Did you wear body aid while young?

kokonut

kokonut

New Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2006
Messages
16,006
Reaction score
2
Yep. I sure did. And then finally "graduated" to a newer hearing aid technology called Behind the Ear at about age 8 around 1974.

hearingaidkitid4.jpg

Image of box with old 1972 Zenith body aid, ear mold, Zenith membership card - 1972 and a button that says "Hearing Alert! Deaf Children Can Learn to Talk"

Loved that hearing aid. It enabled me to hear sounds and voices, and allowed me to get the neeeded audio feedback to hone my speech skills. Though I quickly grew fond with my new BTE hearing aid. Body aids throughout the 1970s rapidly fell out of favor for newer a BTE hearing aid technology. I'm sure after that no deaf/hh kid would want to be caught dead wearing a body hearing aid. Though in many cases it has served its usefulness. I am simply grateful that such a technology existed. Obviously it has benefitted me in more ways than one.
 
I wore one in the early 80s. I don't remember it, but there are plenty of pics of me wearing it
 
I wore bte since I was around two, or maybe younger because I was diagnosed at the same time my older sister was. It was her teacher who told my mother to check on her hearing. I can't ask my mother for sure because she passed away at the age of 57. It was at school since preschool where I had to take off my BTE every morning and wear a bodyworn FM system. Mine was beige and I believe it was phonak or phonic... I don't know the name. When I transferred to a local school around 4th grade, they told me that I didn't have to wear it anymore which I was happy (I would complain and fight almost all the time about it). Then they tried to offer it again in middle school but something more "hidden" but the teacher still had to wear a microphone so I told them no way. So I wore my BTE in one ears since fourth grade. (I can't handle wearing two hearing aids because for one thing, it's too much, and another, I couldn't afford to keep up with the batteries)
 
Last edited:
kokonut said:
Yep. I sure did. And then finally "graduated" to a newer hearing aid technology called Behind the Ear at about age 8 around 1974.

hearingaidkitid4.jpg

Image of box with old 1972 Zenith body aid, ear mold, Zenith membership card - 1972 and a button that says "Hearing Alert! Deaf Children Can Learn to Talk"

Loved that hearing aid. It enabled me to hear sounds and voices, and allowed me to get the neeeded audio feedback to hone my speech skills. Though I quickly grew fond with my new BTE hearing aid. Body aids throughout the 1970s rapidly fell out of favor for newer a BTE hearing aid technology. I'm sure after that no deaf/hh kid would want to be caught dead wearing a body hearing aid. Though in many cases it has served its usefulness. I am simply grateful that such a technology existed. Obviously it has benefitted me in more ways than one.
Click to expand...

I did. From 1985-1994. Body aids during the day at school, then it was just the hearing aids when I was at home.
 
Did anyone ever wear the old hearing aids pre transistor/amplified electronics? Acoustic hearing amplification.

It would be interesting to hear your perspectives about how it was back then.
If any of you did, you got mad props and I give you salutations for being and old timer. . Those who used these kinds are the pioneers of all hearing devices and probably should be seen as the fathers of all hearing aids.

It was those devices like these:
oldhearingaid.jpg


MegaHearingAid.jpg



oldha.jpg


headbandhearingaid.jpg


hearingaid1.jpg


hearing-aid-7.jpg
 
yes, for few years. I have no clue where my old body aids are, and I did not care. Anyway, they were ugly. lol

At my D/HH program elementary school, I know many classmates who did not like to wear body aids. According to the policy, we all had to wear body aids, so we can listen to our teacher's FM system mic. My mom was against it, and had to make sure I wear my own BTE hearing aids, not old body aids (School property). I know only one classmate who could not wear body aids, 'cause she was completely deaf.
 
kokonut said:
Yep. I sure did. And then finally "graduated" to a newer hearing aid technology called Behind the Ear at about age 8 around 1974.

Loved that hearing aid. It enabled me to hear sounds and voices, and allowed me to get the neeeded audio feedback to hone my speech skills. Though I quickly grew fond with my new BTE hearing aid. Body aids throughout the 1970s rapidly fell out of favor for newer a BTE hearing aid technology. I'm sure after that no deaf/hh kid would want to be caught dead wearing a body hearing aid. Though in many cases it has served its usefulness. I am simply grateful that such a technology existed. Obviously it has benefitted me in more ways than one.
Click to expand...


You and I are pretty close in age. I got my first BTE about 1978 when I was about 8. I had the body aid until then. My mom used to put my body aid harness on my back otherwise I ate the cords :lol:
 
Naisho, got a kick out of those pixs you posted :lol: especially the first 3.
 
2w2rodg.jpg


Yes. And I am very happy about today's much cooler BTE's!
 
AlleyCat said:
Naisho, got a kick out of those pixs you posted :lol: especially the first 3.
Click to expand...

They are our founding fathers! :cool2:

I'd try to wear one just for the sake of going retro. I ain't skeered of no people.
 
I did for couple of years before getting CI.... oh I remember that I hated it.... ugh
 
I got my body aid at 12 months old and switched to BTE's around five/six years old!! I was happy to switch :)
 
I had body FM until end of second grade and boy, we were overjoyed that we did not have to wear it anymore.
 
UGH....No I never had anything like that....BUT I went to school with kids who did and I remember them HATING them.

I will never compare my eyesight problems (severely nearsighted with a slight astigmatism) to HOH or Deafness. But I did grow up in the late 70's so I have the proverbial 'coke bottle' glasses. I am sooooooo happy with the improvements with optic technology.
 
That's how many people feel about hearing aids and cochlear implants. Ain't hearing technology grand?
 
I got my first body HA in 1953, the place my parent brought me to had a fake pearl necklace , it could be plugged in the HA and a wire would run up your neck! My mom wanted me to get that , I said no way! Could you see a kid wearing that to school!
 
Last edited:
kokonut said:
That's how many people feel about hearing aids and cochlear implants.
Click to expand...

Whatcha mean? You mean that people feel good about hearing/hearing technology? Not sure, need to clarify with what you are saying.
 
Ha, no. Wore the BW FM as a kid, but my parents and I had SO many fights about using it.
I know that some kids of my generation wore body worn aids as kids.
They are more powerful then BTEs. I know they are still heavily used in Europe.
 
Oh gawd, it been years lolz. Yea used to wear body aid from 2 to 9years old. Used to hate that friggin thing lolz, as soon as the BTE ones came out, never looked back since.
 
Back
Top