Anyone got a 2 year old with a hearing aid?

[Sparkletastic]

DD2 (2 years) has been having all manner of tests courtesy of the NHS recently. Today we saw a nice audiology chap and upshot is he thinks she has quite a significant hearing impairment in one ear. Needs to re-do the tests to be double sure but he thought it highly likely she'd need one of the 'hook over the ear' hearing aids for her right ear. She's a feisty little madam and I'm already fretting about the likelihood of her tolerating a hearing aid. Anyone got any success stories / handy techniques to get a stroppy toddler to keep a bit of plastic stuck over their ear?! Ta muchly - weary .

anyone?

bump

my friend's ds has them for both ears, and has done since 3 months old.

He is now 16 months, and doesn't seeem too bothered by them. He used to knock them out when smaller, when he was waving his arms around.

Dd3 2.3 has had hearing aids for 9 months. She only needs one as she has no hearing at all in one ear but won't wear one aid on its own! 2 isn't the easiest age, so I would probably say don't aim to have her wearing it all day at the start. Put it in and see how she goes, if she pulls it out a lot then try to build the time up slowly from 5 - 10 minutes at a time. If she pulls it out constantly give her half an hour break and then start again, try to make it fun rather than something she HAS to do. If she isn't keen try to pick a time when it's important that she is listening, preferably when she has her hands occupied, like clapping games and singing. You could have a separate toy box, favourite dvd that only comes out when the aid is in. We were told to aim for about 5 hours a day to make a difference, although obviously the longer the aids are in the better.

They are not bits of plastic stuck over the ear, they are magic ears that you can hear so much more with, you can choose the colour of some makes of aid, you can decorate with stickers, you can choose the colour of mould or choose to have a picture in it. One of dd3s friends has a cyberman in his moulds, ds thinks he is cool! Dd3 has pink aids and pink glittery moulds. Go for the hard sell on her!

So long as you are up for a bit of bribery and corruption, you will be fine. Dd3 has realised now that her aids make a difference and is pretty happy to wear them, although everything goes flying when she is tired, including her glasses - not much fun if you happen to be in Tesco at the time and haven't seen her throw them

Oh thank you for some replies (have been away cooking). littlerach - the consultant said it would have been much easier if this had been picked up when DD2 was a baby was apparently then they see the hearing aid as a part of their body, but still gives me some hope that your friend's DS isn't bothered by his.
bigcar - excellent advice - thank you so much. I am deffo not above bribery and corruption (tis my fave form of behaviour management!!). The doc said DD2 probably wouldn't need her hearing aid forever - just until she sorts out her speech and language (she only has approx 15 words, rarely used and very indistinct and now it is more obvious why ). I LOVE 'magic ears'!! Doc advised we start trying to get her used to wearing something / anything on her head e.g. hair bands, hats, earphones - to build up her tolerance. I was a bit as didn't think that really compared but I guess it is just 'foreign objects on head'. Your ideas for wearing to watch fave programme is great. Does your DD3 go to nursery or playgroup? If so does she wear her aids there?

We haven't been able to sort out a playgroup for dd3 yet, she really needs a sn place as she has a few problems, we are hoping maybe in september we will get a place. Is your dd2 in play group? I would ask at your next audiology appointment about a teacher of the deaf, dd3 has one and she's lovely. Part of the ToDs job is to make sure the playgroup/nursery/school know what they need to know about hearing aids and the correct way to communicate with your dd2. Things like making sure your dd2 can see their faces clearly when they are speaking to her, sitting at the front at story time, not calling across the room to her etc. Hope you get things sorted for her.

Thanks bigcar. I've recently moved DD2 to a lovely, small, rural nursery with 2 SENCOs only to be told that it is closing end of July . Was going to move her to the pre-school play group at DD1's school but was worried about it as it is just one big room, lots of kids (mainly noisy older boys!) and the SENCO / supervisor wants to leave before the September term. Am now terribly worried although she would only be there 2 days a week. DD2 has got a paediatrician and I get a lot of support from a SN group that we attend weekly so will follow your excellent advice about asking for some possible teaching support or at least some advice for the play group.