If you’re a parent to a teenager or pre-teen, you know how difficult it can be for them to choose a pair of shoes. And when it comes to choosing hearing aids for teens, the stakes are much higher. From their perspective, appearances are everything. On the other hand, your child’s ability to hear effectively and perform well in school trumps anything associated with aesthetics.
Fortunately, when you choose the right hearing aids for teens, you can confidently check both boxes. And the team at North Shore Hearing P.C. can help. At North Shore Hearing P.C., we’ve been helping families for decades deal with this perceived social dilemma.
We are home to an array of stylish, teen-approved hearing aids that are equipped with the most cutting-edge, innovative features. Let’s take a closer look at some of the top tips parents should use when choosing a pair of hearing aids for teens your child will actually wear.
Importance Of Hearing Aids For Teens And Children
Early intervention for hearing loss in kids and teens is key to their overall brain development. Delaying even a few months can have a negative impact on your child’s language and social development due to the constant development of their brains.
A simple solution is to find a hearing aid that ‘looks cool’ ,so that they want to wear it. Instead of the more traditional styles, teens often opt-in for the comfortable Behind-the-Ear (BTE) models or the more discreet In-the-Ear (ITE) option.
Available in a wide variety of colors, your child can customize their hearing aid to match their preferences. In fact, there are a number of different styles of hearing aids, which increases the likelihood of finding the perfect hearing aid for your teenager.
Why Is Hearing Loss On The Rise For Young Adults?
Although hearing loss is a challenge every generation faces, one of today’s most impactful variables is exposure to loud noise in recreational settings. A majority of concerts and clubs play their music at or exceeding 100 decibels (dB) – way over the safe level of 70 dB or lower.
Since the effects of noise damage are normally not felt until later on in life, most youngsters don’t consider it a problem because ‘they don’t notice a difference.’ Also, avoiding social norms – such as parties, music festivals, and clubs – can often be too big a price to pay for the sake of possible hearing loss.
Top Tips for Choosing Hearing Aids for Teens
Instead of resisting what your child wants to do, try and meet them in the middle. Below, we’ve listed 4 tips that can make choosing hearing aids for teens a smoother process.
Look For Up-To-Date Technology
Like smartphones and computers, hearing aid technology is constantly changing. By looking for newer models, you raise the chances of it remaining current and compatible for longer. Newer models may cost more upfront, but it’s a smart investment for the future! Additionally, choosing a hearing aid with the latest and most advanced tech can infuse a coolness factor to the device and transform perceptions.
Think Of Accessories Beforehand
Sure, an eight-year-old may not need a Bluetooth-compatible hearing aid now, but in a few years, they may want to listen to music, videos, and more. Giving your teen the option to stream music directly from their phones and chat with friends through their gaming console are some major bonus points to convincing them it’s worth wearing. If your teen or loved one is constantly listening to music, make sure you show them the music lover’s guide on how to prevent hearing loss.
Stay Organized And Be The Expert
Keeping track of all the visits to the audiologist can be a whirlwind of a task. To stay organized, consider keeping a folder (electronic or physical) of all the hearing evaluations, hearing aid records, and doctor’s notes.
This will especially come in handy when one professional needs access from a different professional or when you are seeking a second opinion. No one will advocate for your child harder than you do, so it’s important to be as informed as possible regarding his/her condition.
When A Hearing Aid Isn’t Enough, Consider An FM System
Hearing aids work best within 10- to 15-feet of the person speaking and in quiet environments; making situations with lots of background noise or long distances a challenge. An example of a situation where a hearing aid may not work well is in a classroom setting, where the noise level can get high and there can be multiple voices talking at the same time.
Often, parents opt for a personal frequency modulation (FM) system which uses radio waves to send speech directly to hearing aids. The transmitter can be a device that is placed on the person speaking or in a general area, making it great for a classroom or large distances within the home.
Contact North Shore Hearing P.C. for Hearing Aids for Teens
Choosing the best hearing aids for teens can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. At North Shore Hearing P.C., we offer an array of solutions designed to help you and your teen find the perfect pair of hearing aids.
Contact North Shore Hearing P.C. today to find the best hearing aids for teens.
