According to Healthy Hearing, approximately three out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with some type of hearing loss, in either one or both ears. For many of these children, wearing a hearing aid is the best option for them to focus in school. Additionally, if your child wears the hearing aid consistently, it will help your child become accustomed to the hearing aid and allows your audiologist to know how well the hearing aid is functioning. Here are a few simple tips to help you encourage your child to wear their hearing aids consistently.

Watch for Cues the Hearing Aids Need Adjustments

Hearing aids are not a one size fits all solution and your child will need to have their hearing aids specifically designed to fit their ear canals and the size and shape of the ears. Watch your child for the first few minutes after they put in their new hearing aids.

Is your child visibly upset and telling you the hearing aids are uncomfortable? Are there red marks or discolorations on your child's ears after you help them remove the hearing aids? If so, the hearing aids are not fitting properly and require an adjustment by your child's audiologist.

The amplification of the hearing aid is another consideration. For example, if your child becomes upset after hearing a loud noise or still seems to be struggling to hear, contact your child's audiologist to ensure the settings on the hearing aids do not need adjustment.

Start Slowly and Have Fun

Like many things in your child's life, it is best to start slowly and gradually introduce the hearing aid. Do not expect that your child will automatically start wearing the hearing aid all day without a fuss. Instead, begin with encouraging your child to wear the hearing aid for a few minutes, such as first thing in the morning or for a short period after school.

As your child becomes more accustomed to wearing the hearing aids, ask them to wear the aids for a few minutes longer each day. Remember, it is important to remain consistent because if you give your child a break for even a day, it can cause your child to regress. Give your child plenty of encouragement and even consider rewarding your child for wearing their hearing aid.

Most of all, make hearing aid time fun. Reserve a special story or only allow your child to play with a treasured toy while they are wearing their hearing aids.

It can be difficult to encourage your child to wear their hearing aids. If you have any more questions about hearing aids, don't hesitate to contact your audiologist.