Getting the right hearing aid for my 12 year old
We're very new to this. Found out our 12 year old needs hearing aids. We met with our ENT's hearing aid specialist and he showed us two kinds of hearing aids. It pretty much felt like a sales pitch. he spoke for over an hour and told us why he recommends what brand and type for my son. He also showed us the price list for the different levels. My question is - should we shop around for better prices, better kinds, etc? Is this like buying a car? or is the price pretty much the same across the board. Thanks.
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Hearing Loss Support Group.
@mommyd, Costco sells several different brands of hearing aids. I bought my Resound pair from them, and I have always found Costco audiologists wonderful to deal with. And Costco’s customer service in that department cannot be best.
@capausz Are these licensed Doctors of Audiology or Hearing aid technicians?
Wizard49, Depends upon the location. Part of the "fit" is how well you (or your child) relates to the person. If the woman I see at Costco is only a tech, she's extremely good and knowledeable, keeps up to date on new tech. The hearing tests she administered appeared to be far more comprehensive than one I had earlier this year at a hearing clinic, with an audiologist. The other people in the dept. are also far more than just sales clerks, know quite a bit, although they leave the really tech questions to the audiologist--or tech if she isn't certified. She has a genuine desire to make things better, rather than to sell anything.
Through my own personal negative experience with Hearing aid techs in the past, I now will only see a licensed audiologist. Their training, education and expertise is much more extensive than hearing aid techs. I’ve had techs put in hearing aids not conducive to my hearing loss, replace the tubes with wrong sizes, fit an ear mold improperly and on and on. I say go at your own risk but for myself personally, I only trust a licensed audiologist.