Hearing clearly and communicating well is important for learning at any age. As children of all ages gear up for another school year, here are some important reminders:

Regular hearing screening

Many children may still be screened for hearing health at school, but it that is not the case in your school, it is important to treat your ears as you would your vision and schedule regular checkups. Talk to your pediatrician or call our hearing center for information on how a hearing test works and recommendations for frequency of screening in children.

Learn to advocate

If your child has hearing loss it is important that you teach your child and allow them to practice the skills necessary to advocate for themselves at school. Especially as they reach high school and college, your child will benefit from skills developed at a young age to advocate for what they need to learn.

Explore options for accessories

Today’s hearing aid manufacturers offer a wide array of discreet hearing aid accessories that can help students hear better in the classroom. From additional clip on microphones to discreet desktop devices and even mobile phone technology, hearing aid accessories help your child capture more sound. Speak to your audiologist about the accessory options available for your child’s hearing aids and speak to your child’s teacher and school administrators about function and use within the school.

Teach good hearing health

Just as we teach good oral hygiene, teaching our children about protecting their hearing is also important to their long-term health. A good place to start is with a conversation about volume, specifically related to headphone and ear bud use. Listening at high volume levels and for too long will damage your child’s hearing over time. It is important to turn the volume down and to take frequent listening breaks.

All of us at Clifton Springs Hearing Center wish you and your child a great school year full of learning!