To think that my son's teacher or LSA should change hearing aid batteries

[frances5]

My son is five years old, he is partially deaf and wears hearing aids. Today one of the batteries in his hearing aids went flat and the teacher told him to change the battery himself. My son doesn't have the fine motor skills to change the batteries of his hearing aids. The battery compartment of his hearing aids are designed to be toddler proof.

If the teacher didn't know how, why in the hell didn't the school phone.

useless
you are not unreasonable

surely it can't be that difficult

I am at that.

Surely someone at the school should learn how?

YANBU. Like you said, if they really couldn't, they could have at least have phoned and asked! You could send step-by-step picture instructions in with the new spare battery?!

Hi - cud you perhaps ask that a designated member of staff be 'trained'/allocated to do this in future or be his point of contact? They have let you and your son down. My 5 year old son had just started school in September and a few weeks in had an ear infection. His teacher said she would be happy to administer his antibiotic at lunchtime for me even though I m only round the corner from school. On the 1st day he came out to me and when I asked if he had taken his medicine ok he said he hadnt been given it! I went and asked said teacher why and she just said she'd been very busy! Why offer??!! The next day I went in just before lunch to give it him myself and she looked at me gone out when I said what I'd come to do (interrupting her class!!)! On my way out I bumped into the head and she said 'O we can do that for you to save you the journey'!!!! I told her what happened the day before and went home.

Does your son have a teacher of the deaf? I thought all children with hearing aids did but I could be wrong. If he does this is part of their job to train the staff in what to do in this sort of situation. My son is in year 1 he has a full equipment check at school every day (he also uses a radio aid). He now carries batteries as his current aids have a habit of cutting out. you will find he learns to do this stuff pretty quick now but the staff should also have the knowledge. Have your school got the deaf friendly schools pack from the national deaf childrens society? maybe you could get them a copy.

Do the staff generally expect children to be responsible for the maintenance of disability aids? I don't know if your ds' batteries are similar to mine (the small circular ones) but if so they are very fiddly. Even a child with very good fine motor skills would find it tricky.

I think you need to agree on a plan of action with the school about hearing aid batteries and get them to put it in writing. If the staff don't know how to change the batteries then they need to learn how.

I support a deaf child and its part of my job to check his hearing aids and change batteries if they need it. He doesn't use his though.