The microphone picks up sounds and sends them to a small computer with an amplifier that makes the sound louder. The hearing aid will make some pitches of sound louder than others, depending on the shape and severity of the hearing loss. Your audiologist will connect the hearing aid to a computer program in order to adjust the sound for your child’s needs.
After sounds are made louder, they go through the earhook – a small plastic piece that holds the hearing aid on over the top of the ear – to an earmold that is custom made for your child.
All hearing aids have the same basic parts: a microphone, digital amplifier and speaker.
Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids (shown below) are the preferred style for babies and children.
These hearing aids are recommended for babies for a number of reasons:
- Longer lasting batteries
- Safety and comfort: the flexible earmolds are more comfortable for children and less likely to hurt the ear if damaged during play
- Assistive technology capabilities including Bluetooth compatibility
Fun color options for children to personalize their hearing aids .