Children go through rapid development from birth to adulthood – and so do you as a parent. Just when you thought you understood how to help your child, they suddenly grow into new challenges.

Accepting your child’s hearing loss

Many parents feel deeply concerned, and fear that their child will enjoy fewer opportunities in life. Such anxieties are natural, as we all want the best for our children.

You may be asking yourself questions such as: “Will they be able to make friends?”, “Will they be able to get an education and a job, a partner?” Such concerns are perfectly understandable. Today’s hearing aids are so advanced that even children with profound hearing loss can benefit from them.

Other parents have had similar struggles and have found a way. Sharing experiences with “experienced” parents can help you, and your child gets to meet other children with hearing aids.

What about the future?

Continue to dream about the future and encourage your child to do more. Hearing loss does not have to restrict your child’s enjoyment of all that life has to offer.

Hold onto dreams and ambitions
Of course you have dreams and ambitions for your child; like every other parent. We want our children to be successful and we worry whether they will enjoy the same opportunities as other children. Retain your dreams and ambitions for your child in order to support their development in the best way possible. Oticon’s mission is to create a better future for every child with hearing loss. And our shared goal is to give your child what he or she needs to become who they want to be - to realize their full potential.

Love and encourage
Love, accept and encourage your child. Praise them when they do something well. Pay attention when your child wants to share something with you – even small things. These loving, caring activities stimulate your child and make them feel relaxed and confident. Reassure them, so he or she does not feel left out of our hearing world, but is comfortable taking part in all that life has to offer.

Empower your child

Besides lots of patience, love and reassurance, it is important to raise your child like a hearing child as much as possible. They need responsibilities within the family; on equal terms with their siblings, and they need the freedom to participate in activities without you.

The healthy development of skills and social competencies depends on us experiencing both successes and failures in life, and not least receiving the support to handle them, so that we can learn from them. Many parents of children with hearing loss find it difficult to maintain a balance between protecting and expecting. It is very important to prepare the child for the real world by setting a good example and making fair demands. Children need to become strong, independent, self-reliant adults – despite a physical impairment.

An important part of raising a child with hearing loss is also engaging them to take responsibility for their hearing loss, because this is key to motivating them to wear their hearing aids. One example could be to help them understand why they are wearing hearing aids and involve them in how hearing aids work.

Read about the importance of sound

Involve them in hearing aid care

The toddler can bring you their hearing aids and putting them into the drying case at night. The preschooler can change the batteries and put their hearing aids on and later they will be able to clean them too.
Teach them self-advocacy

Self-advocacy skills appropriate to their age are important. Help your child to advocate for their listening needs and talk about how they can repair communication breakdowns.
Let them have a say

Your child will need to visit the hearing center often throughout their lives. Allow them to choose the color of their hearing aid, let them speak for themselves. Tell them that they are the experts on their own feelings, needs and experiences.

Support every step of the way

As your child grows and you have communication techniques and tools in place and have chosen the correct hearing aids, things that were difficult before will become easier. But be prepared for every new stage in life to bring new challenges.

Read about the development phases in your child’s life.

Infant to toddler (0-3 years)

If your child suffers from hearing loss, their ability to develop speech is dependent on the correct care from the very beginning.

Infant to toddler 0 to 3 years

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Preschooler (3-6 years)

Developing social skills in a noisy day care environment or at the playground can be challenging with a hearing loss.

Preschooler 3 to 6 years

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School age child (6-12 years)

A classroom is a challenging listening environment. Learn about solutions and how to support your child.

Schoolchild 6 to 12 years

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Teen to young adult (12+)

Solutions for teenagers and young adults and how you as a parent can support like a good mentor.

Teen to adult 12 plus years

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Making transitions easier for children and teens

Transitions are the times of change in life that we all go through as we move from childhood into adolescence on to adulthood. These times may feel challenging, especially for children and young adults who are still developing emotionally, intellectually, and socially. Some examples of transitions are attending daycare; learning new routines in grade school; expanding social experiences when moving from middle school to high school; starting a first job.

To make these transitions easier and more positive, the Ida Institute (a non-profit organization focused on patient-centered care for children and adults with hearing loss) has created a suite of interactive tools for parents and children. The tools for each age group include videos and interviews with children and parents, and activities promoting discussion and skill development.

Get Started with Transitions Management

Engaging family

Having a child with hearing loss draws a great deal of attention to both the child and parents. But hearing loss also impacts the rest of the family.

Read about how to create engagement and harmony at home.

Engaging Family

Having a child with hearing loss draws a great deal of attention to both the child and parents. But hearing loss also impacts the rest of the family.

Enganging family

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Why children’s hearing is important

Your child uses their hearing to learn to talk, read and write and not least for developing social skills.

Why Children's Hearing is Important

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The child’s environment and social life

Hearing is important to develop social skills and be able to communicate in different environments.

The childs environment and social life

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Oticon hearing aids for children

Explore our hearing aid solutions for children with mild to moderate and severe to profound hearing loss.

Solutions

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Raising a child with hearing loss

Accepting your child’s hearing loss

What about the future?

Empower your child

Involve them in hearing aid care

Teach them self-advocacy

Let them have a say

Support every step of the way

Making transitions easier for children and teens

Engaging family