Hearing loss in childhood a guide for parents.

Transcription

1 usa.siemens.com/kids Hearing loss in childhood a guide for parents. Implications for toddlers to teenagers and solutions that can help. Life sounds brilliant.

2 Good hearing for a good start in life. Two to three out of every thousand children 1 are born with hearing loss. During childhood, hearing loss may be caused by infection or accidents. To treat it properly, the nature and severity of the hearing loss must be professionally diagnosed. While some forms of hearing loss may be treated medically or surgically, others require amplification and therapy. Some signs are obvious. Your baby doesn t turn his or her head, even at the sound of a loud noise. Or your child often doesn t respond when addressed, as if he or she hadn t noticed. When children can t understand what others are saying and are unable to communicate in an age-appropriate manner, they often become sad, angry and frustrated, shy and withdrawn, or may develop behavioral problems. It is important to quickly rule out a hearing impairment if you observe these behaviors. ENT doctors and pediatric audiologists conduct accurate hearing examinations with various test methods. No child is too young for a thorough hearing test it is quick and completely painless. The earlier hearing loss is diagnosed and treated, the better for a child s development. Once a permanent hearing loss is diagnosed, children should receive amplification via hearing aids as soon as possible. It is well established that early diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss, often including the fitting of hearing aids, provide the child with excellent opportunities to develop linguistic and social skills. Think of it like this wearing hearing aids will not isolate your child, but untreated hearing loss will. 1 accessed

3 Information about hearing loss in children Tips for parents of children with hearing loss Act quickly so your child doesn t miss out on important stages of development. Starting in nursery school, allow your child to have a say in choosing hearing aids then he or she will accept wearing them more readily. Talk to other parents in the same situation seek advice and encouragement. You aren t alone!

4 Growing, wondering, discovering the world babies and toddlers. The first years of life are when we learn the most. Even if babies can t speak yet, they are constantly collecting information through their ears. They recognize familiar voices of parents and close relatives. And, long before they grasp the meaning of words, they can discern whether someone is talking to them lovingly, sadly, or sternly. Siemens Motion P Battery door with child lock (optional) Because toddlers cannot fully express themselves yet, fitting very small children with hearing aids is one of the greatest challenges for audiologists. Knowledge and experience are just as important as advanced technology. Special safety features for the very young Small earhook ensures a secure and comfortable hold, even when playing and romping around. Although easy to attach, it is very difficult for young children to remove it. Child-safe battery door lock (optional) eliminates the risk of children swallowing batteries. The lock can only be opened with a small screwdriver. Programmable key lock to set onboard controls. Hearing aids for small children must be adjustable so that they can grow with the child and adapt to any changes in hearing ability. Programmable hearing aids do this. They can be preset for various hearing situations and flexibly configured.

5 Hearing instruments for babies and toddlers

6 Ready to learn pre-school and elementary school children. A lot is demanded of your child s hearing when he or she starts school, especially in noisy environments and classrooms where it can be difficult for children with hearing loss to concentrate on the teacher's voice. With a suitable hearing aid, your child can easily follow what is being said, and actively contribute to classwork. Siemens Motion M Audio shoe Comfort Audio Receiver Never before have there been so many well-engineered hearing aids that enable people with hearing loss to live life to the fullest. Siemens has been developing hearing instruments for over 130 years and in recent years has introduced advanced devices that help children hear better. FM/DM systems in schools Audio shoe allows children to use an FM/DM* system at home or school. FM/DM system enhances hearing in noisy environments like a classroom. A microphone worn by the speaker (teacher) transmits their voice directly to the receiver in the hearing aid over FM/DM radio waves. Make sure that all teachers and caregivers are aware of your child s hearing needs. You should show them how to operate the hearing aid and FM/DM system, and also give the school a supply of spare batteries. * "DM" indicates system is digital versus analog DM10 Microphone (Shown at 50% actual size)

