Softband bone anchored hearing devices (BAHD)

What is a softband bone anchored hearing device?

Softband bone anchored hearing devices (BAHD) are a type of hearing aid that can be used for children that have difficulty using traditional behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids. For example if they have:

• frequent ear infections
• underdeveloped outer ears
• do not have ear canals
• have ear shapes that will not hold the BTE hearing aids
• profound unilateral hearing loss

BAHD work by passing sound vibrations from a hearing aid processor to the parts of the ear which let us hear sounds naturally.

What happens at the softband BAHD fitting appointment?

This appointment will last for about 1 hour with audiologists who will talk to you about treatment options.

We might test your child’s hearing and do some questionnaires if we need more information. After this, we will offer your child a hearing aid processor that might be suitable.

We will programme your child’s BAHD to a prescription through the computer. We will work this out by asking your child to listen and respond to sounds. For younger children we will need to do other tests to see how they respond to sounds.

We will explain how the hearing aid works and how to use it. We will talk about any assistive devices or settings that may be useful.

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

You will have a review appointment 6 to 8 weeks after fitting. Here we will check how your child is getting on with the BAHD, and adjust the sound settings if needed.

We may need to do some speech tests and questionnaires to see how helpful the BAHD is for your child, and may make changes based on this information.

We will also plan the next appointment. This is usually be every 3 to 6 months for preschool children, and once a year for school age children.

If you have any concerns between appointments please contact us and we will arrange an earlier appointment.

What if my child’s BAHD is faulty?

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

What if my BAHD has a fault?

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

How do we get replacement accessories?

You can phone the workshop to ask for replacement:

• batteries
• safety lines
• softpads (if used)
• battery drawers

These can be posted home.

If your BAHD is broken we can talk about arranging a repair or replacement for your. We might need you to come to an appointment for this.