Keeping hearing aids on

We have dealt with lots of moms who complained about how to keep those huge hearing aids on those tiny ears.First we need to know , why do the kids take off the aids.Once we know this the rest is easy.

I had issues with Prisha about the hearing aids being thrown off.She had just started putting them when she was 10 months old.She threw one of them off into the DUSTBIN within that month! They are expensive lil things, the value they don't understand till we make them realise it. Here came Mrs. Alaka Hudlikar to the rescue.I too had actually tried tying the scarves on her but she would find a way to wriggle out of them.

The kids take them off as they do not enjoy or like wearing them.For them the world was a nice silent place with which they made their adjustments.Now with these, there is so much sound which at times scares them and sometimes bothers them. This happens till they realise and understand the meaning of those sounds- sound perception.To top it the moulds too can be quite suffocating in the ears.It is very important that the child should hear sounds [ could be anything from music to mom's voice which makes meaning to him etc.] that excite him and make him want to hear them.Like initialy with Prisha , I used to really talk a lot of things, show her around, sing and do things naturally which made her want to pay attention to what I was saying, diverting her mind from those stuffy , noisey things.So for her they became a mode of communication with the exciting world of sounds.She wanted to be a part of it and give her own voiceing.But there were times , she just would not have them in her ears.She realised I had great importance for those Hearing aids. So when I was ignoring her or giving her a dressing down for some tantrum, the hands would definately go to the aids, threating me.At that moment, I had to be very firm and strict.I would give her a warning and show her my eyes and would definately give it to her in a firm voice. At times she listened but if the tantrum went further, there are times I told her that since she does not want it, she needn't bother, I would take it out and throw it away, then she cannot hear. Sounds nasty but it worked.Then once this warning too was ignored and she was pulling it out, I quickly took them out and pretended to throw them out of the window into the street.She was horrified and started to cry.I told her its gone and since she does not like them she can stay without them.I walked out of the room, with my heart bleeding at her crying. But I knew it was all for her good.She came in later and since she had little vocabulary , pointed to her ears and wanted them on.With a bit of signing [as she was just a year old- I NEVER use signs otherwise] I was able to tell her next time she should not do it. We put on the aids, and then I talked to her in simple small sentences telling her not to throw otherwise mumma would throw it.That was the last of this behavior.

This is Ma'am's philosophy.She does not believe in being very available to the child.Most good medicines that are good for us are bitter.She feels if the child threatens the mother, he is holding her to ransom as he knows the mother would eventually melt.Let him realise the value of the aids and once he starts to enjoy the sounds around him, he will never ever take off the aids.Prisha has been off the left HA for the last 6 months. Her ear boils have gone from her ear[ thanks to homeopathic medicines given by our Dr. Sunil Anand].But since the skin is just healing I don't want to put the aid.She keeps telling me she wants the other aid. If she did not like it she would never want it.It has worked for me and for hundreds of mothers who have come to Mrs. Hudlikar in the last 40 years.So I am sure it would work for everyone.