Although hearing aids do make life a lot easier for people with hearing loss, getting used to these devices—in both a social and a mechanical sense—is not always easy. This is just as true for teenage girls and boys as it is for older hearing aid patients. If your son or daughter recently got hearing aids, here are some ways you can help them adjust.

1. Don't force them to wear the hearing aids all of the time.

Experts often recommend that new hearing aid wearers start by wearing the hearing aids for just a few hours a day, and then slowly work up to wearing them full-time. This process takes longer for some people than for others, so if your teenager does not seem to want to wear their hearing aids for more than a few hours at a time at first, don't force them. Let them take their time to adapt. If it takes them a month or two months to work their way up to full-time wear, that's fine.

2. Help them practice listening at home.

The sounds coming through the hearing aids don't sound quite the same as natural sounds. Your teen may struggle to tell the difference between certain spoken words and sounds at first. It will be less embarrassing for them if they "mess up" with their interpretations at home, rather than at school. So, practice at home by saying something to your teen, and then having them repeat the words back to you. Figure out which sounds they struggle with, and practice listening to those more. After some practice, they'll have an easier time wearing the hearing aids confidently at school.

3. Listen to their complaints.

There will probably be some kids who make fun of your teen or who make uncomfortable comments about his or her hearing aids. Let your child know that they can talk to you about any of these challenges they encounter at school. Listen to them openly, and try to offer them helpful advice for dealing with each situation. 

4. Buy them some hair accessories and hats.

Your child might feel more comfortable wearing some hair accessories or hats to school, since these accessories make the hearing aids less obvious. Go with them to the store to find some accessories that they like. Give them a reasonable budget to spend on new accessories every month or two. 

For more information about hearing aids, reach out to a hearing aid professional in your area today.

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