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About Start up Handling Options
Warnings
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• The audiologist or hearing instru-
ment dispenser will conduct a
hearing instrument evaluation to
assess your ability to hear with and
without a hearing instrument. The
hearing instrument evaluation will
enable the audiologist or dispenser
to select and fit a hearing instru-
ment to your individual needs. If
you have reservations about your
ability to adapt to amplification, you
should inquire about the availability
of a trial, rental or purchase-option
program. Many hearing instrument
dispensers now offer programs
that permit you to wear a hearing
instrument for a period of time for
a nominal fee, after which you may
decide if you want to purchase the
hearing instrument. Federal law
limits the sale of hearing instru-
ments 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 dis-
couraged. A hearing instrument will
not restore normal hearing and will
not prevent or improve a hearing
impairment resulting from organic
conditions. A hearing instrument is
only part of hearing rehabilitation
and may need to be supplemented
by auditory training and lip reading.
Children with hearing loss
• In addition to seeing a physician
for 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 lan-
guage development and educational
and social growth of a child. An
audiologist is qualified by training
and experience to assist in the
evaluation and rehabilitation of a
child with a hearing loss. If the user
is an infant, small child, or person of
mental incapacity, it is recommended
that the hearing instrument be
modified with a tamper-resistant
battery compartment.