Sending your kids off to school is an emotional and nerve-wracking moment. If your child has hearing loss, that moment may feel even more loaded.
Swapping your worries for a list of practical tasks is a great way to help your child feel ready to tackle their classes. Let’s take a look at four steps you can take to ease your little one’s transition.
1. Schedule a Hearing Checkup
Whether your child recently started exhibiting signs of hearing loss or they already have a pair of hearing aids, a hearing test ensures that their treatment is as effective as possible. We’ll check their hearing for any changes and readjust their hearing aids as necessary.
2. Talk to the School Staff
An estimated 34 million children worldwide have hearing loss requiring treatment. Because the condition is so widespread, most schools already have systems in place to help kids with hearing loss succeed.
Reach out to your child’s school and ask what kind of accommodations they have. Common options include assistive listening devices or loop systems, extra time for assignments or a classroom aide or buddy.
You should also get on a first-name basis with your child’s teacher. Regular communication will help you stay on top of your child’s progress and make any adjustments as the school year unfolds.
3. Pack Their Hearing Aid Kit
Depending on their model, your child’s hearing aids will require batteries, a charger and a cleaning kit to keep them working their best.
While it’s unlikely your child’s hearing aids will require tune-ups in the classroom, packing a few extra batteries and a charger in their backpack will keep low power from interfering with their learning. A cleaning kit or hearing aid dryer is also a great option in case of accidents.
In addition to batteries and a cleaning kit, include a sheet of hearing aid care information for their teacher so they know how to respond if your child’s devices stop working.
4. Boost Their Confidence
Feeling different can be especially challenging for a child. Hearing loss may lead them to believe something is wrong with them or that they’re broken in some way. Addressing this kind of negative self-talk early is essential. If your child expresses worry, remind them that their hearing aids are tools designed to make life easier, just like glasses help people see better.
You can also share books from the Missoula Library that feature characters with hearing aids so your child can see positive representation. These small but meaningful actions can help your child feel included, confident and ready to dive into school confidently.
For more information on helping your child or to schedule a hearing checkup, contact Western Montana Hearing and Speech today.