Hearing Aid Choices
What are the different styles of hearing aids?

There are 2 kinds of hearing aids usually used for children:

They are behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids - the picture on the left, and in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids - the picture on the right.

The style that is usually recommended for babies is the behind-the-ear style.

There are many different in-the-ear hearing aid sizes, but they are best for adults. In-the-ear styles are not recommended for children younger than 6 or 7 years. Why? Because children's ears grow rapidly during the first few years of life. This means that young children would outgrow their hearing aids quickly. Another reason is one of safety. In-the-ear hearing aid cases are made from hard plastic. If an in-the-ear hearing aid is damaged during play, it can cut a child's ear canal.

Hearing aids worn on the chest or body were used more often in the past. This hearing aid style is heavy and large and is rarely used in the United States today.