Hearing aids - comments?

[hebdenhedgehog]

Hi

Been to see an Audiologist today (NHS) who recommends a hearing aid for my nigh-on deaf ear.

I think it will be made by Siemens, but looking at their website they make a huge range so not sure which model exactly it will be.

Anyone here (hear?! ) got one or any experience of having one?

There seems to be a theory that of course they should be no more of a stigma than a pair of glasses, which I agree with (well, I would now wouldn't I?!), so given the choice of colours I have opted for silver as suitably 'out-there' but not a fashion colour (as apparently the covers can't be changed).

DS wears them. His are bright blue and often has funky ear molds too. He likes his hair short and rarely gets comments but to be honest a lot of the deaf kids we know wear their hair longer in which case they are barely noticeable.

Yes, the audiologist said that kids often like having them esp when shown they come in bright colours with cartoon attachments - I almost went for one myself!

Indeed, siblings apparently often cry because they don't get to have one!

I'm assuming it'll be the cheapest variety of aid available, but did like the idea of it being connectable to the iPod as some of them can be.

Maybe there's a whole new noisy world waiting for me?!

You can get 'shoes' that go on the aids to attach other stuff. DS has a radio to attach for school, he has had headphone type attachments in the past but prefers a loop now which he wears round his neck and it connects to thee aids without attachments. For hearing related paraphernalia you need the connevans website they sell all sorts of stuff they are based in Reigate (near where we live) if you are close enough you can arrange an appointment to try stuff out but they are also really helpful on the phone. The RNID also a website where they sell stuff.

connevans is a great site for all sorts of bits you can get for hearing aids.

You can get monaural and binaural leads for hearing aids and the direct input"shoes" you need to connect them to the lead. Ask you audiologist about this as some aids have the shoe in built.

Having said that not quite sure how you can have a direct input to your H aids on one ear and a normal ear bud on the other. If the hearing is severe or profound in your deaf ear even with hearing aids the sound through a lead from an ipod might be quite distorted.

OOh just noticed that you can get a "music Pro" DI shoe for seimens aids! Look here

I wear 2 hearing aids and although profound loss find them really helpful. Mine are beige, as they don't do this model in any other colour than "skin" so have coloured moulds (but when I was a child no colour available, so making up for lost time)

I have found I have got a great service from NHS - they don't give out the cheapest available, they may not have quite the top models, but not far off ... it is just that they buy in bulk at cost price (about £100 an aid) rather than what private audiologists charge for aids and time (up to 3k) ... so do ask for the best they can give you!

All teh best

I would agree with Kezi
I work with Deaf kids and the digital aids they are given on the NHS (all of them use phonaks) are fab.

My mum has a bone anchored digital hearing aid which is made by the Cochlear group (very high tech) and my dad uses digital Oticon spirits which are also very good- again all free on the NHS.

IME private aids are a total waste of money.

Dear all

Thank you for all the replies

I will have to try and contact the audiologist today and just confirm things.

I have digital Phonak's (had Phonak's on NHS for 20years now, from a young teen - but they were analogue) - and all deaf children I work with have Phonak's too ... lots of different models.. I have Phonak Supero's, and trialling Phonak Vaida UP's (in blue ).

There are lots of "bits" that go with hearing aids, but have to be bought privately (children get them free obviously) but I use Connevans to get those bits - useful company, very helpful. My new hearing aids have bluetooth compatability (on NHS), if I but the iCom to go with them (at £168 cheaper than my glasses!! and hearing aids free)

Hope you get some that really suit you and the right connections.