No Such Thing As A Borderline Hearing Aid Candidate
I wanted to take a moment to talk about those people who are wondering if they should pursue hearing aids or not. It is true that the affects of sharply sloping high frequency hearing impairment are so subtle it is hard to determine whether hearing aids will be benecial. However, if you find yourself in an audiologists office talking about hearing aids I don't think a hearing test can determine how good a candidate you are for hearing aids. I am not talking about the obvious seperation between those who have normal hearing who don't need help from those who have moderate hearing impairment who definetly need help. Who I am talking about are those who suffer from sharply sloping high frequency hearing impairment with areas of normal hearing. I feel there is a huge risk in looking at a audiogram and saying you are a borderline candidate and you don't need hearing aids. That is not to say every person with any hearing loss will definetly benefit from hearing aids. The point is that two people with the same hearing loss can have dramitically different experiences with hearing aids. One person might find them an to be an indespensible part of thier life and the next might not even be able to tell any change at all. In those grey areas there is no way to determine which side of that spectrum you will land without experiencing them first hand. If you don't try you will never know what could be. If you try and there is no improvement the peice of mind gained through the expereince is more than worth the time and trial fee spent to answer those questions, that drove you to the audiologist office in the first place.
Sep 27, 2009 at 3:25 AM my son has a high frequency hearing loss,and is normal at low frequency, i feel he does not require a hearing aid........since he is just 6years old he could not judge whether he requiers a hering aid or not..............doctors say it is better for the growth of child.........i am confused......
Oct 9, 2009 at 8:36 AM Dear jyothi:
I agree that simply looking at the audiogram (hearing test) is not the only way to determine if a patient is a hearing aid candidate. You have to consider the patient and how they are managing in the real world. I do not know the specifics of your son's hearing impairment, but working with a qualified audiologist, you could demo an appropriate hearing aid(s) and see if improvement is noted by yourself, your family and your son's teacher(s). Reading and spelling could become an issue for him if he cannot hear all of the sounds. A compassionate audiologist will work with you, especially if you explain your concerns. Hearing instruments are smaller than ever and designed in some awesome colors so the social stigma doesn't need to be there. I honestly would do anything to give my sons every advantage in life (as I'm sure you would too - or you wouldn't be posting and asking) and you never know until you try.
Oct 9, 2009 at 9:03 AM jyothi,
Of course it is difficult to give advice when I don't know your child's history, seen his audiogram, or know how he is doing in school. Your input is also important--are you noticing that there are times that your child is not listening or you are having to repeat often?
Research has shown that the classroom alone is a difficult environment for a normal hearing child to hear and understand. A child who has a high frequency hearing loss would have more difficulty understanding in this challenging environment, which may decrease learning abilities.
Also know that your son has the opportunity to have a trial period with hearing devices, if that is something that an audiologist or ENT physician recommends.
I hope this helps with lessening your confusion...hopefully you will consult the audiologist again who saw your son and he/she can advise you further.