- operate below 1000MHz
- have a large distance between the antenna and the hearing aid
- have shielding towards the head
- have power management
- systems with good coverage To minimise the sensitivity of the hearing aid to the phone look for:
- good IRL specifications (low numbers)
- aids placed inside the ear canal Before you spend thousands of rand on new aids, insist on a 30 day trial period to see if the aid warrants the cost. Find an audiologist who has the time and patience to assist you. See web page for SHHH below. The above information was extracted from postings on Ushers to the RP List.
USHERS SYNDROME AND NEW TECHNOLOGY
If you are in the work place and need to rely more and more on your hearing, the new digital hearing aids may be worth investigating. Although far more expensive that the analogue aids, the digital hearing aids can separate background noise. You will need to learn to tune out this background noise which takes some practice. For Usher patients with profound hearing loss, new models for 90 decibel loss and digitally programmable aids, may also offer some help. Some doubt has been expressed if the improvement in hearing in digital models warrants the extra expense. Digital cell phones produce interference in all hearing aids to a greater or lesser extent, but digital aids are usually less sensitive to interference from mobile phones than analogue ones. To minimise mobile phone interference, look for phone systems which:
