A A AText only | Accessibility | Privacy and cookies

Browse site A to Z

Search results

Go To Advanced Search

Hearing aid fitting booklet

Description
Fitting your child’s hearing aids Name: Hearing aid: Audiology Services Battery: 312 13 675 brown orange blue RT LT Parts of a hearing aid With sound hook and mould What it is and does Microphone openings Sound in LED Program, volume, and battery status Push-button Change volume and programs Sound hook Tube Brings sound into the ear Mould Holds the hearing aid in place Nail grip (miniBTE T only) Open the battery drawer Battery drawer (miniBTE T only) Contains the battery and functions as an on/off switch Sound out Rechargeable battery (miniBTE R only) 14 About Getting started Daily Use Options Tinnitus Warnings More info Sound outlet Plastic tube Sound hook Microphone openings LED indicator Push button Battery door Earmould This is how the sound is travelling in to your child’s ears – ensure this is not blocked with wax. This is needs to be changed regularly – see page 7 for more details This connects the hearing aid to the tube This is how the hearing aid is collecting sound This may be activated for some children – see page 9 for more details This may be activated for your child – see page 9 for more details This may have a tamper resistant feature – see page 3 & 5 for more details. This needs to be cleaned regularly – see page 6 for more details. 1 Try to keep your earmould clean by wiping daily with a damp T wipe such as a baby wipe. If the tubing is blocked or the earmould s gets very dirty, you can clean it in the following way: v Putting your child’s hearing aid in Detach the earmould from the hearing aid. Hold the earmould between your finger and thumb as shown. Pull it Cleaning your hbeacak rinilninegwiathiydour-cheilda’sremar. ould Wash the earmould (with the tubing wTryipteoskuecehpaysoaubr aebarymwoiPtpuhueeldt.ethIcafelretwscphataaianelnrlttaetibtlnuhryi.nabittRtwiosnginipogppsoeliessainsictdgiibteoon)ldwwo.iannceikllylle,uwdskheioatwhrkaetahrmtedh,aeemsatorupambp-oyuld gets very dirty, you can clean iintgintotheenfsoulrloewniongwawtaery:is present or leave it to dry overnight. Then push the tubing back onto the hearing Then tuackidDi.netthaechpatrht tehaetagromesoiunltdo the creasefraotmthethtoep hofetahreinegara. id. This picture shows the earmould placed incorrectly on the hearing aid, it has been reattached the wrong way around. Use your other hand to pull down your child’Ws eaasrhlotbhee. Peuasrhmthoeuld (with the tubing earmould sfitrmilllyininittos pplalaccee. ) in lukewarm, soapy water. Rinse it well, shake the tubThiinsgpitcotuernesushreownos twhaeteear rims poruelsdent or plalecaevdeciot rtroedctrylyoovnertnhigehati.dThen push the tubing back onto the hearing Correctlyafiitdte. d d earmould. This picture shows the earmould placed incorrectly on the hearing aid, it has been reattached the wrong 1714 way around. Incorrectly fitted earmould. This picture shows the earmould placed correctly on the aid 2 Turn OTNurn ON Changing the battery, ON anCdlosOe tFChlFeosbe athteerybat tery drawerdrwaiwtherthweith the batterybainttpelraycien. place. Turn ON Close the battery drawer with the battery in place. Turn OTFuFrn OFF Open tOhpeen the batterybadtrtaewryerd.rawer. TPularnceOFtFhe hearing aid(s) in your hand and open the battery door. OInpseenrtthtehe battery so that you see the + symbol on the battery (Fig. A). battery drawer. To turn the aid(s) back on, simply close the battery door (Fig. B). At night time, OPEN the battery door to turn the hearing aid OFF. Battery Provision We will supply you with batteries at each hearing aid review. 3 Battery Use For older children: When the battery is running out of power, the light will flash several times intermittently or flash red to indicate that it is time to change the battery. When they hear this sound, they need to change their battery or ask you or their teacher to do this for them. It is sensible to keep a battery supply in school or their school bag. For younger children: For some children, there is the option for a battery light on their hearing aids. This light will flash periodically to reassure any observer that the hearing aids are working. When the battery is running out of power, the light will flash several times intermittently to indicate that it is time to change the battery. If the hearing aid does not have this function, we recommend you change the battery on the same day every week as batteries generally last 10-14 days and changing it weekly will ensure that the hearing aid is always functioning. Should you run out, you can call us on 023 81202997 and we will post some out to you. 4 Coloured indicator markers, Tamper resistant feature miniBTE T only You can find left/right colour indicators in the battery drawer. Indicators can also be found on Micro moulds and moulds (optional). The hearing aids have coloured markers in the battery drawer to show you which hearing aid is for which ear. A BLUE indicator marks the LEFT hearing aid Tamper resistant feature A RED indicator marks the RIGHT hearing aid Insert the green tool into the small hole and then open the battery drawer as shown. 