Hearing Aids at School

After all, it is not unusual for a child’s hearing loss to remain undiagnosed until they enter school.

Integration into a large group then becomes an issue, even for children whose hearing loss is already known. This situation raises lots of questions. However, it’s important to remember that a diagnosis is not a sentence. It’s simply a starting point for finding solutions!

Imagine trying to read a book in a poorly lit environment, on a crumpled paper with extremely faded ink. Deciphering words and giving them context-appropriate meaning would require a lot of effort. Sounds exhausting, right? Yet schoolchildren with hearing loss face a similar situation every day. No wonder they tend to lose concentration more easily! Fortunately, this is when hearing aids can come into play. Modern hearing aids can be used to carefully adjust sounds to improve the wearer’s hearing. The devices are tailored to each user thanks to measuring instruments and studies conducted by hearing research laboratories.

For a child in a classroom, hearing aids mean that they won’t only hear the teacher’s voice louder; the voice will be clearer and more distinct. That leads to greater concentration, more effective listening and, often, better grades! However, if the hearing aids alone are not enough and the child’s audiologist finds it necessary, a frequency modulation system may also be used. These systems allow the teacher’s voice to be sent directly into the hearing aids. They also improve the signal-to-noise ratio, which is the contrast between the relevant sound (the teacher’s voice) and sounds that might be considered less important or even harmful (all other sounds in the classroom). Clearly, hearing aids can be valuable tools.

Thanks to Bluetooth technology, it is now possible to stream content from electronic devices, such as computers, tablets or cellphones, directly to hearing aids. This isn’t just useful for listening to music; technology is becoming more and more prevalent in schools, so it can be very useful for educational purposes as well.

Gone are the days when hearing aid wearers—adults and children alike—had no choice but to wear what is now called the “beige banana”! Of course, the priority is to choose a device that meets your hearing needs. Beyond that, however, everyone is free to unleash their creativity. In addition to the array of colours available for the case and earmolds, some hearing aids allow many other parts to be personalized. A yellow ear hook on a turquoise hearing aid? Why not! Other children might feel that discreet colours suit them better. The bottom line is that, when children are part of the decision-making process, they feel involved and see the situation differently. Hearing aids then become a way to express their personality. After all, it’s not so different from wearing glasses.

Together, let’s take care of our children’s hearing health! If you think your child has hearing loss, talk to an ENT specialist or an audiologist.