radio aids

There are various online forums for Teachers of the Deaf and parents of deaf children, in the UK and other parts of the world.  BATOD manages an email forum.

You are welcome to join the online community here https://khub.net/group/open-door-teachers-of-the-deaf to keep in touch.

Research to gather evidence for fitting radio aids when first issuing hearing aids

Research on using radio aids in the wider community

Research on the use of other Assisted Listening Devices with deaf CYP

Deafness and Hearing Impairment affect children's access to education all over the world.  We have strived to remain unbiased against any one make or type of system, and tried to provide a range of evidence from across the range  We welcome further case studies, using any system and device.

The collected information and advice is intended to encourage and provide evidence for the provision of the use of radio aids for all deaf children.

Although there are difficulties worldwide, regarding financial constraints, availability and sustainability of technology, the evidence shows that hearing devices alone are not giving full access to speech intelligibility for deaf children.  Whatever device or system is used, the basic principles are the same.

There is collective research, knowledge and practice from BATOD members and others involved in deaf education, in the UK and throughout the world, showing the benefit of radio aid technology.  Advances in technology have helped to overcome the problems of listening to speech in background noise and at a distance.  The evidence presented shows how this has improved the access to speech for deaf CYP.

Radio Aid systems can be used in conjunction with a Soundfield System.  The teacher uses the soundfield microphone and the Radio Aid transmitter is connected into the soundfield.  The sound is rebroadcast from the soundfield through the transmitter to the hearing device used by the CYP.

The Quality Standards for the use of personal radio aids QS12 states that:

Any deaf CYP should be considered a candidate for a Radio Aid.

The Quality Standards for the use of personal radio aids

Quality Standards 1 (QS1) states:

The purpose of a radio aid is to make speech accessible in difficult listening environments for hearing aids and CIs, by reducing the effect of distance and background noise.  The radio aid is set up and balanced before being subjectively assessed by the wearer.  Objective evaluation using speech discrimination tests assesses the benefit the wearer gains as well as their functional use of their listening package.

The UK Children's Radio Aid Working Group (formerly the FM working group) came into being in 2004 and is made up of professionals from Education, Health, Academia Charities and Manufacturers with specific interest in hearing-impaired children.  They meet twice a year.  The Group’s principal aims are:

As the equipment is getting smaller and easier to lose, discuss with your provider about replacements and insurance.  This should not be a barrier to fitting and use.

The NDCS issued a Position Statement in 2018, entitled ‘Charging and insurance to cover the cost of replacing or repairing of all hearing and listening equipment provided by NHS and local authorities’.