5 C lean ing you r he aring aidCl-eaenainrmg toheulEdarmould YToryutsohkoeueldp uyoseuraewaremt owuiplde colenatnhebyeawrmipionuglddeavilyerwyidthaya. damp Wweipreescuocmhmaes nadbwabayshwinipget.hIef tehaermtuobuinldg is blocked or the earmould rgeegtuslaverlryybdyirftoy,lloyowuincgantheclesatenpist ibnetlhoew:following way: Detach the earmould from the hearing aid. Wash the earmould (with the tubing still in its place) in lukewarm, soapy water. Rinse it well, shake the tubing to ensure no water is present or leave it to dry overnight. Then push the tubing back onto the hearing aid. This picture shows the earmould placed incorrectly on the hearing aid, it has been reattached the wrong way around. This picture shows the earmould placed correctly on the aid 6 1714 Earmould Re-tubing Sometimes the plastic tube can be pulled out accidentally. Also, over time, the tubing can become hard and brittle, which significantly affects the quality of sound travelling through. This means your child will not be hearing as well. We will change the tubing if needed at your appointments but if appointments are less frequent, you may like to do this yourself. Please follow the instructions and we are happy to help if you have any difficulties. Step 1 Detach the earmould from the transparent hook part of the hearing aid. Clean and dry the earmould to remove any dirt and grease. Step 2 Take a new piece of tubing and taper one end to make a thin point. Thread it through the hole in the earmould towards the part that goes down your ear until it comes out the end. Step 3 Using your fingers or the pliers pull the tube through until the bend reaches the mould and the tube turns directly upwards. Cut the tapered end off as close to the mould as possible. This can be done with scissors or a scalpel. Be careful not the cut the mould by accident! 7 Step 4 Use the old tube removed in step 2 to measure the length of the new tube and cut where appropriate. Reattach to the hearing aid. At the end Your mould reattached to the hearing aid should look like this. 8 LED Indicator and Push Button LED indicator If your child’s hearing aid has an LED indicator, this can be set to flash intermittently to show it is on and working. When the battery is running low, the light will flash more persistently or flash red to indicate you should change the battery as soon as possible. Change volume Push ButtonThe push-button allows you to adjust the volume. When you increase or decrease the volume, you will hear a click. The push button can be activated for two things: Volume Use the push button to increase or decrease the volume - you will hear a click Change program MAXIMUM Your hearing aid can have uApsthoorftopurersdsifofnetrheent programs.These are programmed by tones when you ycohuarnhgeeaprrinoiRnggIcGrrcHaeaTamrsheedespaetrrphoineefgenvaosdilsdiunimogneoanl. You the will SVhTOAeLRUaTM-rUEPone program. to four See the Sound and LED indALEiscFhaTothroterpasrreisnsegscoatnidiothne. decreases the volume MINIMUM Program 38 About Getting started DaiPlyreUsse thOeptpiounssh-bTiuntntitouns toWsawrniitncghs More info between programs. If you have two hearing aids, the RIGHT hearing aid switches one program forward, for example program 1 to 2, and the LEFT hearing aid switches one program backward, for example from program 4 to 3. We don’t routinely activate this button but as your child gets older, if they feel they could benefit from this feature and you feel they are 37 capable of managing it then we will discuss the options. 9 Troubleshooting Guide PROBLEM WHAT COULD IT BE? HOW TO FIX IT Sore ears Earmould is too tight or there are sharp edges on the earmould Contact Audiology, they may need to modify or arrange to replace the earmould Earmould is not in correctly Remove the earmould and put into the ear again Allergic reaction to earmould Contact Audiology, they will need to arrange for a new earmould in a different material Hearing aid is whistling Earmould is not in correctly Earmould is too small Cracked/ split earmould Remove the earmould and put into the ear again Contact Audiology for a new earmould Cracked/ split/ stiff tubing Change tube Tubing is blocked with water or wax Clean tubing to remove wax or blow through tubing to get rid of any water or condensation Wax in ear canal Use olive oil drops at night and then contact Audiology 10 The Ling Six Sounds The following word list can be used to test if your child’s hearing aid is working properly. You can also use these sounds to check if your child is hearing you by saying the sounds from behind your child and seeing if they respond. The Ling Six Sounds Parents of children with permanent losses will be supplied with a listening tube to check their hearing aids Attach the hearing aid to the listening tube. Turn it on and listen. Whisper a few words and say the Ling Six Sounds, which are: • Ah- as in father • Oo- as in moon • Ee- as in key • Sh- as in show • Ss- as in sock • Mm- as in mummy The Ling Six Sounds cover the sounds of speech from low to high frequency. When you listen to your