmold too tight for your child? If so, please consult your child's Hearing Care Professional.