Bone conduction hearing aids are commonly used to assist patients with microtia. These patients have developmental difficulties and abnormalities in one or both ears that makes it hard or impossible t...

Bone conduction hearing aids are commonly used to assist patients with microtia. These patients have developmental difficulties and abnormalities in one or both ears that makes it hard or impossible to hear. In turn, these hearing difficulties present challenges when it comes to regular language development and other learning tasks that require hearing. While completely deaf children are still able to communicate and learn, children with microtia don't necessarily have to remain deaf. Often a bone conduction hearing aid can help them live a normal life.?br />
Bone conduction refers to the transmission of sound waves through the bones of the skull. This type of hearing aid relies on the science of sound waves and their ability to travel through a variety of different types of mediums and materials. Sound waves travel through solid objects such as bone and can be conducted along as with nerve transmission through the brain. As such, even without an ear, to collect and transmit sound waves from the air to the brain, sounds can still reach the processing center of the mind in order to be heard. These types of hearing aids help kids to hear normally and assist them in normal development of language and other learning tasks.?br />
The common name for a bone conduction hearing aid is a BAHA or bone anchored hearing aid. These are usually installed within a few months after the baby is born. Even before any work is spent on recreating or replacing the malformed ear, it is important to install the hearing aid so that the child will not lag behind on milestones such as language development. Microtia is a symptom that is also associated with multiple syndromes in which the children have multiple anomalies and malformations due to difficulties in the womb. Some of these children have significant malformations of their ears and will have to rely on the hearing aid for their entire lifetime in order to hear properly. Other children have mild malformations and utilize the hearing aid while they are developing and waiting for plastic surgery solutions to fix the appearance and function of their outer ears. These children will have temporary bone conduction hearing aids installed and will be followed up regularly.

The bone conduction hearing aid is attached via a screw directly to the skull. This allows the sound waves to reach the brain appropriately for processing. Very often, the unit will be placed behind the ear and in a location that is covered by hair or is not as apparent or obvious to the casual observer. Contact your physician to determine if this plan is right for you or your child.