child’s hearing aids, they should always sound clear to you. On occasion, you might find they sound fuzzy or distorted, or there might be silent spots as you turn up the volume (if this is enabled). Any time there is a change in the quality of sounds you hear, it is very important that the hearing aids are checked immediately by the audiologist. Please call the department to make an appointment. A useful video on Ling 6 presented by Catherine Ritter PhD, can be viewed on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBo2ZfM0cqk 11 Assistive Listening Devices (ALD) nent stenaids sten- he Hearing aids are very useful and help in most situations. However, there are some difficult environments where your child may need extra help from an assistive listening device (ALD). 1. In noisy environments, such as the classroom, additional benefit to hearing can be achieved with a wireless remote microphone system which can greatly improve your child’s ability to hear the teacher’s voice. This option may be discussed and supplied by your teacher adviser if necessary. 2. There are options for your child to use outside the classroom that usually need to be purchased. One option is a Connect Clip (shown) which is also a wireless, remote microphone for transmitting a person’s voice directly to the hearing aids. There are a wide range of devices available for your child. The NDCS are a good source of information (see back page for details). Microphones Front Back Multi button - ON/OFF - Answer phone - Mode selector Volume buttons - Up - Down Status indicator Power indicator Charging socket (Micro USB) Clip for wearing ConnectClip Latest hearing aids can stream directly to many devices via Bluetooth. For some devices, a Connect Clip will be needed to enable this. Aids can also be paired with an app e.g. Oticon ON which can be used for functions such as to adjust hearing aid volume and locate the aids when lost 12 Tips and Tricks Some children take to their hearing aids immediately and are very happy to wear them. If your child is reluctant, here are some ideas to help establish use. 1. To begin with, link hearing aid use to playing with his or her favourite toy/ activity or household routine. Set up a situation that will be pleasant so the child will begin associating listening with an enjoyable activity such as reading a picture book. 2. Take your time, don’t worry. Take the child’s lead and build up frequency of use over time. Keep the hearing aid on for a fairly short time at first (10 mins), increasing the ‘aid on’ time little by little each day. Your goal is to have it on all the time your child is awake. The exception is when it might get wet for example in the bath or paddling pool. Hearing aids are not compatible with water! 3. Be relaxed, yet firm. Think about how you feel about the hearing aids. If you know that they will give your child a great advantage in learning to communicate, you will feel confident about putting them on your child. Your positive attitude will almost surely be reflected in your child. 4. Some children develop a habit of pulling off the hearing aids. Although it is natural for parents to become frustrated, this is the time to keep calm. If you overreact and get excited, your child may do it again and again to get a reaction. Distract your child during play and give him/her plenty to do with their hands. If removed, a helpful response might be “one more minute”, reinsert aid and extend activity, then remove. Be in control of insertion and removal. 5. If you have no luck, try again another time. Take it at the child’s pace - you cannot force or insist that they wear the hearing aids. 6. Try the hearing aids on teddy bears, dolls, yourself etc and then try ‘“ok your turn now’.” 13 Department Details Ideally the hearing aids are worn and functioning all of the child’s waking hours. If the devices are not worn or not working, the brain is not receiving the vital sound input it needs to continue to develop. Audiologist: Audiology Department Royal South Hants Hospital Brintons Terrace Southampton SO14 0YG Tel. 023 81202997 Office hours will be 8am - 4.30pm. Lost or damaged aids We are grateful for you and/or your child looking after their hearing aids well. Please do keep hearing aids safe in the boxes we provide when they are not in the ears and make sure they are not worn in the bath, shower or swimming pool. However, we are aware that children lose or damage their hearing aids so don’t worry if this happens, there is currently no charge. Please don’t wait until your child’s next planned appointment but contact us on the department phone number 023 81202997 to arrange for a replacement earmould/hearing aid. 14 Children’s Hearing Aid Accessories The following is a list of websites where you can find ideas and/or buy accessories for your children’s hearing aids. This of course does not stop you from doing your own research and we would be really glad to hear of any ideas/sites you have found to share with other parents! Hearing Aid headbands These are great for younger children when the hearing aids might have a tendency to fall out from behind the ears or when your child reaches an age where they like to pull them out! You can try: www.angeliqueshearingbands.co.uk Decorating your hearing aid There are lots of ideas online to learn to make your own decorations: Try zizisears.blogspot.co.uk or hayleighscherishedcharms.com Hearing aid clips/retainers Useful to stop hearing aids getting lost if your toddler pulls them out of the ears. The clips link to the hearing aids and are clipped on to your child’s back. We can supply you with a black set or you can find lots of fun examples online e.g at Ebay, Etsy or Amazon. 