At about six months of age, babies start gaining more control of their hands and begin to explore the world around them. Just as many babies find it interesting to pull off their shoes and socks, some babies love to pull off their hearing aids. Some babies also put them in their mouths. Here are some tips for keeping them on:
Aviator/pilot caps or bonnets: these come down over the baby’s ears and tie under the chin. The thin layer of cotton over the hearing aid microphones makes very little difference to the sound reaching the hearing aid microphones.
Headbands: soft baby headbands are an alternative, but be careful not to cover the hearing aid microphone with thick fabric.
Huggies: these are available from your Hearing Australia centre. A ‘Huggy’ is a clear rubber ring with two bands to hold the hearing aid. The ring is fitted over your baby’s ear to hold the hearing aid behind the ear. Your audiologist can show you how these work.
Double-sided tape: your hearing centre can supply you with tape made for use on skin that will hold the hearing aid firmly against your baby’s head.
Clips: your audiologist can give you a clip with cords that attach to the hearing aids. This stops the hearing aids from being lost and can make it harder for your baby to get the hearing aids into their mouth.
Download the Real Life Tips infographic.
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