Helping Kids Understand Hearing Loss

Perhaps you are an adult who has recently being diagnosed with hearing loss, and you want to help your children or grandchildren understand your situation. Perhaps your child is the one who has a hearing impairment, and you want to make sure his or her siblings or classmates understand this. Whatever your circumstances are, it is normal to feel a little nervous about explaining something as complex as hearing loss to young children.

Fortunately, it is not as difficult as you may fear. Children can often understand more than we give them credit for, and they can be very open-minded if new ideas are introduced in the right way. We hope you find the following advice helpful as you talk to kids about your or your child's hearing loss. For more advice about hearing health, call HearingPlanet's hearing aid specialists at 1-800-432-7669.

What to Tell Kids

Of course, the nature of your conversation will depend on the ages and personalities of the individual children involved. However, some strategies that may help include:

• Explain that a person with hearing loss may need simple accommodations to participate in a conversation. For example, when speaking with a hearing impaired person, it is best to get his or her attention first, and then face him or her while speaking clearly.
• Be prepared to answer lots of questions. Children do not ask these questions because they are being nosy or judgmental; they simply want to understand you better. Present concepts such as hearing aids or sign language in positive ways - not as signs of a disability, but as interesting things to learn about.
• Stress that hearing loss is simply another trait that makes someone an individual. It does not need to be pitied or feared. In addition, a person who has only recently developed hearing loss is still the same person as always.

Most children enjoy learning about new ideas, and can adjust to a new concept like hearing loss relatively quickly. Just remember to be patient and brace yourself for lots of questions.

Contact a Hearing Aid Specialist

Finding the right hearing aid for you or your child can be a challenge. For experienced advice and efficient assistance, contact HearingPlanet's hearing aid experts at 1-800-432-7669.