15 Other Resources The National Deaf Children’s Website has a wealth of information on it from advice, literature, local groups, forums and much more. There are many apps now that can be used to support children with hearing loss of all ages and there are many recommended. Special iApps develop educational apps for children with special educational needs, including autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, hearing impairment and learning disabilities. Go to: www.specialiapps.org The Elizabeth Foundation Based at the QA Hospital in Cosham and is a fantastic local resource for families. It includes a nursery and preschool for children with hearing loss and a home learning programme. They also offer support for children with glue ear and unilateral hearing loss. Their website is: elizabeth-foundation.org 16 Teacher Advisory Service We are linked with both the Southampton City and Hampshire Teacher Advisory Services for Hearing Impairment and we will give you the opportunity to be referred to the appropriate service according to where you live. Teacher Advisers will usually visit you at home if your child is a baby or toddler and will subsequently visit your child in their pre-school and school settings. The amount of input given will vary according to the impact the hearing loss is having on your child but generally for children with unilateral or temporary hearing losses, visits may be restricted to a single visit, possibly at each educational setting and would increase proportionally for children with more significant hearing losses. Teacher Advisers provide support in a number of areas such as: • help with hearing aid care and maintenance • advise on strategies for successful hearing aid use and development of listening skills • model strategies to encourage development of communication • assess and review your child’s progress and provide support to teachers in pre-school and school environments They can also provide your child with a radio aid to use in school, if their hearing loss is such that they would significantly benefit from this. Radio aids enable the teacher’s voice to be delivered directly to your child’s hearing aids, helping to overcome the distance and background noise that might make it difficult for your child to hear them. 17 Hearing Aid Battery Safety What can happen if my child swallows a battery? In our experience, it is very rare for children to swallow batteries. However, ingestion of button batteries can cause harm and death. Severe tissue damage can occur from a build up of sodium hydroxide as a result of the electrical current discharged from the battery. The sodium hydroxide can cause tissue burn, often in the oesophagus. Even apparently flat batteries can still have this effect, and button batteries pushed into ears or nostrils can also cause serious injuries. Symptoms can manifest up to 28 days after ingestion of the battery and removal of the battery alone may be insufficient action to prevent further damage. Children need expert input and careful monitoring and follow-up. If your child has accidentally swallowed a battery, please take them to Accident and Emergency immediately. It is important that they are treated as a medical emergency. Prevention To prevent a battery from being accidentally swallowed, keep batteries out of reach of children and pets. All children under the age of 5 years should be offered a tamper resistant battery drawer on their aid(s) and these will also be considered for older children with additional risk factors e.g. significant learning disabilities or those living with babies or children under 5. If your child does not have tamper resistant battery drawers but you now feel that they or someone else they are in contact with may be at risk of swallowing a battery or inserting one into an ear or nostril, please do contact us to request the drawers are changed. 18 Communication tactics No matter which of the treatment options you have chosen to proceed with, communication tactics are always necessary to enable your child to hear well. potianyltokuitnoagrweahbaotut don’t your cover mouth don’t shout get my attention turn off background noise e.g. TV face me dont speak fast Useful Links www.ndcs.org.uk (This charity for children has a lot of useful publications aimed at parents. You can join their website for free to access these). www.royaldeaf.org.uk www.tinnitus.org.uk www.downs-syndrome.org.uk www.stagetext.org
Url
/Media/UHS-website-2019/Docs/Services/Child-health/Childrens-hearing/Hearing-aid-fitting-booklet.pdf

