What You Put in Your Body Affects Your Health Greatly

If you have a child with a hearing disability, then your son or daughter's audiologist may suggest a hearing aid. Hearing aids can assist your child substantially and allow them to hear normally. However, if your child is prone to ear infections, then you may need to work diligently to make sure that these infections are kept at bay. Keep reading to learn how to do this effectively:

Disinfect The Hearing Aids Daily

Some individuals will simply wipe off their hearing aids with a clean cotton cloth. While this can remove some of the ear wax and debris, it will not remove or destroy the microorganisms that have clung to the aid. Both bacteria and fungi can develop colonies on the aids, and the microorganisms can come into contact with the aids from the internal and external environment. Both of these microorganisms can cause infections, and the dark and moist environment inside the ears can encourage growth.

You can reduce infections by cleaning the aids every day with disinfectants. You can use either a disinfecting wipe or a spray with a clean cloth. 

Keep in mind that you will need to use a non-alcohol based cleaner since the alcohol can damage the surface of the hearing aid and make it rough or coarse. Ask your audiologist about the best product to use with your child's hearing aids.

Clear Out The Vents

While the majority of the disinfection should occur along the exterior of the aid, you will need to use special tools to clear debris from small openings, like vents, along the aid surface. These vents breed debris that can spread to the ear canal and cause an infection to develop. Also, when the vents accumulate with debris, this makes it difficult for air to flow freely through the hearing aid. Airflow can reduce bacterial activity by minimizing the heat that becomes trapped within the ear.

Cleaning out the vents around your hearing aid requires the use of a vent cleaning brush. This brush is a thin, pipe cleaner type device that can be inserted directly into each vent to force out the ear wax and debris. 

Your vent cleaning schedule will depend on the location of the vents and how much ear wax your child's ears produce. You should check the vents and clean them about once a week. When your child first starts wearing the aids, then twice a week cleaning may be necessary. The ears will produce more wax as it detects the hearing aid and tries to deal with the irritating device.