Children with hearing loss have to concentrate more than their hearing peers to hear, comprehend and respond effectively. There is a lot of energy required in lip reading, interpreting expressions, and filling in the gaps in conversations. It is no wonder our kids are in a state of exhaustion when they get home from school. Here are some ways your child can manage their listening fatigue:
- Use hearing aids/cochlear implants and other devices to make listening easier.
- Encourage your child to have quiet times away from noise, which may include removing their devices.
- Eliminate background noise where possible.
- Practice deep breathing, mindfulness, or relaxation.
- Use captions when watching TV.
- Let them know that it is okay to be tired and to take a nap if needed.
- Teach your child to advocate for themselves, for example, asking to move seats in class if they can’t hear properly.
Download the Real Life Tips infographic.
More information:
- Listening fatigue at school
- Bess, F. H., & Hornsby, B. W. (2014). Commentary: listening can be exhausting – fatigue in children and adults with hearing loss. Ear and hearing, 35(6), 592–599.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5603232/ Picou, E. M., Bean, B., Marcrum, S. C., Ricketts, T. A., & Hornsby, B. W. Y. (2019, 2019-August-02). Moderate Reverberation Does Not Increase Subjective Fatigue, Subjective Listening Effort, or Behavioral Listening Effort in School-Aged Children [Original Research]. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(1749). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01749
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01749/full
