According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 U.S children are born deaf or with some degree of hearing loss in 1 or both ears. Nearly 15% of all children and young adults between 6 and 19 suffer from temporary or permanent hearing loss for reasons ranging from illness to noise exposure. Children can also develop hearing loss due to infection, medication, genetic conditions, or exposure to loud noise. Hear It reports that almost all children will contract otitis media at least one, and this can result in temporary hearing loss.
Hearing Aid Cost
Hearing aids can cost $1,500-$3,500 per unit. Without health insurance, hearing tests can cost $250. Hearing aid repair can cost $300-$400 for mechanical defects and $500-$600 for re-casing.
Arizona Health Insurance
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association reports that Arizona does not require health insurance to cover hearing aids for children or adults. The cost of hearing aids for a child can be too much for many foster families.
Hearing Loss Impact on Kids
Much like poor vision, hearing loss can significantly impact a child’s education and social skills. Children with hearing loss and without corrective aids can’t hear lessons, which affects their grades and test scores. They may feel unintelligent, when in reality, they’re missing keywords their teachers are speaking about because they can’t hear them.
Children with hearing loss can often feel isolated from other children. They may miss jokes in group settings or feel too embarrassed to ask a friend to repeat what they say, which leads to them feeling different and alone.
How You Can Help
Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation provides foster children in Arizona the tools and resources they don’t have access to. Make a difference and donate today.