As new school years start, several parents have asked how to keep hearing-devices on their children, during creche, preschool or school hours.
Hearing-aids and cochlear implant (CI) processors may fall off. This may be due to:
- The child’s ears being still very small at this stage, for a device to ‘sit’ on.
- The curious child continuously takes their hearing-aids off to investigate.
- The child is running around amidst other children, or is playing sports.
- A slightly stronger magnet in the CI processor’s coil may be needed.
Other parents find these solutions helpful:
- For very young babies with aids, try a baby bonnet or pilot cap in fine fabric.
- Using a cable to clip an aid or CI processor to your child’s clothes.
- A wrap-around snug-fit for a CI processor to keep it in place.
- Looking at Huggie-bands or Ear Gear kit to secure hearing-aid/s.
- A soft head- or hair-band, to sit over a CI processor and anchor it.
Cochlear’s accessories list for babies and young children is online. Some parents use toupee tape to keep CI processors on their childrens’ heads, but mixed reports have resulted, as hair can get very tangled in the tape.
Swimming With A Cochlear Implant
Cochlear and other device-makers have waterproof covers for wearers to hear while swimming, surfing, kayaking and enjoying the water. Some parents pack waterproofed CIs into a Nammu swim-hat, whose size alters to fit a child. For safety, the CI-pack can be tied to a swimsuit or lifejacket.
Helmet and Sports Accessories
Sport and lifestyle accessories are also available from Cochlear. For sport involving helmets or possible head-impacts, Mycro Sportsgear in Cork, will customise its GAA hurling helmets with small metal grids over the ear-area to guard hearing-aids or cochlear implant processors, as needed.
What else works for you?
Further Reading
- Parents’ Pack: When Deafness Is Newly Confirmed
- Essential Hearing-Aid Tips For Parents & Families
- Hearing-Aids: an overview
- Question: Managing Hearing-Devices At Creches
- Preparing Kids For Mainstream Settings
- Hearing-Aid Users Driven To ‘Hack’ Their Devices
- Customising Sound Technologies For Personal Use
- Have Hearing-Aids, Will Volunteer Overseas
- Communication Technology Solutions – By Design
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