Why Your Child's Hearing Aid Is Whistling

Whistling is one of the undesirable feedbacks of hearing aids. It can be extremely annoying for everybody. However, it is particularly bad for your child because it usually takes much effort to get a child used to hearing aids. Knowing what is causing the whistling may help you to deal with it. Here are five reasons your hearing-impaired child may be hearing whistling in the hearing aid:

The Seal between Earmold and Ear Canal Is Weak

As you know, air molecules are so tiny that they pass through extremely tiny spaces. For this reason, the fit between the earmold and the ear canal should be airtight if there is to be no whistling feedback. Applying creams and ointments makes the fit airtight and prevents air from passing from the ear to the microphone. Since it's impractical to use the creams forever, this should only be a temporary solution while waiting for a permanent one, such as a new earmold.

The Child Has Outgrown the Earmold

Whistling occurs when hearing aid microphone picks up sound leaking out around the earmold. This means anything that allows sound to leak can lead to whistling. This can happen if your child has outgrown his or her earmolds. Unlike adults, children's ears grow fast, and this interferes with the fit of their earmolds. Therefore, replacing it may eliminate some of the undesirable feedbacks.

The Earmold Is Soft

The best earmolds fit snugly around the ear, trapping all the sounds in the ear canal. As you can imagine, molds made from soft materials do this better than those made from hard ones. Therefore, if your child is complaining of whistling, and he or she is using a relatively hard mold, it may be time to upgrade him or her to a softer one.

There Is Wax in the Ear Canal

Air may also bounce off the ear canal, and get back to the microphone if the canal is blocked. Something like wax, for example, may block the passage and prevent sound from traveling into your child's ear. The reflection from the wax then forms the feedback. In this case, it's advisable to consult your child's doctor to remove the blockage.

The Hearing Aid's Volume Is High

Lastly, you should also confirm that the hearing aid's volume isn't unnecessarily high. The higher the volume is, the more sound/air will be going into the ear, raising the probability of leakage or feedback. Just set the volume to the highest comfortable level that allows your child to hear without straining.

Contact the hearing doctor if these measures don't help with the whistling issue. It may be a problem with your child's ear or even the brand of hearing aid he or she is using. Don't give up on hearing aids before finding a solution for the whistling. For assistance, talk to a professional like Cape May County Hearing Aid Dispensary.