Why Behind the Ear Hearing Aids Are the Most Common

There are plenty of choices for the hearing impaired person who wishes to use a hearing device. There are aids that fit in the ear and those that fit completely in the ear canal. For cosmetic reasons alone you would expect these to be very popular. Yet the most commonly used hearing devices are behind the ear hearing aids.

Behind the ear hearing aids are constructed of an ear mold that fits in the ear and a piece of tubing that goes from the ear mold to the hearing aid. This tubing is called the tone hook. The hearing aid has an on and off control, a volume control, and a battery compartment. There is a microphone on the top on the hearing aid. The sounds are sent to the ear through the tubing and then the ear mold fitted into the ear.

Children are generally fitted with behind the ear hearing aids. This is partly because they are less delicate than some of the other types. Also, the children don't need to have highly developed fine motor skills to put one in or operate one. The controls are large enough for them to manage nicely.

Children do have a few problems with behind the ear hearing aids, but they are mostly minor. For one thing, as their ear canal change in size and shape with growth, they will have to be refitted about twice a year. But, this is true of other types of hearing aids as well. Behind the ear hearing aids are small enough that the child might have trouble keeping track of them when they aren't wearing them. Again, this would be even truer of other types. The one problem unique to behind the ear hearing aids for children is that the youngsters may not have large enough ears to hold the device. Correct fitting helps this. If that isn't enough, there is a device called a "Huggy" that can help fit the aid to the head as well.

The nice thing about behind the ear hearing aids is that they are slightly larger than the devices that are worn mainly in the ear. This allows for bigger batteries, which translates into more power, and more amplification. They can be useful for anyone who uses a hearing aid, from those who have mild hearing loss to those whose deafness is more profound. Behind the ear hearing aids are also good for people who have problems using their hands and fingers due to arthritis, for example, because of the larger controls. Besides all this, their circuitry can be either analog or the more technologically advanced digital.

Behind the ear hearing aids are strong, powerful, and easy to use. This type makes a good choice for a child for many reasons. They even come in a variety of different styles and colors. Add to this that digital sound is available and it is no wonder that behind the ear hearing aids are the most commonly used hearing aids of all.


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