Our children starting school is a big event for all families. It is an exciting adventure in an ever-changing setting, with new people. But now performance and concentration are also expected – even when the listening environment is not always optimal.

Making close friends, learning and evaluating

Schoolchildren are constantly evaluated, but they also evaluate themselves. Success or failure makes them feel either competent or inadequate. They now become conscious of their hearing loss and may feel embarrassed by their hearing aids.

Friends become increasingly important throughout one’s school years and children mirror themselves in others in order to develop their own identity. Some children become victims of bullying and there is a risk that your child will minimize his/her need for a hearing aid because they do not want to draw attention to themselves.

Acknowledge their feelings
Recall your own emotional reaction when you received their diagnosis of hearing loss. You can then listen and acknowledge how they feel, and reassure them that their hearing loss does not stand in the way of healthy relationships or important learning.

Support their need for privacy
Raising a child with hearing loss requires some adjustments to your family. Your child needs privacy at this stage in life – but they still need to hear you when you call them for dinner and other family activities.

School-age child

Child-friendly hearing solutions

During school, your child needs to maximize their vocabulary – along with all the other subjects on the curriculum. Modern schools require that children are able to multitask. They need to use computers, understand and act upon what the teacher says and participate in group work. They are also introduced to sports and other extracurricular activities. It is therefore extremely important for your child to receive the right child-friendly hearing solutions such as:

• Our pediatric hearing aids for all children
• Access to the latest classroom remote microphone systems
• Extra support from you both during and after school

Technologies that support your child

Hearing Aids

Oticon provides revolutionary technology that allows children to have better access to more speech and the ability to connect to modern technology.

Discover our pediatric solutions
Classroom Solutions

Oticon offers a range of flexible classroom solutions to maximize students’ speech understanding for language development, learning and socializing opportunities.

Explore classroom solutions
ConnectClip

ConnectClip can turn Oticon hearing aids into a wireless headset for streaming calls, music and more.

Learn about ConnectClip

Empower your child

Maintenance
Confirm that your child can independently care for and clean their hearing aids and maintain and set up other important accessories. Giving them these responsibilities will help them to take ownership and minimize the risk that they reject using them.

Communication
Ensure that your child is comfortable with advocating for their listening and learning needs and is able to repair communication breakdowns. Because of their evaluative behavior at this stage, they might not wish to draw attention to themselves. Talk about ways they can ask for help without feeling exposed. Use these communication tips to discuss strategies for handling difficult listening environments.

Hearing care center
When visiting your child's hearing care professional, make sure to involve your child in decisions about their hearing aids such as color and accessories and allow them time to speak about their feelings with the hearing care specialist without you taking over. Your child is the expert on their own needs, feelings and experiences – let him or her know that.

Introduction to others
Being the only “different” child at school is not easy. And as your child now tends to listen to peers more than to you, you can use this in a positive way and consider finding an informal group of children with hearing loss in your community, which your child might benefit from joining. Your hearing care professional might be able to direct you to such groups.

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Next phase: Teen
to young adult
(12+ years)

As children with hearing loss grow, they face a range of challenges at different stages over the years, from infancy through the school years and beyond. Children learn and progress differently over time and the needs of your child must be continuously assessed. Every new self-concept and skills result in new behavior. Be aware of the signs, so you can provide support!

When your child becomes a teenager, they are on a fast journey to adulthood. Your child may sometimes experience confusion or become overwhelmed about his/her own role and feelings. During these years you will need to let go, so make sure that they are prepared to take full responsibility for their hearing loss.

School-age child (6-12 years)

Making close friends, learning and evaluating

School-age child

Child-friendly hearing solutions

Technologies that support your child

Hearing Aids

Classroom Solutions

ConnectClip

Empower your child

Next phase: Teen to young adult (12+ years)

School-age child
(6-12 years)

Next phase: Teen
to young adult
(12+ years)