It is quite common for children to dislike wearing headphones or having their ears looked at.
This is something that children tend to grow out of but it can make it difficult to complete the full hearing test.Here are a few tips to prepare your child
- Practice using headphones or earphones on your child at home. This will help your child get used to having something on and in the ears. If your child takes the headphones off, try again after a minute or so when they have settled.
- It may be helpful to play or watch their favourite piece of music or video while wearing the headphones. This can help teach your child that headphones are not scary and can be fun!
- Try touching and stroking your child’s ears when carrying out normal daily activities.
- It can be useful to look up videos on the internet of children having their ears and hearing checked.
- It may also be useful to use a toy doctor kit to pretend to look in their ears or their favourite doll’s ears. You can also show them having your ears looked at.
- We also have videos of our department on our website, please see the link below:http://www.evelinalondon.nhs.uk/audiology-stories
- Depending on the developmental age of your child, it can be helpful to practice waiting skills at home such as ‘ready, steady, go!’ games to help prepare your child for their appointment as we may use this in their appointment.
Contact us
Children & Young People’s Audiology Centre South Wing, Staircase C, 2nd Floor St Thomas’ Hospital London SE1 7EHt: 020 3049 8560
Leaflet number: 4615/VER1
Date published: September 2018
Review date: September 2021
© 2018 Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
A list of sources is available on request