Exercises to improve your posture - patient information

Description
This factsheet contains some exercises to help improve your posture.
Url
/Media/UHS-website-2019/Patientinformation/Respiratory/Exercises-to-improve-your-posture-562-PIL.pdf

Recovering from heart surgery - Mindful movement for moving, lifting and physical activity - patient information

Description
This factsheet contains important information about movement, lifting and physical activity while you are recovering from heart surgery.
Url
/Media/UHS-website-2019/Patientinformation/Cardiovascular-and-thoracic/Recovering-from-heart-surgery-Mindful-movement-for-moving-lifting-and-physical-activity-3135-PIL.pdf

Post sternotomy activity - patient information

Description
This leaflet provides information recovering from cardiac surgery
Url
/Media/UHS-website-2019/Patientinformation/Heartandlungs/Post-sternotomy-activity-3135-PIL.pdf

Managing your child's earwax at home - patient information

Description
This factsheet contains information about earwax and ways that you can manage your child's earwax safely at home.
Url
/Media/UHS-website-2019/Patientinformation/Audiology/Managing-your-childs-earwax-at-home-3622-PIL.pdf

Total knee replacement exercises HHFT - patient information

Description
Your exercise programme following total knee replacement (TKR) surgery.
Url
/Media/UHS-website-2019/Patientinformation/Muscles,jointsandbones/Totalkneereplacement-exercises-4037-PIL.pdf

Metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint replacement: post-operative advice - patient information

Description
This factsheet contains useful advice to help with your recovery after your metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint replacement operation.
Url
/Media/UHS-website-2019/Patientinformation/Medicinestherapiesandanaesthetics/Metacarpophalangeal-MCP-joint-replacement-post-operative-advice-1818-PIL.pdf

Hand therapy treatment for children with camptodactyly - patient information

Description
This factsheet explains what camptodactyly is and the types of hand therapy treatment available for children.
Url
/Media/UHS-website-2019/Patientinformation/Childhealth/Hand-therapy-treatment-for-children-with-camptodactyly-3474-PIL.pdf

'Cut and drop' removal of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube - patient information

Description
This factsheet explains why your child needs to have their percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube removed, what the procedure involves and what the potential risks are.
Url
/Media/UHS-website-2019/Patientinformation/Childhealth/Cut-and-drop-removal-of-a-percutaneous-endoscopic-gastrostomy-PEG-tube-3038-PIL.pdf

Leading children's doctor calls on community to boost fundraising appeal

Description
A leading doctor has called on the community to push the fundraising campaign to create a new children's emergency and trauma department in Southampton "to the next level".
Url
/AboutTheTrust/Newsandpublications/Latestnews/2017/September-2017/Leading-childrens-doctor-calls-on-community-to-boost-fundraising-appeal.aspx
1 to 10 of 159
Previous 1 2 3 4 5 … Next