Bone anchored hearing devices (BAHD) the attract system

When will my child be fitted with the BAHD?

We order the bone anchored hearing device (BAHD) sound processor for your child and is usually kept in the hospital until it is safe for your child to have it fitted. If your child already has a softband BAHD we will use your existing hearing processor.

The BAHD is usually fitted between 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, depending on how the soft tissue has healed. Your child’s ear, nose and throat (ENT) consultant or specialist nurse will usually tell you about this at your post surgery appointment.

If your child already uses a softband BAHD we will ask your child to stop using it in the time between surgery and fitting. This will give time for the skin to heal better.

Time is also needed for the titanium implant. It needs some time to become strongly bonded with the skull. We will arrange an appointment in hearing services for the device to be fitted (loaded).

What happens at the loading session?

We will check the scar and skin around magnet site. Then we will programme your child’s BAHD through the computer, usually by asking your child to listen and respond to sounds, in order to fine tune the prescription.

We will show you and your child how to connect and disconnect the BAHD, how to use and take care of it and how to care for their skin and wound.

How often will my child need to come back to see the audiologists after the first fitting?

You will have a review appointment 2 months after the first fitting.

We will check how your child is getting on with the BAHD, and adjust the sound settings if necessary. We may complete some simple speech tests or questionnaires to see how beneficial the BAHD is for your child. We will plan the next appointment. If everything is progressing well reviews are usually every 6 months. For well-established wearers this can increase to every 12 months.

You will also have appointments in the ENT service, please attend both types of appointments.

We advise you to get in touch with us should a problem arise in between appointments.

How often should my child wear there BAHD?

With any hearing aid we recommend your child to wear as much as possible to adjustment to new sound.

However with the ‘attract’ system, when there is pressure on the skin your child should have regular breaks from wear throughout the day of at least 15 minutes.

What if my child’s BAHD attract keeps falling off?

If your child’s BAHD attract keeps falling off, please contact the audiologists.

The attract magnets come in 6 strengths, with 1 being the weakest and 6 being the strongest. We will fit the weakest one that does not fall off in clinic. In the initial time after surgery the skin and soft tissue go through a healing process and we often have to alter the strength of magnet many times to keep up with these changes. This can either be to a stronger or weaker magnet.

We ask parents and carers to keep a regular check on your child’s magnet site and scar. If you see any change in appearance please contact the audiologists or the specialist nurse.

There is a high risk of losing the device with the Attract system. Please contact the audiologists for a safety line to clip the aid to clothing.

What if my BAHD develops a fault?

You can phone one of the audiologists in the BAHD service at any time during office hours for advice about BAHD.

How do we get replacement accessories?

Batteries, safety lines, softpads, magnets, battery drawers can be posted home. You can phone hearing services workshop to request this. If your BAHD is broken we will discuss arranging a repair or replacement with you. We may ask you to attend an appointment for this.

What should I do if the area around the magnet site becomes sore or looks infected?

If the area around your child’s magnet site looks sore or infected, please contact the ear nose and throat (ENT) service and ask for Jane Hutchins who may need to arrange another appointment with and ENT consultant.