What can audiologists do about noise management for kids who use hearing aids?

Question

Answer

Audiologists play a critical role in noise management for children using hearing aids by acting as both technical experts and partners to the family. Their responsibilities include: 

• Establishing a Clinical Partnership: Families rely on audiologists to explain the capabilities and limitations of noise management technology. For instance, a clinician should help parents understand how long it takes for adaptive noise reduction features to fully adjust in a given environment.
• Implementing Automatic Programming: Audiologists can set up automatic hearing aid programs that "cascade" their functions depending on the environment. This involves creating a transition from "speech in quiet" settings (which use more gain and less noise reduction) to "speech in noise" settings that offer increasing levels of noise management and directionality.
• Individualizing Technology Settings: It is essential for audiologists to ensure that device settings reflect the highly individualized situations and preferences of a child's daily life. This involves managing the technology so that it responds appropriately to the specific listening environments the child encounters.
• Routine Provision of Strategies: Providing a robust noise management strategy should be a routine consideration for most children. Audiologists choose these strategies based on clinical evidence, knowledge of acoustics, and signal processing.

To read more: Learn how to help children hear better in noisy environments by checking out the new expert guidance on managing challenging listening situations at the Audiology Blog. Additionally, visit the Phonak Evidence Library to access the full publication, Pediatric Focus 4:  Noise Reduction in Children’s Hearing Aids—Evidence-based solutions.