Ear molds are the silicone pieces that actually fit in the ear canal and are connected to the hearing aid (that part that goes over the ear) with a plastic tube. Ear molds must be custom fit so that there is as tight a seal as possible. If there are any gaps between the ear and the ear mold, it lets extra noise in (muffling the sound entering the ear) and it also creates feedback from the hearing aid (think about the annoying noise a microphone makes when it gets too close to a speaker).
Fun Fact: When we hear feedback, we call it “singing”. If Ike’s ears are “singing”, it means the hearing aid is not inserted correctly or it is time to get new ear molds!
Side Note: Feedback is super annoying to someone with regular hearing, but (from what I’ve been told) it actually doesn’t really bother the person with hearing loss … aside from the fact that the sound is just not as clear as it should be.
Because ears continually grow and change over our lifetime, a person needs to get new ear molds fitted every so often. Babies, grow A LOT, so they will get A LOT of ear molds in their first couple years! With Ike, we got new ear molds every other week until he was about 8 months old. Since then it has been about every 1-2 months. As he becomes a little kid, it will be about every 6 months, then every year or so when he grows up. (You get the idea … the faster they grow, the more ear molds they get.)
Getting fitted for an ear mold is similar to getting an impression taken for dental work. A small cotton “stopper” is inserted into the ear with a string attached (to help pull the ear mold out). Then this (I’m going to call it a caulking) gun squirts a purple goo into the ear, filling the ear canal and the outer ear. Apparently, it doesn’t hurt, but feels kind of like getting water in your ear (from what I am told). It takes a few minutes to dry, and then they pop the mold out of the ear. This mold is sent off to a lab to create the actual ear mold the hearing aid will connect to.
We are lucky because there is an ear mold lab down the street from our audiology center, so we only have to wait a few days to get our ear molds in. Others are not as fortunate and they have to wait weeks for the molds to be shipped! Luckily there is work being done to start 3D printing the ear molds, which would allow the audiology centers to print them the same day! You better believe I will let you and the world know when that day comes!
3 Ways to Assist In Your Baby’s Ear Mold Session
After countless times getting ear molds during Ike’s first year, I developed a strategy that worked very well for getting Ike to cooperate and not have a complete melt down.
1. Do the “Hug and Hold”
Hold your baby so they are sitting on your lap, facing toward you, with their legs wrapped around your waist.
Hold their head to your chest with the ear they are taking the ear mold on directed outward.
Hug them tight so they feel comforted and so they don’t flail around everywhere.
Full Disclosure: this is not a technical position ... I totally made it up and gave it this name...but it DOES work (at least for us), so give it a try!
2. Stay calm
Act like nothing out of the ordinary is happening
I feel like this is applicable to ANY stressful situation your baby might encounter...shots at the doctor...going to the dentist...if they fall down or bump into something… if another baby inadvertently bonks them in the head. Kids look to us to know how to react. They take their cue from you. If you are calm, they are more likely to be calm. Send them your good energy and hope for the best. (And hey, if they still flail and scream, just remember it is only for a couple minutes. You will get through it!)
3. Praise them when it’s finished
Kids in general love to be praised when they do a good job. Babies are no different. Smile, clap, do a thumbs up, give them kisses. In my experience, when they see they did something to warrant praise, they are more likely to want to do it again in the future!
Thankfully, we have had good luck with Ike and getting ear molds. Is it because of my assistance in the process? Maybe not. He is a laid back, happy boy who rolls with the punches and is just plain tough. Each kid is different and I am sure you will find what works best for you and your baby, but I hope that these tips will at least give you somewhere to start!
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