Clear hearing is crucial for infants and young children to ensure effective learning, speech, language, and social development. The first few years of a child’s life are extremely vital for learning and skill development, and untreated hearing loss can negatively affect language acquisition and academic performance.
Once a child is diagnosed with hearing problems, parents or caregivers should seek timely hearing aid consultation from a qualified audiologist to make the right hearing aid selection for their child. Discuss your child’s amplification needs with an expert audiologist at a reputable hearing aid clinic in Kolkata after a thorough diagnostic evaluation of your child’s hearing difficulties. Let’s understand the most suitable hearing solutions and devices for children with hearing loss.
Best Hearing Aid Types for Children
According to recommendations from expert audiologists, infants and young children benefit most from the following types of hearing aids.
Behind-the-Ear (BTE) Hearing Aids
BTE aids are most commonly used by children, thanks to their ease of use and high durability. Children are highly energetic and playful, and they usually have an active lifestyle, including games and sports. Therefore, they need a durable and sturdy device that lasts long, fits well, and can withstand accidental falls. Most importantly, BTE hearing devices are easy to adjust, which is a boon for kids and individuals with dexterity issues. Parents should opt for custom-made earmoulds of BTE aids to accommodate the rapidly growing needs of infants and young kids.
Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) Hearing Aids
RIC hearing aids are smaller and less visible than BTE devices. That’s why RIC aids are preferred for their discreet and comfortable wear, making them a common choice among older children, teenagers, and even young adults. Besides, they are also more lightweight than BTE aids and come in many appealing and fun colours, making them more enjoyable for young and enthusiastic kids. Parents are also advised to explore today’s smart digital hearing aids, which come with additional features, such as enhanced speech clarity, intelligent background noise reduction, and Bluetooth connectivity for seamless streaming of online classes or other educational resources from smartphones, tablets, or computers.
In-the-Ear (ITE) and In-the-Canal (ITC) Hearing Aids
Children grow fast, and so do their ears. Therefore, custom-fit hearing aids like ITE and ITC are recommended for older children and teenagers, who prefer a balance between convenience, discretion, and effective hearing. These devices are made to fit the unique shape and size of your kid’s ear canal. Since their small size often makes them harder to adjust and remove, and frequent remakes are required as the ears grow, the ITE and ITC aids are usually not recommended for infants and young children.
Bone Conduction Hearing Aids
Bone conduction hearing devices function by bypassing the outer and middle ear and using vibrations to transmit sound through the skull bones to the inner ear (cochlea). These are alternative hearing solutions for children with conductive hearing loss, which may be caused by outer ear structural issues or underdevelopment (microtia), ear canal underdevelopment or defects (atresia), fluid buildup, eardrum perforations, ear infections (like otitis media), or abnormal bone growth (otosclerosis). Bone conduction hearing aids are also effective for individuals with mixed or unilateral (single-sided deafness) hearing loss, particularly in cases where it’s difficult to wear traditional hearing aids.
CROS and BiCROS Hearing Aids
CROS hearing devices are designed for kids with unilateral hearing loss, also known as single-sided deafness (SSD), where one ear has normal hearing, and the other ear has little to no hearing (almost no hearing in one ear). The hearing aid worn on the impaired ear acts as a microphone that picks up the sounds and sends them across to the device worn on the functional ear. As a result, the working ear can process these sounds, enabling the child to hear and understand more effectively.
On the other hand, although BiCROS hearing aids work similarly to CROS aids, they are more suitable for kids with asymmetrical deafness, where one ear has relatively better hearing than the other. In other words, a BiCROS aid is effective for individuals who have hearing loss in both ears, but one ear has significant deafness (often making it unaidable), while the other ear has better hearing with some degree of hearing loss.
In both CROS and BiCROS devices, a microphone is placed on the deaf ear, which picks up and transmits sounds to the device placed on the better ear for further amplification. It is important to note that these devices do not restore hearing in the deaf ear. The sounds are simply transferred from the deaf ear to the better ear to help the person hear effectively.
Final Words
To conclude, early detection of hearing loss and prompt hearing loss treatment are crucial in children to ensure age-appropriate learning and development of speech, language, and social skills. Only an expert can guide you on the most suitable hearing solutions for your child. Also, remember that, when hearing aids fail to function, cochlear implants may be recommended for kids with severe to profound hearing loss. Consult a qualified audiologist at a trusted hearing aid clinic in Kolkata, because the right step taken today promises better hearing and a bright future for your child.
