Paediatric Hearing Aids
Your child’s hearing matters at every moment – from their first words to their teenage years. We offer paediatric hearing aids designed to support children whatever their age and hearing needs, fitted with care and adjusted until they feel right.
Why parents choose us
Hearing aid
options
Huge range of makes, styles and colours of hearing aids, because one type does not fit all.
Long
appointments
Generous appointments to make sure you have time to ask all the questions you have.
Experienced, expert
audiologists
Highly qualified audiologists with years of experience working with children.
Relaxing
environment
Our clinic is bright & comfortable to help your child feel at home.
Choosing a hearing aid for your child is not a small decision. You want to know that your audiologist understands how children’s hearing differs from adult hearing, how it changes as your child grows, and how much it affects their confidence, learning, and relationships.
At Zest Hearing Care our audiologists are highly qualified and experienced at working with children. That means every fitting, every follow-up, and every adjustment is shaped around your child’s specific needs, not simply a standard adult protocol applied to a smaller ear.
Once your child has their hearing aids there is no limit to how often we will see you. If something does not feel right, or your child’s needs change, we will see you as many times as needed until you and your child are comfortable and confident.
Ready to take the next step?
Your child’s hearing affects everything – how they learn, how they connect with friends, and how they experience the world around them. Getting the right support does not need to be complicated. Book an appointment today and we will take you through the process, step by step, at a pace that works for your family.
Or call us on 01327 640063
How can we help your child?
Hearing aids for young children
If your child has been diagnosed with hearing loss, it is natural to feel uncertain about what comes next. The earlier a child receives appropriate hearing support, the better their chances of developing speech and language skills alongside their peers, so acting sooner is almost always the right decision.
Young children’s ears grow and change quickly. We account for this at every fitting, checking that the device continues to sit comfortably and perform as it should as your child develops. We also take time to explain everything to you clearly, so you can support your child at home between appointments.
We can help with:
- Mild to profound hearing loss in infants and toddlers
- Fitting of behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids – devices that sit behind the ear and are connected to a small earpiece – which are normally our recommendation for young children
- Replacement ear-moulds as your child grows
- Guidance for parents and caregivers on helping children adjust to hearing the world more clearly
Hearing aids for teenagers
Teenagers have a different set of concerns than younger children, and they aren’t the same as adults either. Your teenager may worry about how a hearing aid looks, how it will support their social life, or whether it will perform in busy, noisy environments like classrooms, shopping centres or sports fields.
These are real concerns, and we take them seriously. We work with your teenager directly, not just through you, so they feel in control of their own hearing care.
Modern hearing aids for teenagers are smaller, more discreet, and better connected than ever. Many can link directly to a smartphone, allowing your teenager to adjust settings, stream audio, and manage their hearing aid themselves, which most teenagers find makes a real difference to how they feel about wearing one.
We can help with:
- Discreet styles that suit teenagers’ preferences
- Bluetooth connectivity and smartphone compatibility
- Hearing aid adjustments to make sure their hearing aids are working for their lifestyle
- Support for teenagers who are new to hearing aids, or returning after a break from wearing them
Hearing aids for single-sided hearing loss
Single-sided hearing loss (hearing loss in one ear only) affects children in ways that are easy to underestimate. Your child may appear to manage in quiet environments, but struggle significantly in class, in group conversations, or anywhere with background noise.
There are specific hearing aid options designed for single-sided hearing loss. These include CROS systems, which pick up sound from the affected side and relay it to the hearing ear, and bone-anchored devices, which transmit sound through the skull bone directly. We will explain all available options clearly and recommend the one that fits your child’s specific pattern of hearing loss and daily life.
We can help with:
- Assessment and diagnosis support for single-sided hearing loss in children
- CROS or BiCROS fittings – a special type of hearing aid that redirects sound to the better ear
- Bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) referrals where appropriate
- Guidance for you and your child’s school on supporting children with single-sided hearing loss
Hearing aids for glue ear
For children experiencing persistent glue ear, hearing aids can be an effective way to ensure they stay connected and engaged. One option to consider is bone conduction hearing aids. Unlike traditional hearing aids, which amplify sound directly through the ear canal, bone conduction hearing aids work by transmitting sound vibrations through the bones of the skull to the inner ear. This approach can bypass the middle ear, making it particularly beneficial for children with glue ear, where fluid build-up can block or muffle sound.
