Q&A

Subject: Hearing aid - best suggestion for my daughter

To: MB

To Whom it may concern;
My child has a hearing loss. The loss was at birth. She has dead nerve endings, which I understand, cannot be repaired. I discovered her hearing loss when she was about 3 years old. During her elementary school years, we had her wear the 'behind the ear' aids. During those years, she complained about all the outside noise ( dropping of books, school bus noise, etc) that was too loud, yet listening to teachers in a class room only improved somewhat.

As she got older, she became more conscious of the fact that people were looking and asking her what she had in her ear. So we went to 'in the ear' hearing aids with the same type of problems she reported with the 'behind the ear' aids. By the time she got in Middle school, she hated wearing hearing aids and looking different plus she claimed they did not help her all that much. We agreed to let her stop wearing the aids, but the minute her grades went down, she would have to start to wear them again. All during middle and high school, her grades remained good.

My daughter is now 25 years old, a Ohio State University Graduate, and currently enrolled at Columbus State University (gpa 3.8). She has noticed that she has lost more of her hearing and is willing to try hearing aids once more, hoping that technology has improved over the last 15 years. I have been surfing the net looking for hearing aids that she would be willing to wear. She is still at that age where appearances mean everything to her, so she would want something very small and concealed. I know that the 'behind the ear' hearing aid is (or was) the more powerful aid, but there are some advantages of the CIC aid, being in the canal, less wind noise, telephone use, etc.

I would like your opinion on the type of aid she should have or any new technology that would satisfy her vanity and aid in her hearing . She plans on making an appointment with a near by professional and get retested. When she was younger (3 to 16) she had a loss of about 25 to 30% in each ear. Today I would say she has a loss of about 30 to 45%. Any input you can provide would be greatly appreciated. thank you...

Dear MB,

If your estimates of your daughter's present hearing loss are correct, then she probably can be very successful with the newest completely-in-the-canal hearing aids. The top of the hearing aid fits flush with the entrance to the ear canal and the device is removed by pulling a clear plastic string which should rest in the lowest notch at the entrance to the ear. Even within this style category, you can find many levels of technology...all the way from the most basic linear circuits to computer programmable analog instruments (some with multiply memories and remote controls) and even the newest digital signal processing circuits. These new circuits are much better at handling the discomfort with noise mentioned by your daughter about her earlier hearing aids, and they really are close to being invisible (see the pictures of my husband wearing his CICs on our web page).

The manufacturers have the final word on whether a given ear can be fit with those CIC aids since extremely small or twisted canals simply can't accommodate the components needed. Her plan to seek a nearby professional for reevaluation is a excellent one. I think she will be pleased at the options open to her.

Thanks for visiting our web site.

Solveig