7 Hearing instruments for school children

8 Leaving the nest teenagers and young adults. The teenage years are a time marked by major changes. A teen s interest in the world grows, friends become more important, as do all communication channels, especially music. For selfconscious teenagers, appearances are crucial and expectations concerning the design of hearing instruments rise accordingly. Many teenagers confidently highlight their individuality with their hearing aids. Others prefer discreet options with subdued colors. But none of them want to miss out on the latest technology. The buzz phrase here is wireless connectivity. It enables teens to connect their hearing instruments to all the must-have technical gadgets they find so important. Features popular with teenagers Siemens VoiceLink Siemens minitek Remote App minitek Wireless Remote Wireless connectivity enables use of streaming accessories so that Bluetooth -ready phones, TVs, MP3 players and wireless microphones such as VoiceLink can directly stream sound to the hearing aids. Apps pair with a wireless remote for discreet and easy hearing aid control via smartphones. Rechargeable batteries more practical than changing tiny batteries and eco-friendly. Companion Microphone echarger er Encourage your teenager to choose his or her own hearing aids. It s the best guarantee that they will enjoy wearing them with confidence. As parents, you can gradually pass responsibility for the hearing aids to your teenager, from daily care to regular trips to the hearing care professional for adjustments or maintenance.

9 Hearing instruments for teenagers

10 Siemens hearing aids for active kids and teens. Active kids and teens don t want to focus on their hearing aids all the time. So it is crucial to have a good hearing solution that satisfies all the needs and requirements of the wearer, and easy to use and maintain. This leaves kids free to focus on the world around them. Aquaris is the only truly waterproof* hearing aid on the market Once children go to school, sports and friends become more important. So take your child s activities into account when choosing a hearing aid. If your child loves water or being outside, no matter the weather, then a waterproof device is a good choice. Hearing aids in their favorite color or ones that can be decorated with stickers are usually high on a child's wish list. Childrens' hearing abilities are still developing. And their attention usually focuses on anything but their hearing aid. So hearing aids for children have to meet specific needs they should grow with the wearer, be programmable, and offer flexible configuration. They should have a very secure fit, without being uncomfortable. They must be exceptionally sturdy and resistant to moisture and dirt to withstand all the rough and tumble activities. They should also be able to impress teenagers with both their design and the wireless technology inside. Hearing aids must meet the needs and match the lifestyles of children of all ages. Gore Acoustic Vents for Microphone Protection The high-performance acoustic membrane preserves the microphone s sound quality while protecting it from water and dust particles. You can find the full range of Siemens hearing instruments and accessories at usa.siemens.com/hearing * Achieved IP68 rating per IEC standard. The device can be completely submerged with no water seeping inside, and no damage to the instrument during continuous immersion in water up to 3 feet. Also dust will not interfere with the satisfactory operation of the device. Requires appropriate earmold for submersion.

11 Siemens products at-a-glance. severe Motion P Pure Hearing loss mild Motion M Aquaris Motion SX Insio SAFETY DAI-READY DURABLE ROBUST WATERPROOF SHOCK-RESISTANT DISCREET RECHARGEABLE ULTRA DISCREET Wireless connectivity & speech enhancement easypocket Remote minitek Remote minitek Remote App VoiceLink & Companion Microphone minitek & Comfort Audio FM/DM Receiver & Microphone

12 The Bluetooth word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Siemens AG is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners. GORE and designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates. The information in this brochure is subject to change without prior notice. Copyright 2013 Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc. All rights reserved. Hearing instruments help many people hear better, but no hearing instrument can solve every hearing problem nor restore normal hearing. Global Siemens Headquarters Siemens AG Wittelsbacherplatz Muenchen Germany Global Siemens Healthcare Headquarters Siemens AG Healthcare Sector Henkestrasse Erlangen Phone: Germany usa.siemens.com/healthcare Legal Manufacturer & Local Contact Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc. P.O. Box 1397 Piscataway, NJ usa.siemens.com/hearing Global Business Unit Siemens Audiologische Technik Gmbh Gebbertstrasse 125 DE Erlangen Germany Phone: Read the QR code with the QR code reader on your smart phone usa.siemens.com/kids SH / SHI/