sale of hearing aids to those individuals
who have obtained a medical evaluation
from a licensed physician. Federal law
permits a fully informed adult to sign a
waiver statement declining the medical
evaluation for religious or personal
beliefs that preclude consultation with
a physician. The exercise of such a
waiver is not in your best health interest
and its use is strongly discouraged.
Children with Hearing Loss:
In
addition to seeing a physician for a
medical evaluation, a child with a
hearing loss should be directed to
an audiologist for evaluation and
rehabilitation since hearing loss
may cause problems in language
development and the educational and
social growth of a child. An audiologist
is qualified by training and experience
to assist in the evaluation and rehabili-
tation of a child with a hearing loss.
Warning to Hearing Aid Dispensers:
A hearing aid dispenser should advise a
prospective hearing aid user to consult
promptly with a licensed physician
(preferably an ear specialist) before
dispensing a hearing aid if the hearing
aid dispenser determines through
inquiry, actual observation, or review of
any other available information
concerning the prospective user, that
the prospective user has any of the
following conditions:
Warning Signs:
1. Visible congenital or traumatic
deformity of the ear.
2. History of active drainage from
the ear within the previous 90 days.
3. History of sudden or rapidly
progressive hearing loss within
the previous 90 days.
4. Acute or chronic dizziness.
5. Unilateral hearing loss of sudden
or recent onset within the previous
90 days.
6. Audiometric air-bone gap equal to
or greater than 15 decibels at 500
Hz, 1,000 Hz and 2,000 Hz.
7. Visible evidence of significant
cerumen accumulation or a
foreign body in the ear canal.
8. Pain or discomfort in the ear.
NOTE: Special care should be exercised
in selecting and fitting a hearing aid
whose maximum sound pressure level
exceeds 132 decibels because there may
be a risk of impairing the remaining
hearing of the hearing aid user.
Hearing with Your New
Amplification
The world will seem
noisier at first, but in time, you should
become accustomed to your new
listening experiences, learn to hear
speech more clearly, and enjoy many
of the special sounds you may have
been missing. Obtaining maximum
benefit from your new hearing aid(s)
requires effort and practice on your
part. Your new hearing aid(s) will not
restore normal hearing and will not
prevent or improve hearing impairment
resulting from organic conditions.
In most cases, infrequent use of the
hearing aid(s) will not permit you to
obtain full benefit from it. Follow the
program recommended by your hearing
professional. The use of your hearing
instrument(s) is only part of your
hearing rehabilitation, and you may
need supplemental auditory training
and instructions in lipreading.
