Types of Hearing Aid
Behind-the-ear (BTE): These are the most common type of hearing aids used in children. It sits behind the ear and is attached to the custom-made ear mould via tubing. The tubing transmits amplified sound from the hearing aid into the ear.
Hearing aids are given to children, after assessments are carried out, by the Paediatric Audiology department at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.
In-the-ear: These hearing aids sit in the ear canal and are custom made to fit each individual. They are not usually given to children because of their size, their inability to support a radio aid and children’s ear canals can change size.
Cochlear Implant: A cochlear implant provides children with an opportunity to hear speech sounds when BTE hearing aids are unable to do this because of their degree of hearing loss. An electrode is inserted into the cochlea in the inner ear and this electrode stimulates the auditory nerve, instead of the hairs in the cochlea.
The sound perceived through cochlear implant is not the same as the sound heard with normal hearing but though time, the brain adjusts to hearing and understanding these sounds.
Children have to go through an assessment process to ascertain their suitability for receiving cochlear implants. There is only one place in Scotland that does this – The Implant Centre at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock.
Bone Conduction Hearing Aid (BAHA): This type of hearing aid is used for children who are unable to wear Behind The Ear hearing aids because of the anatomy of their outer ear or ear canal. The sound is transferred to the inner ear via vibrations on the mastoid bone, behind the ear. The Bone Conduction Hearing Aid may be on a soft band round the head or attached to the bone via a stud.