Probe-tube microphone measures in children

The intent of this article is to provide a general overview of an electroacoustic hearing-aid selection procedure developed specifically for children and to describe how this approach may be implemented using real-ear measures of performance. There are a number of other important issues that require careful consideration before children can be fitted with their first hearing aids. Specifically, decisions related to hearing-aid size, durability, direct audio-input capability, telecoil strength, electroacoustic flexibility, battery life, and earmold coupling will need to be made. Experience tells us that modifications to the initial fitting will be required over time. Nevertheless, the implications of the decisions we make at the time of the initial hearing aid fitting demand that we approach the process as systematically and thoughtfully as possible.