Ali gets hearing aids - NDCS

Ali needs hearing aids. How do you feel about it? Excited? Worried? A bit sad? He’s just not sure.

Grandma takes Ali to the audiologist. The audiologist needs to make earmoulds for Ali’s hearing aids. You can’t use a ruler to measure inside ears. They’re just too bendy and wiggly. The best way to work out what the inside of ears look like is to put paste inside the ear. The audiologist puts a little bit of foam and then some paste in Ali’s ear. It feels tickly, wiggly, funny and he kind of likes it!

Everyone’s ears are a different shape and size inside. It’s important that Ali’s hearing aids fit him just right.

When the paste has gone hard, they’ll use these impressions to make the earmoulds that are attached to Ali’s hearing aids. It’s funny seeing what the inside of his ears looks like! It’s all bendy and blobby.

Soon after, Ali and his grandma come back to the clinic. Ali is excited about seeing his hearing aids. The earmoulds are glittery. His friends are going to love them! Ali is taught how to put them in and take them out. The audiologist makes sure the hearing aids are working for Ali.

There are lots of bits to his hearing aids. The audiologist teaches him and his grandma all about them and what they do. They’re also taught how to change the batteries and keep them clean. Ali’s hearing aids are connected to the computer, and the audiologist checks that Ali can hear all the sounds at the right volume.

Ali wears them home and shows his sisters. They like the glittery earmoulds. Ali has to look after his hearing aids. He knows he mustn’t let them get wet, and when he takes them out he always puts them in a special box to keep them safe. He wears them all the time. They help him hear what’s going on.

How do you feel about your hearing aids?

Use this page to draw or write about the things you hope will happen when you’re wearing your hearing aids. Happy? Excited? Worried? Fed up? Sad?

Check out ndcs.org.uk/hearingaids or contact our Freephone Helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice and text) or helpline@ndcs.org.uk for more information about hearing aids.

Illustrations by Tim Bradford - illustrationx.com/uk

Licensed to the National Deaf Children’s Society April 2023 to April 2033

Published by the National Deaf Children’s Society - September 2023

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