In rare cases it may occur that, due to a malfunction in the hearing-aid and/or connected listening systems (FM), the child does not behave in the usual way; the following notes are given for parents, teachers and therapists for them to pay attention to the typical signs of a technical problem.

Given below are some answers to the commonest problems. In any case, see your hearing-aid specialist to fully examine the nature of the problem.

The child does not answer, or seems inattentive, listless, absent

The sounds do not reach the child or, if they do, they generate poor response:

• Make sure that the hearing-aids are correctly fitted, that they do not whistle and the earpieces are well-inserted in the auditory canal.
• Speak normally without an excessively high tone and volume. In this way it will be possible to see if the hearing-aid works correctly or if it is mute.
• Check the battery, and change it as a precaution.
• Make sure that there are no obstructions or hindrances (caps, hats, scarves, etc.) near the microphone, receiver or earpiece.

IMPORTANT: if the appliance is connected to an FM listening system, disconnect it and treat it the same as an additional hearing-aid, carrying out the same checks made on the traditional hearing-aid. In fact, the problem could very well be located precisely in the FM system.

The child shows clear signs of irritation, aversion

• Check the volume of the appliance and if necessary turn it to the correct position.
• If the problem exists, lower the volume a little and check if the child tolerates the sound better.
• If the hearing-aid has a program change, make sure that it is set on the right program.
• Check the battery and if necessary replace.

The child says he can hear noises, whistling

• Check the battery; in some powerful, new-generation appliances, when the battery is down, noises and whistling are generated, which can be recognized as estraneous to the child's world of sounds, and therefore irritating.
• Check if there are any mobile phones or systems that can generate interference signals near the child: neon lights, PC screens, printers, photocopiers, etc; non-digital hearing-aids are very sensitive to these sources of interference.
• If the child uses an FM listening system, make sure that there are no others nearby possibly tuned to the same broadcasting frequency. In this case, modify the transmission frequency if possible, otherwise contact the