How much time should my child wear hearing aids every day?

       As a teacher of kids with hearing loss, I often get the question, "How often should my kid wear hearing aids a day?" My answer is always, "How many hours is your child awake, minus bath or shower time?"  I usually am greeted with a blank stare.

       Families have the misconception that they can have their kids just use their hearing aids at school. Hearing aids are different than glasses... they are vital for picking up information that we "over hear " or are not taught directly. Yes, you can learn to see things as well, with glasses, but the language piece you miss when your aids are off (if you are not a sign user) is huge. 
   
      We send kids home with math homework and English work, because we want them to practice what they learned at school. The same thing comes wth hearing. Kids need to practice what they heard at home. They will also learn new vocab from the TV , their siblings and the dinner table. If parents treat language and hearing aids as a  positive, then the kid will be excited to play with sounds and language. 

     That being said, it is exhausting for kids with hearing loss to learn and listen and learn. So by days' end, they may want  a break-work with your child and see if they want an hour break after school  or an hour off before bed.  The more you hear , the more you will learn!