Hearing aids

Hearing aids work by amplifying sound to enable people with a hearing loss to hear. Sound is received through the microphone, which then converts the sound to electrical signals. The amplifier increases the volume of the signals and then sends the sound to the ear through the speaker. Unfortunately not all sounds can be amplified sufficiently to allow a profoundly deaf child to hear all speech sounds. This is when a cochlear implant would be recommended.

There are a wide variety of hearing aids to accommodate people’s different hearing abilities and requirements. Children most commonly wear behind-the-ear hearing aids. Behind-the-ear hearings aids are used for people with a mild to profound hearing loss. They are worn behind the ear and are connected to a plastic ear-mould that fits in the outer ear.