For a child with hearing loss, wearing a hearing device does not come naturally. It takes lots of practice getting and keeping the equipment on the ears. For families seeking spoken language as their primary means of communication, keeping hearing devices on is imperative for developing auditory potential.
Dr. Carol Flexer* reminds families and professionals that the ears are a doorway to the brain. If the door is open, then information can travel to the auditory processing center of the brain. The way to keep the “door open” for children with hearing loss is by teaching them to wear their devices all waking hours. Another way to talk about it is “Eyes Open, Ears On”. Check out this chart that the Cochlear Implant Team at Cook Children’s Medical Center put together for helping families understand this idea: Click Here to view the chart.
When kids are awake, they are (and should be) busy moving and exploring the world around them. Nearly every family I have worked with has had a time when they were afraid they might have lost part of their child’s hearing aid or cochlear implant. It can be scary to loose such expensive equipment. I am thankful for the work that Dr. Jane Madell* and Dr. Karen Anderson* did to gather information about the devices available to help kids keep their “ears” on.
Parent Ratings of Devices to keep hearing equipment on.
Once kids fall in love with their devices, they may want to jazz them up a bit. Click here to see what this writer has to say about options for hearing device personalization.
For older students and adults, there are a few more fashion-friendly wear-ables that look more like jewelry to help kids be proud of their equipment by individualizing it. Check out some of these ideas by The HearClip.
Do you have a something you just LOVE using to help children and students keep their “ears”on? Leave a comment HERE and join the discussion about Eyes Open, Ears On.
*For more information about Carol Flexer, PhD, check out her site at www.carolfelxer.com
*For more information about Jane Madell, PhD check out her site at www.janemadell.com
*For more information about Karen Anderson, PhD check out her site at http://successforkidswithhearingloss.com
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