Hearing Aids For Children

More than 1 in 500 children are born with some degree of hearing loss and hearing aids can help children to hear better. Hearing aids for children are available on the NHS and from private hearing aid dispensers.

Hearing problems in children are often detected at an early age and screening tests are carried out on newborn babies, toddlers and pre-school children. If your child displays signs of hearing loss, a hearing aid may be recommended.


Hearing aids are custom-made to fit the individual and impressions of the ear will be used to form the ear mould. There are various types of hearing aid available, but only certain types are available on the NHS; some hearing aids that are available from private dispensers are usually only recommended for adults. It is possible to customise both NHS and private hearing aids to make them more aesthetically pleasing and they come in different colours and designs to make them stand out and look more appealing and fun.

Children's hearing aids should be fitted properly by an expert, who will show them and their parents how to use them and how to care for and clean them. The audiologist will also adjust the settings and fit of the hearing aid to make sure the child is happy. It is a good idea to have a few appointments after the initial fitting, as it can take a few weeks for children to get used to wearing hearing aids; at first, it is often advisable to wear the hearing aids for slightly longer each day and build up use slowly. Audiologists strongly encourage parents to be openly positive about hearing aids and to practice talking to their children with their hearing aids in and praise positive steps forward.

Like adults, children are advised to undergo frequent hearing tests and follow-up appointments to make sure the hearing aid is working well and to enable the audiologist to keep track of the child's hearing and record any changes.

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