Children with visual impairment as well as hearing problems often have to wear both spectacles and hearing aids. While your child may need to use both for their sensory development, there is not a lot of room behind a small ear for so much hardware! Maggie Woodhouse offers tips on how to respond to this challenge
Make sure both hearing aid and glasses fit together
If your child already has spectacles when hearing aids are provided, make sure the audiologist knows this. Hearing aids are not as readily adjustable as spectacles, but it is important that everyone knows the challenges your child is facing.
As soon as your child has the aids, take her along to the optician to check the fit of her specs. Similarly, if your child already has hearing aids when specs are prescribed, make sure she had the aids with her when choosing frames.
Sometimes a longer or straighter side is needed, so that the two appliances don't clash behind the ear. Insist on a good and comfortable fit for the specs - your child's sensory development depends on her using hearing aid and glasses together.
Information overload?
Both specs and hearing aids can be difficult to get used to at first. Each one changes your child's perception of the world and provides a lot more information: extra sight and extra sound. If your child is prescribed both around the same time, there may be too much for her to cope with.
Some children may be able to manage adapting to both at the same time. Other children may need to get used to the new items one a time. Think about which is the most serious deficit for your child; it may be best to concentrate on this one to begin with.
Alternatively, think about which sense is most important for a particular activity. If your child is going to look at a book, do colouring, drawing or a visual puzzle, then pop the specs on for this activity.
If your child is going to engage with other people, practice speech, learn a song, then it may be more important for her to have her hearing aids for this. Be guided by your child's tolerance and allow her to learn to use the new information at her pace.
Let your child take breaks
I wear both spectacles and hearing aids - believe me, by the end of the day my ears can be quite sore! Sometimes your child may fling off her specs or hearing aids simply as a way of telling you :"I've had enough information for now, I want to rest my brain". Be sympathetic to this; a short break to relax won't do any harm and your child be more willing to try again when she's rested.
Maggie Woodhouse is a Senior Lecturer at Cardiff University specialising in Special Needs Optometry