Bone conduction hearing aids are comfortable, adjustable, and designed with your child’s needs in mind. They can help improve speech clarity, social interactions, and overall learning in both school and home environments. Our specialists will work closely with you to determine if this is the right solution for your child and provide ongoing support to ensure they get the most out of their hearing aid.
We can help with:
- Assessment and diagnosis of glue ear in children
- Bone conduction hearing aid fitting
- Guidance for you and your child’s school on supporting children with glue ear
Common questions
Not always, but for most types of hearing loss in children hearing aids are the recommended first step. Whether your child needs them depends on the type of hearing loss they have, how much it affects each ear, and how it is likely to impact their speech and development.
Some types of hearing loss, particularly those caused by fluid in the middle ear (commonly known as glue ear), may resolve on their own or with medical treatment rather than hearing aids. Others are permanent and are almost always managed with hearing aids as early as possible. Your audiologist will explain exactly what your child’s diagnosis means and whether hearing aids are the right choice for them.
There is some overlap, but there are also meaningful differences. The NHS provides hearing aids at no cost, and for many children they work well. However, NHS choices are typically limited to a set range of devices, and appointment availability can mean longer waits between fittings and follow-ups.
Privately fitted hearing aids give you access to a wider range of devices, including the latest top-of-the-range technology that is not available on the NHS, as well as more discrete styles. Private care also tends to mean shorter waiting times, longer appointments, and more flexibility to adjust your child’s hearing aids as their needs change.
Hearing aids are the most common option, but they are not the only one. The right alternative depends on the cause and type of your child’s hearing loss.
Other options can include:
- Communicating via sign language (BSL)Â – the most important thing for any child is that they have a method of communicating reliably with family and friends. For many children born to hearing parents the most obvious option is hearing aids, however if these don’t feel right for your child learning British Sign Language is an excellent option. Many parents choose to learn BSL alongside hearing aids so that their child has both options available to them for the future.
- Bone-anchored hearing devices –Â these use bone conduction to send sound directly to the inner ear, bypassing a part of the ear that is not working as it should. They are often used when the outer or middle ear cannot carry sound normally.
- CROS and BiCROS systems – designed for children with little or no usable hearing in one ear, these route sound from the poorer ear to the better one.
- Cochlear implants – for children with profound hearing loss who do not benefit enough from conventional hearing aids, a cochlear implant may be considered. This is a surgically fitted device that stimulates the hearing nerve directly.
- Medical or surgical treatment – in cases where hearing loss is caused by a treatable condition, such as glue ear or an ear infection, treatment may improve hearing without the need for hearing aids.
Your audiologist will always discuss the options with you to help you understand which of these is relevant to your child’s situation.
There is no minimum age for hearing aids – newborn babies as young as a few weeks old can be fitted with them if a hearing loss is identified. In fact, the earlier hearing aids are fitted, the better. Your child’s brain is developing rapidly in those first few years, and hearing plays a direct role in how they learn to speak, understand language, and connect with the world around them. Most specialists recommend fitting hearing aids within the first few months of life if a hearing loss is confirmed.
Hearing well in one ear is helpful, but it does not fully replace hearing in both. Children with hearing loss in one ear can find it harder to follow conversations in noisy classrooms, work out where sounds are coming from, and keep up in group settings.
Whether a hearing aid is recommended depends on the degree of loss in the affected ear. For some children, a conventional hearing aid works well. For others, a different type of device, such as a CROS aid or a bone-anchored hearing device, may be more suitable. Your audiologist will walk you through which option is most likely to help your child specifically.
This is a common concern, particularly with younger children and teenagers. As paediatric specialists we will always work with your child directly to understand what is not working, whether that is comfort, appearance, or how the device sounds, and adjust accordingly. Wearing a hearing aid should never feel like a burden.